[The following is a fictional account of our virtual Ride Across AMerica and Back -- week 2 report, posted 8/12/07]
 
The Flyers had an interesting visit to Colorado… We’re definitely in the spirit of "Enjoy The Ride" – we took the opportunity to stop in at Chimney Rock park, and do a little extra climbing – with ROPES, not with ‘BENTS…
 

 

 
 
 
Unfortunately, shortly after leaving Chimney Rock, we ran into THIS climb…
 

 
 
Are you people in Colorado NUTS, or what is the deal??? We had to backtrack to Chimney and REPURCHASE the climbing gear – ropes, pitons, hammers, etc. – One of us would take one end of the rope, ride about 50 yards, and PULL the others forward, just to keep ourselves from tipping over backwards…  
 

 
 
Heck, it took us two days just to get to the top.   This is a nasty, dirty little trick to pull on recumbent riders, and I personally blame HOWARD… (HRLaughed) .  
 
We finally make it to the little town of Walsenburg, and stop at a local grocery store for supplies… and find THIS, as reported by a local newshound…
(A true news item)
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By TAMMY ALHADEF
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
WALSENBURG - Huerfano County commissioners say the community's only supermarket is in poor condition and should be remodeled or replaced.
Commissioner Scott King said he and many of his constituents are constantly frustrated by the state of the Walsenburg Safeway store.
"When you go into that store, the shelves are empty," he said. "The produce department is a disgrace and the items they’ve advertised in weekly circulars as 'on sale’ just aren’t in stock. Peeling floors, buckling ceiling tiles and food stored on the floor are just a few of the problems recorded in routine inspections by the Huerfano County Health Department the past four years. Expired baby food was found on the shelves two years in a row during inspections, along with dairy products stored at too high a temperature, dirty restrooms and unclean meat preparation surfaces."
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I’m not sure how to blame this on Howard as well, but I’m sure there’s SOME way to do it… did the Flames just empty the shelves as they passed through, so the following teams would STARVE??? Foul, I say!!! Mileage penalty!!!
 
My man Bud_Bent was so weak from hunger that he could only contribute 60 miles to the cause this week… but, we did our best to pull him along, and Kwijybow continues to hammer out the miles!
 
Finally, FLATLANDS AHEAD!!! Kansas, here we come!!! I think we'll take a little detour up to Hays, to visit the RANS factory! (This was not a commercial endorsement  )

LEADERBOARD for 2007 RAAM and BACK TEAM CHALLENGE
 
 
Next update due Sunday SEPTEMBER 2
 
Real Division:
 
Deer Park Posse...4,109.4
CyclePaths...........2912.5
GABA Gals...........2,655.0
 
 
Cyber Division:
 
The Flames................................4,517.0
Perfectly Normal Pansy People....3,115.4
Sea 2 Sea Road Warriors............2,806.4
RBENT Flyers.............................2,632.9
Smell the Dairy Air.......................1,467

Through 9/9/07:
 
FlyingLaZBoy (T.C.) 984.9
Bud_Bent 698.4
Rawhide 655.9  
Kwijybow 1139.7
CatRoad254 588.6
 
 
Mileage Total ---->4,067.5 Miles  
Last Checkpoint:
Indianapolis, IN, Westbound  
 
Ahead/(Behind) Schedule (498)  
 
Miles to go 2,020.5
 
 
Had almost 700 team miles for the week, but still lost another 60 the the Schedule... However, we DID pass the GABA gals, honking our annoying AOOOGAH horns and ring our ice cream truck bells as we went by!!!!  
 
We're slogging on, but will definitely need till the end of September to hit the Left Coast, since 1) another Rainy Season is upon us here in North Texas, and 2) Mr. Catroad has been forcibly snatched off his bike and taken to Atlanta for the next week...
 
Go everybody!!!!