An afternoon ride around South Park

ALMA, Colo. – We’re back from our 100-mile loop of South Park – U.S. 285 to Jefferson, down Taryall Road to the reservoir and beyond on horrible potholed, sand-strewn pavement.

It got better when we picked up U.S. 24 back west to Wilkerson Pass where we stopped for water and cookies thanks to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. I also made the acquaintance of a couple of miniature Australian shepherds. Aussies are everywhere.

We suppressed the urge to make a bullet run down U.S. 24 to Hartsel – good thing, since we passed a Park County sheriff’s deputy who had pulled over a speeder – and stopped for lunch at Dorothy’s Tamales in Hartsel. Clouds were gathering in the west as we went into the restaurant, hoping the rain would blow through while we ate. Turns out it was stuck between U.S. 285 and Colo. 9. Tim had nachos and I had the huge shredded beef burrito with green chilies. I only ate about 55 percent before I lost momentum.

I pulled on my rainsuit – Tim’s jacket and pants are already waterproof – and we headed home via Colo. 9. We rode through about 10-15 miles of light to medium rain before we got back to Fairplay and then on home to Chateau Balough.

Now it’s blogging and beer as the rain patters on the roof.