Day 48 Fireworks in September

Jackie, Kayla and Gregory play on the computer.

Jackie's folks Cowboy and Sally were our hosts in Kremmling.

Cowboy and Sally

Can you tell Dorrie feels really yucky?

Here we are waiting for Bill and Barb to give us a lift into Dillon.

Gregory tries to blow out the "magic candles"... again and again and again.

Bill, Barb and family help Gregory celebrate his birthday a little early.

Thank you Tracy for the fabulous cake!

Date: Sept. 5, 2009

From: Kremmling, CO

To: Dilllon, CO

Route: Hwy 9 South

Passes:

Miles: 9 miles (+32 miles by truck)

Top Speed on this trip: 49.2 mph

Weather: Fair

License Plates Collected: 5 Montana plates, 8 Wyoming plates (2 motorcycle) and 1 Idaho plate (found in WY), 2 Colorado plates

This was another tough day for me and when Mike heard my labored breathing on a relatively inconsequential hill and knew I was nauseous and not feeling well he made a call to friends in Dillon to take them up on the offer of a ride. We met Bill and Barb back in Bannack Ghost Town in Montana (they were finishing a motorcycle tour up to Alaska and the Northwest Territory and in addition have done extensive touring on their tandem bicycle). When we met they invited us for a visit when we came through Dillon, Colorado.

We’d touched base with them the day before and they generously offered to come get us in their truck if the ride to Kremmling was too much for me. Though not a particularly pleasant day, we did manage Kremmling (see yesterday), however, I think with the way I was acting (including the tone of exasperation in my voice at the thought of another day of no shoulder and intense traffic) Mike decided it was wise to make the call. Mike found the widest spot in the shoulder that he could and I just laid on my stomach in the dirt with my head on my fleece jacket while we waited the half hour for Bill and Barb. Mike made sure I sat up and dusted myself off before our hosts arrived.

Bill and Barb arrived with welcoming smiles and hugs, loaded us into the truck and gave us large bottles of water and granola bars. I cannot fully express what a gift these two have been to us. They immediately tried to help us resolve my seat situation and took us to Mountain Sports Outlet where we found a Terry Butterfly Gel Saddle that we eventually purchased after canvassing the area the following day. They also helped us track down our Continental Ultra Gatorskin 700 x 28 tires. It is recommended we replace them every 700 miles and believe it or not we’ve come that far since Missoula, Montana.

Barb and Bill’s daughter Tracy, son-in-law Wade and grandsons Sam and Caleb join us for a delicious dinner of Barb’s homemade lasagna and salad along with fresh green beans and watermelon that Tracy brought from the Farmer’s Market. Tracy also baked a yummy chocolate Bundt cake with zucchini. As an early birthday celebration for Gregory Barb topped it with 9 sparkler candles that Gregory huffed and puffed trying to distinguish them. We all had a good giggle at that including the birthday boy. (Only 3 more days until his actual birthday.)

To top off a fantastic day there was a spectacular fireworks display at the nearby park (that we visited earlier that day with Tracy, Wade and the boys) and we could see the fireworks from Bill and Barb’s front porch! I joked with Bill that he ordered them up special just for us! What a treat to see fireworks in September in Colorado!