Canon City to Colorado Springs

We made the 50 mile bike ride to Colorado Springs today.   The ride didn't start out well since a group of us missed a turn and went a few miles out of the way.   The ride was up and down almost the entire way.  The scenery was again very beautiful as we rode through the Rocky Mountains.  We could soon see Pike's Peak in the distance.  The optical illusion thing was in full force again today.  I actually pulled over at one point and checked my back tire to see if it was flat.  It appeared that I should be going downhill but I was struggling to move forward.  A fellow biker with an elevation gage went by me and said we are really going up hill at a 3% grade.  It certainly looked to me like we were going downhill and I should have been coasting.   We road near the Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.  One member of our volunteer group was stopped by a military person for taking a picture at the entrance of Fort Carson.  I guess security is very high around here.

 We had to wind our way through the city until we reached the Colorado Springs Christian School.  We had fun stopping at a couple of lemonade stands that kids had set up.  These kids thought they had hit the jackpot when all of us bikers stopped at their stands.

The sad part of the day was when Shirley Folkerts, sister of Shar Jelgerhuis, flipped her bike going downhill.  She rolled a few times before stopping.  We are grateful that she was not hit by a car.  She was taken to the hospital for x-rays and we just found out that she broke her leg just below her knee.   Please pray for healing and comfort as I'm sure she is very disappointed to have her ride end this way.  She and her husband, Rudy were planning to go all the way to New York City.  

A group of young men from our group rode up to the top of Pike's Peak once they got to Colorado Springs today.   That is a height of over 14,000 ft.  They all made it down safely but they are looking very sore and tired tonight.  

We had beautiful weather here in Colorado Springs until about 3:00 when a thunderstorm rolled in.  It was a very impressive display of lightning and LOUD thunder.  

A group of us took a van to the Garden of the God's Park in Colorado Springs this afternoon.  It was interesting to see the various rock formation in this area.  

It is continuing to rain here tonight.  Many of the bikers are either staying with relatives in the area or are in hotels.  I set up my tent but I think I'm going to put my sleeping bag in the school and sleep there along with many of the other riders.   Most of us are in one room in the school right now either working on our computers, playing cards or reading.   You do become a very close community when you spend this much time together.  It is great to see the multiple generations interacting together.  The oldest rider is 76 and the youngest is 14.  The fourteen year old has his parents riding as well.  All but two riders are post high school age.  

I'm looking forward to the church service tomorrow morning.    We will be worshipping in the Cragmor CRC.  Todd Hilkemann is the pastor of this church.  Pastor Todd was the Pastor of Congregational Life at Calvary Church in Edina.    We do not ride on Sundays and it will be good to rest after a very physically challenging week.