Luckily no-man's land eastern Colorado didn't hold us long. I took up on Lauren's offer to spend some time in Denver. Her lovely mom drove three hours to get us and we finagled the four of us, all our luggage and the bike parts in the car. I switched easily into tourist-mode, changed pedals for flip-flops, the bike for a car and the pad for a mattress. One day soon became two and eventually three days off. When you live by different time and distance dimensions, like when you live on a bike on the road, you live in a different world. I adjusted surprisingly easy though. Explored downtown Denver (the Mile High City!), toured the Capitol, went up to Boulder (I think I fell in love), got CPR certificated (so it's officially safe to hang out with me) and took a leisurely bike ride up to Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, my first close encounter with the Rockies. For ceremony sake, I threw a snowball in the frozen lake. Compared to Kansas, Colorado might as well be on a different planet. We're moving from the Wizard of Oz to the Incredible Journey here.
Being in the Denver/Boulder area, I realize I have to settle down in a place like this. People are so outdoorsy with year-round outdoor activities going on and a healthy-living vibe. We even failed 'find-the-fat-person'. In the States. To sink myself in this circle would be a good move.
Hanging out with Lauren's family was an extension to all the amazing hospitality I experienced so far. We got pampered, big time. I got a total American-makeover. Hardly any secrets from here on. We had a campfire, I learned how to smoke s'mores, met some more wonderful people and I even met me-in-say-35-years, like a reversed déjà-vu. This life is going to be great!
And so the time came our ways parted. Back on the trail by myself. And I like it, I do feel the urge to butterfly by myself. After the disastrous first four days in Florida and then the crawling up the Atlantic coast and the beginning of the TransAm, this feels like part III of the trip. It also feels in some weird way as nearing the end, although there are still a good five cycling weeks lying ahead of me. As far as moving out of my comfort-zone, I pretty much succeeded and I have to say, I'm pretty comfortable here.
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