For the numbers people:
27 miles
2700 ft elevation climbed
Have you ever traveled with your dad? This trip is going to be like traveling with six dads.
Our bike boxes are so big that we have to take my truck to the airport. Stu carpooled with me.
Every year regardless of the airline, the gate agent makes up the bike transport rules. If I had United premier status, the bike would fly free but I lost that when I retired. I have the united credit card which is supposed to allow a free check on bag up to 70 lbs. my bike weighed 67 but the agent looks at me and says $140. I swiftly flashed my sexy United credit card and said , “I think it flies free because I have your credit card.” She quipped, “did you pay for your ticket using that card?”
I hesitated thinking of a way out, “well, no I didn’t.”
She might as well said “checkmate!” But she said with a smile, “$140 please”.
I wish my momma had raised a liar I thought.
With a weak hand, I parlayed, “if I pay for the bike with my United card, will it then fly free?” The money was already spent as she shook her head no at me.
Stu and I reached the gate first. Ron rolls up and starts to tell us that Jeff is getting the TSA shake down. We cracked up. Everything was probably fastidiously packed. Socks rolled up with the undies. We could just see Jeff’s face as the TSA officer was dumping it all out.
“Ah ha!” They found his multitool pliers with a two inch blade. On a trip like this everything is important so Jeff decided to check it and pay another $50 for a checked bag. Fortunately, bernhard was checking in and saw Jeff. The multitool was saved by checking it with bernhard whose status allowed free check bags. Stay with me here in this boring story because it does get funny.
So as Ron is telling us this fantastic story, Dale starts to get pissed because United made him pay to check his carryon bag!
“I’ve never heard of that” I said.
Dale pulls out his paper ticket and printed in bold across his ticket it says “NO CARRY ON BAGS”. Dale must’ve purchased such an economy fare because he was also in the last group on the plane and in the last row of seats next to the toilet. Dale was indignant!
After the laughter subsided, it was less than five minutes and Ron and Stu were already loudly debating about Global Warming. I could see people changing seats near us.
And it wasn’t even 06:00 in the morning!
Despite the plane was hit by lightning, we made it to the little airport which was our starting point near steamboat springs.
When we arrived a rainstorm was coming through. I really didn’t want to start the ride in the rain.
The airport was kind enough to allow us to assemble the bikes inside the airport!
650 mile bike ride and its always hard to find our starting point. We follow a gps route which is great but when you’re not on the route yet, it just blankly stares at you.
We finally agreed to the highway that would take us to Oak Creek. Oak Creek was only 22 miles away, but it was a tough 22 miles as we had to cross several valleys with big climbs.
It was cold when we arrived Oak Creek with only an hour left of daylight, we opted to go get dinner right away. After inquiring with a tatted up kind man, he pointed to a park nearby saying that camping is probably not allowed but they don’t lock the bathroom and they laid off the town sheriff.
The park was perfect. Plenty of water to reload us. We hid behind the restrooms and pitched our tents. It finally rained on us at night But most of us slept through it.
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