Escalante, UT -> Bryce Canyon National Park, UT, 51.5 mi, 4290 ft
This was in many regards a standard Spokes day. We took our time in the morning, rested well at rest stops, but somehow made it to the end before dark. So, without major events to recount, I will show you all the pictures I took this day.
Starting off, headed out from Escalante with Ruth ❤ after saying bye to our lovely hosts and their dogs <3. My sealant fixed a puncture, but made a weird blob. We rode like this for a while.
At some point people caught up to us and we peloton-ed our way up the first climb (out of two) to a viewpoint. The peloton was great for efficiency in the face of headwinds. It was a good time (at least for me, drafting behind :D) This stretch of the day also featured some nice signs. Unfortunately, saw no Elk, and the steep grades for us were downhill.
Here are the views from the viewpoint, featuring weird rocks and some mountains in the distance. And here is Tian eating a sandwich? and Ishaq admiring the view.
I tried to take some pictures of the info plates, in case someone is super curious, but the sun made my efforts difficult.
The next reward (after the viewpoint) for climbing that climb was the downhill! Look at Ishaq speeding away! After zooming down, we met up with Ruth, Tian, Charles and Greta (I think….) and chatted for a bit. I think Charles was trying to bike with Ruth this day, a decision which he had mixed feelings about. The most important bit of the conversation centered around finding a measurement for people’s behinds. When biking we spend a lot of time with people’s butts in our sights, so it is a very relevant question to research. In the picture Ruth and Tian are discussing this question of metrics, comparing different options, like waist to butt ratio or height to butt ratio. (Spoilers, in the end Ruth implemented two of these in the evening, creating a Spokes buttocks ranking, which will not be published due to privacy policy. The chosen method of measurement also ended up receiving some criticism, so the study might need to be redone.) Anyways, back to the story.
We made it to our next rest stop – a great, green, shaded lawn, where we had some food, and I took some paparazzi style pictures through the leaves. Tian’s one is my personal favourite. Notice me struggling to get the leaves out of her face. We layed on the lawn for a bit and Greta read us some horoscopes, which was quite entertaining. She had also made around 8 sandwiches that morning for herself and other Spokies. This is a strategy (I’m guessing introduced by Charles?), so that people don’t have to make a sandwich every single day.
Getting to the next rest stop was pretty chill. Here’s Tian by some nice rocks. The middle one is a great image. Observe Ishaq cruising downhill in the least aero pose ever and Ruth (way more aero) struggling to keep up. Finally, there is Ruth entering civilization, where we would find our next and final rest stop for the day – a cafe. I did not take any pictures there, but people got some lattes, Ruth tried, but did not quite succeed at reading a book in German, and I was stressing over what to make for dinner tomorrow (since I am not driving, I am not usually in charge of picking a dinner, so I was having too many thoughts). The cafe had a cool ice machine OUTSIDE the cafe, which was interesting and very convenient for us.
After the refreshments we were faced with our final climb – getting up to Bryce. We entered the National Park territory, Charles stopped to take a picture of the sign. (I did not stop to take a picture of Charles taking a picture.) There was a winding road leading us up, and while I was too busy climbing to take pictures (there is one singular photo), you have to trust me the views were great!
Up there it was flat again and we made it onto a bike path that lead us to our campsite. Me, Ruth, Greta and Charles also stopped for some ice cream / milkshakes, but we all collectively forgot to take pictures. It was a great time though.
After we made it to our campground and were setting up, we learned that there will be a fire ban, starting at midnight, so after showers and dinner (pasta with salad and Italian sausage, thanks, Sarah!), we sat by the fire and collectively did not do much. Contemplating life, being tired, doing an Instagram post, tidying up, watching a baseball game, listening to music. We were lost in thought, small under the night sky, brought together by the fire.
Green River State Park, UT to Capitol Reef National Park, UT — 94.4 mi, 4,440 ft
Ishaq is driving today, which means his strategy for waking people up is to yap loudly until we get too annoyed to stay in our tents. He’s been in his blasting Alvin and the Chipmunks out the speaker era, so I pop my AirPods in and start packing up.
Today is a slow morning. Tian’s missing a glove, so she goes back to the nearby laundromat to hunt for it. She finds her glove in the washer, which is totally not my fault since I totally was not in charge of laundry yesterday (I’m sorry). Meanwhile, Ishaq is complaining about the breakfast dishes not being clean and Sarah and Joseph’s tent not being taken down, then promptly starts dancing around. Ramona, the kindest soul, takes dishes into her own hands, while I take the tent down, which guilts Sarah into also helping take her tent down. Joseph is nowhere to be found.
Ramona and I finally leave once I assure her that she has contributed enough for the morning, and we embark on our 94 mile day. The beginning is uneventful, and we skip the first rest stop because Ishaq is slow. We continue biking, at some point passing a slightly concerning sign:
I decide to play a fun game with Ramona to make her stop asking me questions about credit cards: make her guess how far a geological structure is. I point out a massive pile of rocks in the distance and she guesses 6 miles. I mock what I think is a ridiculously small distance, so she modifies it to 3-30 miles, earning my agreement. After a couple miles, we turn right, and the rocks are still very much in the distance. I guess we’ll never know how far they really are 🤷♀
At the completely barren rest stop 2, I declare I’m going to pee in front of the car to shelter myself from potential highway peepers. After some debate (i.e. Charles loudly stating that he doesn’t want my pee to flow anywhere he’d have the slightest chance of seeing and/or stepping on it), I find the least sad bush around to cover me. Ramona later pees in the exact same spot, then proceeds to ask Charles questions about credit cards.
The day is long, and though all 10 of our climbs are very demure, it’s hot out and therefore easy for us to get dehydrated. We are also almost out of individual electrolytes. Luckily, we were gifted big packets of fruit punch electrolytes early on the trip, and the gallon batches have been carrying me for the past few days. I began to ponder: what percentage electrolyte am I? So, I did the math:
Charles and Greta + Sarah and Joseph catch up to us, and we do a rare 6 person bike ride (Tian is very far ahead of us, per usual). We debate about who would win a Spokes hunger games. Initially we decide that no one could kill Ramona because she’s Ramona, and ramona couldn’t kill anyone because she’s Ramona, so we introduce the caveat that everyone is definitely bloodthirsty. We still think Ramona would win because she’s basically Katniss (she did archery in middle school!!). Sarah would definitely die first while running to the cornucopia. Tian would win the hearts of the sponsors and silently kill people with her secret supplies. Ishaq would hide with his iPad and a sprite. Charles might make it far but would definitely forget some essential part of a not-so-very thought out attack plan. Greta is fast and would outrun all the crazy animals being released. She would also probably kill a lot of people. Joseph without sponsored tools is screwed, but Joseph with sponsored tools may be lethal. Apparently I would build a mightily fortified treehouse and hide there until falling victim to something or someone that causes me to die tragically in Ramona’s arms. All in all, an entertaining discussion.
I decide to induct Charles and Greta in the “how far is that geological structure” game. Charles guesses 20 miles, Ramona jokes 2 miles, and Greta unironically guesses 2.5 miles. I smartly avoid giving a number to avoid the unavoidable clowning of a terrible guess, which Charles received when we discover the rocks are a mere 3.5 miles away.
nothing. for miles.
the rocks that were actually 3.5 miles away
pretty sky
we made it!!!
ooo striped rock
RAMO
At the next rest stop at Bull’s market, we run into a fellow cross-country biker. He’s doing a solo self-supported trip from Denver to someplace near the Pacific, so his struggles are both similar and very different from ours. Our mouths were agape as he talked about camping on the side of the highway and biking starting at 3am. We could never.
After the next rest stop, Ramona and I separate from the rest of the group again and talk about our family. I discover that her dad has a slightly different last name due to gendered Latvian nouns, and she discovers that my middle name is my dad’s first name. Her uncle and his dad and his dad all have the same name (Arnolds Treimanis, if you were curious). I don’t tell her this, but there are actually 3 Ruth’s in my slightly extended family.
Since today is such a long day, we’re planning on eating out using money that Spokes 2019 graciously gave us. At the next rest stop, we’re informed that the restaurant closes at 9pm. It’s 6:30 and we have 10 miles left. Ishaq pushes me away from the car, literally, and Ramona and I lock in for the final stretch. I’ve gotta say, seeing the Capitol Reef sign after 90+ miles was such almost euphoric.
We enter the campgrounds and the first thing I notice is deer! There are so many deer! Deer here and deer there, deer deer everywhere.
After delighting over the deer, Ramona and I head to the car, where Ishaq and Tian have already put all our tents up—u da best. We’re informed that there are no showers. NO. SHOWERS. I’m stinky and sweaty, so Ramona and I head to the bathrooms and wash ourselves in the sink. A lot more effective than I expected. Once everyone arrives, we squish in the car with 5 other stinky bikers and head to the Mexican restaurant. The roof rack is empty and is flapping insanely in the wind, so we take it down as soon as we get there.
gettin jiggy wit it
The restaurant was tons of fun. We have $25 to spent per person, which is enough for me to get a drink, dinner, and dessert. Sarah and I bond over our delicious horchatas. Thank you, Spokes 2019!
horchata
HORCHATA!!!
socks & sandals?!?
shame her
greta’s dirty nails
my fish and shrimp tacos
We leave at 9:30, meaning the restaurant should’ve kicked us out half an hour ago. We go to the grocery store to buy some ice, leave, realize we forgot firewood, drive back to the grocery store, and buy firewood (we’re not locked in). I’m extremely hyper at this point for no apparent reason, but I can already tell I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.
When we arrive back at the campground, the car starts beeping. More like shrieking. I’m pretty sure we woke everyone up. It stopped just as suddenly as it started, and we discretely continue driving to our area, hoping no one noticed.
We start prepping for bed when I discover a missing tent. I ask tian if she pitched all four tents and she says yes. If it’s gone, it’s gone. I sulk away, fairly certain I’ll have to sleep in the car. But alas, what’s that in the distance? A couple feet away, hiding in some tall grass, is a single tent, suspiciously isolated. Charles walks over, circles it, seems satisfied, then carries it back to our area. He seems to think the wind took it away, but I’m pretty sure it was the deer.
To wrap up the night, we sit around a campfire and contemplate life.
Ramona: Are we on Earth or Mars? Charles: You know, it’s a cosmic coincidence that the sun and moon are same size—they’re different on other planets Ishaq: The side of the moon we see is always the same Ruth: 🎵the dark side of… the mooooon🎵 Ramona: Do you think the stars look the same from Mars as they do from Earth? Greta and Ruth: No Everyone else: Yes Charles: The moon is proof we’re on Earth
Right at our peak philosophical moment, we hear scurrying. We whip our heads and shine a bright light on a guilty looking raccoon with a bag of bagels in its mouth. Our bagels. The raccoon stole our bagels. We might be hallucinating, so maybe it’s time to sleep. The festivities conclude, our fire dwindles, and we bid each other farewell until morn.
I’m unfortunately wide awake, so Charles and I end the night with our trusted camping card game, gin rummy, which I promptly lose so badly that he spares adding the loss to our ongoing record. I’m still not tired, but I let Charles sleep because I’m kind like that. I sit with my thoughts, which include wondering if we’ll all be stinky tomorrow, as well as debating whether the shuffling sound outside the tent was raccoons foraging through our belongings. I ultimately decide that, yes, we will all smell bad, and yes, those are raccoons. Too lazy to shoo them away, I finally drift to sleep.
Grand Junction, CO to Moab, UT — 114.1 mi, 4,019 ft
if you read the byline, you probably realized that sarah is about to tell you about the 2ND LONGEST ride of our spokes journey.
and if this day wasn’t going to be long enough already, it decided to start BEGRUGINGLY early at 4 in the morning, as i was woken up by red, itchy bug bites all over my body. it seems no matter where we are, the bugs decide to attack me the most consistently. i think they realize that, being from the barren desert, i have the most untainted, fresh blood. you’re welcome, my fellow spokies 😌
anyways, enough with the dramatics. i actually got up and out of bed around 6:30am: we had 114 miles of biking ahead of us, so we had to get started as early as we could (or at least try to). last night we stayed in our warmshowers’ host greg’s “project house”: a house he was currently in the process of renovating. this worked out perfectly for us: we could spread out and sleep wherever, had plenty of room for bikes, and got to be the first to test out the showers! i chowed down 2 bowls of CTC and a banana before heading out right before 8am.
leg 1 was a tame ride out of grand junction mostly on bike paths far from the busy roads. i usually put on music when i’m alone, but this morning i decided to listen to the world around me instead (as well as save my battery for the long day). i passed a sign at the entrance to the city and quickly snapped a photo for the blog and my old high school pole vault coach: she went to school and vaulted for the college in grand junction! i got the rare chance on a rest day in colorado springs to meet up with her (and her husband) and catch up for the first time since she moved away last july. i truly couldn’t have made it to MIT without her—if you’re reading this, gabby, it was SO nice to see you again! (and thank you jason for helping coordinate the surprise!) 💗 joseph and tian eventually catch up to me, and we make it to the 1st rest stop of the day—a cafe (my favorite)! after my order got messed up (and fixed, even though i was nervous to ask for a redo…) i walked out with my usual iced chai, a strawberry cheesecake cookie, and an extra latte, which ended up being taken by ruth, who was hyper for the rest of the day. i think the energy on such a long day was appreciated, though :))
bye bye, grand junction!
bridge into town
cafe-goers
my pre-114-miler treat
knowing the scarcity of society for the day, i stepped into the restroom real quick before heading out for leg 2, and when i came back out, i see that everyone had already left (except for joseph): uh, rude much? 😐 anyways, the two of us set out to officially leave grand junction—and civilization. we spot another cyclist on the road, and while joseph keeps insisting it’s ramona, i know it’s not (it isn’t her). i decide to call my parents to check in on things: i haven’t mentioned it yet, but i would be seeing my parents in moab!!! long story short, we had a housing gap in moab for quite a while, and they decided to fill it in! they have been meaning to go to moab for a while, and it would also be a good chance to be with me for a bit since i would be gone all summer…sorry :(( they came in the night before, and i hear that they are getting settled and already starting to prep for dinner that night! with rest stop 2 being only a few miles away, i see a suspicious clump on people on the side of the road ahead of me. joseph and i pull over and realize that ramona was having tire issues. the car was also stopped and packed with water, food, and supplies, so we collectively decided to make this an unofficial rest stop 2 and move on to “leg 3.”
this is when we start making our way into more desert scenery—what i’ve been joking is “my territory.” even ramona commented on the actual excessiveness of shrubs: having made a quick stop in nevada herself, she (and i) know what REAL desert will look like. we start chit-chatting, and some of us come up with 4-lined poems, to pass the time. we hit a bit of gravel (tian’s least favorite thing ☹️), but there’s an unexpected bathroom at the top! then, after a quick, short climb, we speed down to the sign signaling that we had made it to utah!!! i was a bit sad, since from here on out all the states will be old news to me, but was comforted knowing that i actually would be seeing new areas within these “old” states. even so, traveling by bike really gives you a truly unique perspective on places and the communities that occupy them, so i realized i was actually excited to get to see familiar places in a new light! i ate my first of 2 sandwiches (my 1st double sandwich day), we took some pictures, and set off into the sands of utah 🦂
we’re here!!!
casual with it
juice
bathroom view
the gang
more tire troubles :((
various spokies with fruit, courtesy of ruth
hello camera-woman!
leg 4 was a longer one—17 miles. by this point though, the whole team was together, so we chit-chatted, played a bit of biker leap frog, and just tried to make it through the chaos of I-70. as various signs warned us that there were no services for the next bajillion (read: 40-50) miles, we realized we were truly in the middle of NOWHERE. this is where i started to feel it: i was consistently just a tad uncomfortable in my saddle, the wind was just a bit too intense, the sun a bit too bright, the road ever so slightly inclined, AND my podcast wasn’t that interesting to me. the fact that we were just going straight for MILES also bothered me: my biggest dread is making a turn and garmin telling me to keep going for some 10+ number (where there’s no decimal that counts down faster). for the first time EVER, though, there were quite a few ENCOURAGING honks from cars on the interstate!!! this was so fun, and an instant mood-booster for the whole group. we power through and eventually exit to find ruth on the side of the road attempting to make a call, grab some food, water, and MUCH cherished AC, and set off once again—half-way through.
a selection of our 4-line poems
leg 5 was definitely the most mentally challenging of the day. the terrain was once again quite barren, but the winds were AWFUL 😔 joseph and i attempted to draft off each other, but that wasn’t even possible due to the fact that it was a mix of head and cross winds. finally though, we hit a left turn, and after some small hills, we see the canyon we are to enter draw closer and closer—the winds, now in our favor, helping us speed along. rest stop 5 is only 5 miles before an opportunity to dip in the colorado river, so we only rest for a few short minutes before heading on, but not before saying hello to ruth’s germanswiss european friend she’s on the phone with. i don’t normally partake in getting wet mid-ride, but this was MUCH needed (and i changed into swim bottoms so my chamois wouldn’t get soggy and give me sores when i eventually hopped back on the bike…eventually…) the current of the mighty colorado was, as expected, pretty strong, so we didn’t drift too far from shore. we tried (and failed) to play human bowling. we settle for finding larger rocks to prop ourselves up against and rest, allowing the cool water to wash over us. at this point, i realize that it’s late afternoon and we are still pretty far from moab, so i get out and get changed and pray the others will follow soon (and swiftly). i munch on more of my sandwich(es), and the group sets off for the canyons 🏜️
attempted selfie w/ ishaq
trees!
almost thereee
honestly, legs 7-9 were in short succession, and towards the end of this long, hot, and quite eventful day…so, a bit of a blur. what i definitely remember though was the views FINALLY starting to improve, changing pretty quickly from barren, monochromatic desserts to towering, colorful canyons. surprisingly (to some people), the desert can actually be quite spectacular and beautiful! besides maybe charles, i’m the only one who has seen views like this, and—unlike anyone—i’ve lived in them. so, it was a treat to get to see my teammates experience the stunning sights for the first time: it made me feel a bit of fresh wonder and awe for the yet increasingly familiar terrain of the southwest 🧡 even though the views we’re wonderful, it was hard to ignore our increasingly declining physical conditions: things we’re starting to hurt more, water was running low, hunger (for a real meal) was growing exponentially, and there was still about 20-30 miles to go. however, the road goes on, and so do we.
yesss red rocks
moab SOON
hi ishaq and tian!
as we begin the final, 10.5 mile leg, we get into single-file, hit a bike trail, and its full steam ahead to moab proper. AND, after hours and miles without service, the bars come back!!! this is especially important because it’s been WAY too long since we were able to update my mom on our whereabouts, and (as i predicted), after we were over half an hour late to dinner, she had sent my dad out to backtrack our route by car to make sure we were ok. while we were expected at 7pm, we came rolling in in two waves around 8:45pm…sorry for worrying you, mom! surprisingly, i managed to be apart of wave 1, even with a 2 mile climb in the home stretch—what can i say, i was VERY excited to see my parents, and VERY excited to SIT. DOWN.
while my fellow spokies helped to start arranging things at our place for the next few days, i was on a mission to track down my parents. i find my dad in the back, and (after a short walk) my mom at the grill making the final preparations for dinner. eventually, both meet at the grill, and i start excitedly debriefing about the day, showing them my cool uniform in-person—generally catching up. we bring back and serve dinner—chicken and vegetable skewers, pita and bagel chips, and hummus! while i was worried the energy would be low after such a long, gruelling day (something i warned my parents about in advance), there is conversation and laughter to be heard all-around. it was very interesting to see two very different groups of people in my life interact, but i’ve since heard all parties had a lovely time, which makes me very happy :))
thanks mom!!!
YUMMY
after some “heated” (yet, of course, laughter-filled) debates over the bed situation in the non-tian-and-ramona room (that i was dubbed moderator of due to it being the “schmitt’s” place), some DELICIOUS berry crisp for dessert, and a shower at SOME point, i crashed in a solo top bunk to prepare for some rafting and hiking the following day. i wish i could end this with some of my usual thought-provoking rambling, but it’s just 11pm, this blog is late enough as it is, and i have 94 miles to bike tomorrow. i will say, though, that this trip has solidly reinstated the gratitude i have for the wonderful people in my life who have gotten me to this point in it. i have to pinch myself every day when i think about where i am, what i’m doing, and who i’m doing it with—spokes and beyond. to ALL of you—thank you :))
with that, i’ll catch you next time for our rest day in bryce canyon! 🌵
Vega State Park, CO -> Grand Junction, CO, 60.9mi, 1551ft
I woke up after Ishaq but before everyone else our cosy campsite overlooking the Vega Reservoir. I biked to the bathroom and saw a bunch of geese going for their morning swim in the reservoir. I sat there for a bit. The sun kissed mountains, the geese in the water and me. I couldn’t imagine needing anything else.
Of course I did not have my phone to take a picture for you guys, however Ishaq came in a clutch with these pictures from the morning.
The view ❤ (can’t see the geese 😦 )Tian struggling with the sleeping padMe eating breakfast!
After some food, we packed up our stuff and I headed out with Ruth, my trusted companion. We attempted to speak only German for the first part of the day, an idea we had the day before. It was possible to string together sentences, but it definitely limited our conversation.
- Wie hattest du geschlafen? - Gut, gut... aber leider habe ich keine Träume. - Ah, ja. Träume? - Träume. Dreams. - Ah, klar. Ja, ich habe auch keine Träume.
The conversation was also made difficult because after we got out of the park, it was all downhill for quite a while. That also meant that the first rest stop came super quickly. We filled up on ice at a gas station and spent some time scheming how to make up for a deficit in water bottles (some were lost in battle with gravel yesterday) and electrolytes.
Soon after we headed out, we missed a turn, going fast downhill, but we saw a deer and then corrected our course. I drafted Ruth until the next major turn, but Ruth was without navigation, so then Ruth drafted me. It was still downhill, but there was a fair bit of headwind and the road was fairly busy. The shoulder was good, but lots of debris. Was good, but tiring.
me and Ruth going downhill
Then we turned on i-70, which was even more busy. So I was glad when we turned off it, only to be faced with a gravel hill and after that something that could only be described as not a road and very steep.
Me and Ruth let others know about this scam, but ultimately decided to climb the hill in hopes that there would be an existing road somewhere on the top of the hill. It took us solid 20 minutes to climb the less than 0.2 mile long stretch. There were times I thought that if my foot slipped, I would probably roll back down with all my bike, hit the prickly bushed and I was not sure I would have it in me to try again. But we persevered and made it up. And, guess what, there was a gravel road up there after all.
the “road”
And to make it better, the gravel soon turned to asphalt and we were back in business. The next rest stop was in a sweet little ice cream place in Palisade that was also space themed, called the Milky Way. I got some coconut and some peach ice cream, the latter of which was very good. But the rest stop soon turned a little sour by a discussion about budget and Spokes spending. The team ended up giving Charles and Tian space to discuss and headed further. They were there for over two hours. Poor ice cream shop. But these are conversation to be had in a project like this, so huge thanks to Tian and Charles for taking it on.
Then we arrived at a rest stop by the Colorado River and what I think was Corn lake, where we took a dip first in the lake and then in the river for the full experience. The current in the Colorado really is powerful, as we have found out on multiple occasions. But it was also more refreshing than the lake. After this we were almost exclusively on bike paths and continued so up until Grand Junction.
At the very end, we climbed a hill, short but not easy, only to find out from Steph that its the wrong house and we did not need to climb the hill. Once we descended and got to right house, we met Greg, who showed us the house they had been renovating for 3 years, which featured a frige full of fruit and electrolyte drinks, so we successfully rehydrated. Greg and Steph made us some amazing vegan burritos, let me tell you, I was so happy about the veggies, it’s always difficult to get enough of them on the road. And their friends, both of whose names started with K, but I cannot recall them exactly, brought us brownies!!! After nourishing our bodies, we spent the evening talking with Greg about our trip and hearing his incredible stories from travel and work. At some point I did all my evening tasks and went to sleep. I could hear Greg starting to talk about peaches and how they need cold temperature, but not too cold, and how in Palasade the geography makes it possible with Million Dollar Wind and the gas law and … I dozed off. I later heard the conversation continued about peaches and travel. Laying on my sleeping pad, I was thinking. I aspire to have that amount of wonder and awe for the world around us that Greg seems to have. A perfect peach, a solar eclipse, a beautiful road. All the things beautiful things in life I so often take for granted, that are actually quite remarkable. I think most people actually have the wonder, the interest in the world around, I definitely have had it, but somehow it tends to get burried in school, college, the future, plans, the past, whatever else and generally trying to do the right things in life. But it is also something that this trip is helping me find. Appreciation for the things around me right where and when I am.
It was during this train of thought that I fell asleep.
The next day, somewhere during our 115 miles, many of which we spent looking at a bleak, dry and flat landscape around us, I did a redo of a famous poem as a way to say goodbye (at least for now) to the Rockies, which we officially exited when we left Grand Junction. Here it goes.
Whose lands these are I do not know. The mountains vast, the river cold. I stop mid climb, awe fills my bones; If I stayed right here, could i skip the low?
These peaks and valleys They make me dream, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.
Glenwood Springs, CO -> Vega State Park, CO — 56.6 miles, 4887 ft
Sometimes on Spokes we are faced with tough decisions. Which lesson should sit out at the upcoming learning festival? When should the driver leave rest stops on days when everyone gets spread apart? Do we end Spokes today and just stay with our hosts forever until the end of time? Unfortunately on the last count, while the answer is clear, the decision to leave our hosts is always a tough one. It was hard getting out the door in the morning and saying bye to Barb, Lindsey, Birdie (their dog), and their fantastic cooking, but we all eventually lumbered towards our bikes and headed towards our first rest stop of the day, a free hot springs a few miles out from town.
The hot springs were surprisingly hot (I know, not sure what I was expecting). The Rs (Ruth and Ramona) got there first and changed into swimwear and bathed for a bit. The rest of us (minus Tian, who skipped the stop) pulled up a short while after and waded.
View leaving Grand Junction
Our fav dynamic duo hits the hot springs first
dap…..?
DAP!!!!!
Drying off
Once again, we peeled ourselves away from a place we could stay forever and biked together to the next stop. For some reason, we often ride together when Sarah is the driver for the day. It’s not on purpose, I think…? Or perhaps Sarah has some deep, sinister vibes that subconsciously poison the will to form a seven-rider peloton when someone else is driving 😬
I was feeling a bit slower today on the bike and my chain was making weird noises, so I troubleshooted at the second rest stop. I also found out the sushi wrap that Ruth had made me last night went missing! Not a great rest stop. And right before we set out again, Ruth broke the news that Ozzy Osborne had died. After explaining to some of the team who he was (and also why it was incredible that he made it to 76 in the first place), I put in my AirPods and played my favorite Black Sabbath songs. RIP Ozzy
In between rest stops 2 and 3 lay a long gravel climb. Despite the surface and the elevation, the climb was a reminder of how far we’ve all come as bikers since the start of the trip. When all of us are getting faster and more skilled on the bike, it’s hard to tell how much I’ve improved sometimes; however, I know a climb like this would have obliterated me on the first week of the trip. Now, it’s quite manageable. We reached the top and waited for one another. I took a scenic piss.
At the top of the climb
Tian selfie
Greta cannot figure this 0.5 selfie thing out
Ruth nails it first try
After leaving the last rest stop for the day, I biked with Greta and Ishaq to the campground. I finished my Ozzy tribute ride and took my earbuds out, Greta marveled about the Earth being round (?), and we tackled the final climb with some help from Fiona Apple over Greta’s speaker. The views coming into Vega State Park were gorgeous and our campsite was right next to the lake.
Ramona went for a shower/swim. The others went for actual showers. I helped Sarah chef up her signature Spokes meal — grilled cheese. After taking some very involved, personalized orders, we decided that the meal sounds a lot better advertised as custom melts instead of just grilled cheese. When it was my turn, I put literally every possible topping available on my two melts, made my bowl of tomato soup, and rocketed off to heaven. After dinner, Ruth, Joseph, and I drove to the campground facilities (rather far away since we were at the other end of the lake) and I showered while they did the dishes. I came out to see the sunset bathing the sky in warm red, yellow, purple, and pink hues. I helped out with the last few dishes, joining what was easily the most scenic dish washing experience I’ve ever had. Ruth and I also tried the tiny playground slide and I stung her with a nasty shock at the bottom. It was bad. Joseph heard and saw the spark from 20 feet away. We both screamed.
Dinner ████████▒▒ 80%
Campfire ft. Ramona making smores
Golden hour views from the dish washing station
Greta and her garbanzo beans
Late night campfire relaxation
When we got back, some of us sat around the camp fire, relaxed, and stared at the mesmerizing flames. Ishaq broke the tranquil trance from inside one of the tents by cracking a Sprite. After chatting for a bit, we dispersed for bed. Ruth and I played a couple hands of Gin Rummy with a cheeky hanging iPhone flashlight rig. Another Spokes day in the books — I feel maybe our coziest yet!
**EDIT: migrated the quiz to a new site! the old quiz was buggy, but has all the bios at the end if you’re curious.
Drop in the comments which Spokie you are most similar to!!
P.S. Sorry about the late blog! I officially entered (and am now exiting) the three-blogs-behind club 😞. Because I am vain and need the blog views (and I worked hard on the quiz :)), I am leaving this blog up at the top of the blog page and I will backdate it when someone else publishes a more recent blog.
Frisco, CO to Glenwood Springs, CO — 93.9 mi, 3,266 ft
The morning is uneventful. We wake up, take down the tents in the backyard we didn’t even end up using, and wash dishes we were too lazy to do last night. I clean the rice pot 😫(cleaning the rice pot is not fun).
The bike ride starts off with amazing mountain views, ones that rival those I’ve seen in Switzerland — yes I did study abroad there thanks for asking. I’ve loved biking through Colorado and would honestly consider moving here, which is a pretty big deal because I’ve only ever considered the coasts before.
For our second rest stop, we enter an extreme tourist trap a cute market area called Vail Village. We hop off our bikes and thread our way through the crowds. I love markets and I love crowds, so I’m very excited about this rest stop. Once we park the bikes, we disperse. Sarah consumes a $6 loaf of banana bread and a lemonade with berry tea and passionfruit boba of an undisclosed price. Ishaq also finds himself with a most definitely overpriced drink. I don’t think I see Tian but I’m sure she’s having a great time.
I’m planning on laying in the sun and peacefully listening to the live music when Charles starts inquiring if anyone wants to play cornhole. I decide that yes, I do want to play cornhole, despite the fact that I suck at throwing and despite my fear of Charles trash-talking the fact that I suck at throwing.
Greta and I team up against Charles and Joseph. Ramona spectates. The rules are that a bean bag on the board is 1 point, and a bean bag in the hole is 3. The winner is the first to get 21, and opposing teams’ scores cancel each other out each round (e.g. if I get bean bag in hole but Joseph gets bean bag on board, the score is 2-0 not 3-1). Charles and Greta are standing across from me and Joseph. My memory is a bit foggy, but here is my best recollection of the events that took place:
Joseph starts out strong with bean bag straight in the hole. Greta and I think we’re cooked.
We shortly realize that was just a lucky shot and Joseph is in fact not good at cornhole.
Charles is also not good at cornhole.
Greta and I are good at cornhole.
Joseph almost gets bean bag in hole but it stops short. I shouldn’t be able to get my bean bag in hole without knocking his in, but against all odds I manage the impossible.
Charles gets a rare bean bag in hole, but Greta follows through with her own bean bag in hole, cancelling out all of Charles’ effort.
The score is 18-? (some low number). Greta and I need exactly 3 points to win. Joseph shoots. Bean bag off board. I shoot. Bean bag on board. +1 point. Joseph shoots. Bean bag off board. I can’t get a bean bag in the hole without going over 21 points, so I aim for bean bag on board. I get bean bag on board. +2 points. Joseph needs to get something if his team wants any hope of winning. Bean bag off board. I breathe deep. I hope for bean bag on board… bean bag hits grass… bean bag BOUNCES ONTO BOARD! +3 POINTS!! WE WIN!!!
If you didn’t read any of that, all you need to know is that Greta and I crush Joseph and Charles at cornhole.
Honestly, the middle of the ride was kind of forgetful compared to the epicness that occurred at Vail Village. The scenery turned more desert-y, and the air got a little warmer. I call my dad at rest stop 3, and he watches me eat spaghetti in front of the massive USPS sign I’m sitting in front of. It’s his brother’s birthday tomorrow, so my parents are preemptively celebrating at his house. I wave hi to my uncle and cousins, and they also watch me eat spaghetti in front of the massive USPS sign.
For the next stretch, I draft Greta for a while since I’m feeling lazy, then we catch up to Ishaq, and the three of us bike together.
I forgot to mention it’s Ishaq’s birthday!! Woo. We are secretly planning on getting him a cake, but Greta feels bad when Ishaq inquires about it. She cryptically responds with “good things come to those who wait,” which clearly indicates to Ishaq that we are in fact planning on getting him a cake. Good job, Greta👍
Rest stop 4 is actually laughable. We break at Dulce Tentacion, a very pink dessert shop. Everybody sits there silently for an uncomfortable amount of time, too tired to say anything. Except actually, Ishaq and I are full of energy so we’re just looking around and laughing at everyone else. I have no idea what’s wrong with the group but I’m having a great time.
Ramona and I continue biking together. We go through a tunnel with a sign that says “make noise through tunnel.” So of course we scream. (Since then Ramona and I shout anytime we’re in a tunnel together.)
Rest stop 5 is nearly is laughable as 4. Everybody is actually passed out, particularly Sarah and Joseph. Tian is nowhere to be found. I’m hungry so I eat mayo with rice — yes it was good. I have way too much energy for my own good, so Ramona and I head off again.
It’s so warm out that we start scheming to find a body of water to jump into. We did it yesterday, so why not two days in a row? We find a great spot to hop in the Colorado River. Unable to swim due to the speedy current, we resign ourselves to squatting. Ramona sees a fish, and I’m jealous so I also try to see a fish. Ramona is greedy so she wants to see another fish. We keep hearing splashing but turn our heads too late to see anything. After 5 minutes of fish hunting, we decide to give up on the elusive aquatic creatures and keep biking.
As we approach Glenwood Springs, Ramona expresses her disdain for the seven do not enter/one way/wrong way signs lined up next to each other at one road. I reply with “Americans are stupid.” She nods.
We finally arrive at Greta’s aunt’s house in Glenwood Springs. Barb and Lindsay greet us warmly, as well as their demure dog, Birdie. We have an incredible dinner of vegan quinoa curry, one that is also laughably silent and one that Ishaq yet again attempts, and fails, to revive. Oh, and apparently none of the nearby stores carry the type of fruit cake/tiramisu that picky Ishaq likes, so he actually will have to wait. Happy birthday, dude!
Today’s a big day. We’re set to cross over the continental divide, a true dividing line that separates East from West. And any big day needs a big breakfast. The team ate a final breakfast at Amanda’s place, preparing for the day with the single most elevation gain of the entire trip. Some people are nervous, some are anxious, but we’re all determined.
We set off at different times, with Ruth, Tian, and Ramona in front, Charles and Greta in the middle, and me and Sarah in the back. The big climb of the day was the long ascent to Loveland Pass, the highest point of the whole trip, but the climbs at the beginning were no joke either. I could see the glistening glaciers at the top of the Rockies in the distance. We would have to pass up and over those later in the day, but first we had to descend to the I-70 corridor, nestled in one the few valleys in the Colorado Rockies that go east to west and are big enough to hold settlements and something like a major Interstate. We descended 1000ft down a steep dirt road into the Black Hawk, the gambling capital of Colorado. There, Sarah and I stopped at our first cafe of the day, where Charles and Greta were also around… except Charles was busy playing poker at a nearby casino!
distant obstacles
glistening glaciers in the distance
top of the 1000ft descent (It was a rough ride down)
first cafe
Black Hawk!
Charles gambling
After I munched on a delicious cheese Danish, we continued on, climbing out of Black Hawk, up and over another steep mountain pass, then descending 1600 feet down a winding dirt road to Idaho Springs. It was both terrifying and beautiful, with the sharp drops being both an ever present danger and opening up wide vistas into the distant mountains and the thousands of cars zooming across these once impassible mountains. Sarah’s back tire kept on leaking, so I would wait at the bottom of a steep descent for her. This process happened multiple times until we eventually got off of the somewhat treacherous Virginia Canyon Road, leaving the two of us quite a bit behind the frontrunners of the day. We stopped at the second cafe in a row, and while I was inside, Ishaq seemed to go mad. He threw my bike onto the ground and chucked one of my water bottles across the parking lot! I came back to the scene of the crime confused and angry. Ishaq denies the allegations placed against him, but he has no alibi. I know it was you. Ishaq.
starting the 1600ft descent down Virginia Canyon Rd
views
more views + bike
I did Sarah right with this one
winding down the mountainside
the valley down below
cold-weather gear (it’s chillyup here)
uh oh, it became dirt and there’s no more guardrail
they say its called “oh my god” road
second cafe in a row
We continued on, slowly making miles as the elevation ticked up, foot by foot. There was beautiful scenery wherever I looked. Gushing rivers, evergreen trees moving against the wind, and boundless mountain vistas in every direction. Today felt like more of a pure adventure than any other day of the trip. I passed through Georgetown, a small town with a passenger railway going up to a mountain pass. I was very happy to actually catch the train making its way down the mountainside.
nice lake
more nice lake
on route 6
cool rail bridge
I wonder where it goes
above the valley we go
Nice vistas
so that’s where the railway goes
I caught the train on camera!
lively rivers all around
Bakerville to Loveland trail
At the third rest stop, I realized there really would be no catching up to the frontrunners of the day. They were only two miles from the top! We still had over 2000 feet of climbing over 10 miles to go. We continued on, slowly climbing ever higher. The road wasn’t actually all that steep compared to previous climbs, but the sheer elevation and endurance game meant that things were very slow going. I spent so long staring at each foot of elevation gained on my bike computer, watching the number get further and further away from anything I’ve ever done before. Eventually, I could see the top of the pass. It really does feel like I’m climbing up to the top of the world.
the high rockies in the distance
oh boy, here goes nothin’
ascending above the tree line
always gotta look good for the camera
just a few more pushes to the top
winding up for what feels like forever
the I-70 tunnel that bypasses Loveland Pass (bikes aren’t allowed)
A few minutes later, I saw the van, and the Loveland Pass sign right next to it. As I like to do when I’m close to the end, I sped up to reach the top. I had done it. I conquered the biggest climb, the highest high of our journey. Sarah trailed behind me, reaching the top a minute or so later. With this, Spokes conquered Loveland Pass. What a day.
the frontrunners at the top
views from the top
Triumphant Ruth
Ramona at the top of the world
Tian’s got heart
Greta posing at the top
first group photo (me and Sarah are mid-climb)
We made it!
dynamic duo fr fr
true nonchalant
the high rockies aren’t so distant anymore
we just climbed all that
Charles getting some time on the powder
…Except we still had 20 something miles left to go. And it was 5pm. So at this point I started zooming down the backside of Loveland Pass. What a lovely reward for our hours and hours of climbing. 2600ft of descent over 8 and a half miles. And just like that I was out of altitude. After waiting 10 or so minutes for Sarah (she is a lot more cautious on descents than I am), we continued on a series of bike paths towards the Dillon Reservoir, the big lake that the town of Frisco sits on. This part of the country really is just so beautiful.
descending Loveland Pass, very pretty
It just goes down and down and down and down and –
what a lovely trail
The Dillon Reservoir!
The cool mountain air kept my spirits up as we continued toward Sapphire Point, the site of our last rest stop. Unbeknownst to us, there was a wedding happening at the same time. So we basically became a bunch of wedding crashers. I can see why they picked this location for a wedding, though. Its absolutely stunning.
Ruth befriending a chipmunk
Saphire Point
Tian gotta get her pics in
wedding crashers
awwwww
awwwwww part 2
We descended down to the surface of the reservoir as we followed its coast into Frisco. Ruth and Ramona had the idea to dip into the water for a swim, and independently Charles and Greta came up with the same idea.
Ruth bathing in glacial waters
meeting up with Charles and Greta
they took a dip too
them struggling to step over the rocks
The sun slowly started to sink below the mountains as we made Sarah and I, finally ahead of the middle of the pack, made it into the quaint town of Frisco. Nearing the end, I saw two blobs ahead that looked suspiciously like Ruth and Ramona! We had finally caught up with them. It turns out that this duo had spent the last couple of hours goofing around in all sorts of places, including downtown Frisco.
biking into Frisco
Frisco’s downtown
I sped ahead of them to make it to the finish line as second of the group, very satisfied to have beat most of the team when I was so far behind… and also because I had a long, long drive ahead of me. You might remember that I lost my prescription sunglasses way back on Day 35. If you pay close attention to any pictures of me with shades from day 36 onwards, you might notice a different pair of sunglasses every day. I’ve actually been borrowing the driver’s glasses this whole time! It does mean that I am biking with impaired vision, but I’m not so blind that I can’t manage without. Its just very annoying, especially on gravel. Turns out that I had in fact left them at the church we stayed at in Macksville, KS and the nice people there had them mailed to Black Hawk, a place they would surely get to before us… not. They in fact were delivered the day after we left! I now had no choice but to drive all the way back to Black Hawk to grab them. What a tragedy. Thankfully, our Black Hawk host Amanda offered to meet me halfway in Idaho Springs. And so the plan was set. I would drive our van through mountainous I-70 in the cover of darkness to grab my shades. And that was AFTER one of the most physically intense cycling days of the whole trip. And to top it all off, our now nearly empty roof storage decided to start intensely THUMPing against the roof of the van continuously for the entire ride… I was quite shaken after that drive, and when I finally met up with Amanda she had the bright idea of taking the roof storage off of the roof of the car. The drive back was much more relaxing. And now I had my shades! Yay.
Driving to Idaho Springs
Entering the same I-70 tunnel I photographed from above
This thing is loooong
Everyone else eating dinner while I drive
It was a long day full of trials and tribulations, but also with adventure and beauty. So much experienced, all in one day. All the emotions I feel and everything I experience, this is what it means to live, to be human. I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
Hi, hi! This might be the latest I’ve published a blog yet. Various other things were occupying my mind, things like leaking tires and the learning festival in Denver, and upcoming Hors Catégorie climbs, and going to the sauna… I’m sorry! Regardless, I still remember day 41, because it was one of my favourite cycling days and I have LOTS of pictures, so let’s get into it!
Me and a newspaperRuth with a piece of newspaper after wrongly accusing Charles of making 2 mistakes on the crossword (he made 1).
I started the morning by checking the crossword puzzles some people had done the previous night. I came to the conclusion I would most definitely have not been able to solve them, but crosswording is a skill I do wish to acquire. However, me and Ruth did some easier ones, such as a word scrabbler. But she soon headed out on her side quest of getting her hair done. The rest of us did not start the ride particularly early, but at some point I stopped thinking about it, because it should have been a pretty short, easy day – almost 67 miles and reasonable elevation with no major climbs. The views were incredible, truly, I was still filled with awe whenever I noticed the mountains in the distance, even though we had been seeing them for the past two days.
Charles checking his tire pressure before the ride. If you look very closely, you can see the mountains behind the trees.Us setting offIshaq’s head and the view while stopped at a red light
Getting out of Colorado Springs was kind of annoying, with its many traffic lights and watching for cars, but then we made it on the trails. The trails! New Santa Fe Trail, Greenland Trail, some city bike paths on the way, Plum Creek Trail, Daniels Park trails and then bike paths in Denver. Many trails. Some gravel, some paved, with nice turns, little hills here and there and great views of the fields and the mountains. I have way too many pictures and none of them do the scenery justice.
One of the incredibly long trains that passed us.Charles apparently found some bones.Me happySarah climbing that hill
Somewhere in between those pictures was one of the best rest stops we have had, topped only by Buc-ee’s, maybe, it was a whole lake! While most people were paddleboarding or in boats, we feared not and got in the water. It was great!
Me looking like a seal.The brave people who swam across, some in the kit.Sarah conquering the lake.
But the adventures did not end there. Around mile 33 we found out that a road found on Ride with GPS does not exist in reality. Some of us, including me made the decision to continue on the highway, but others were determined to find the trail and instead went off road. So, while Tian, who had headed out first, was enjoying her boba at the next rest stop in Castle Rock, Greta, Charles and Ishaq were in some field, somewhere.
Tian and bobaOff-roaders
Anyway, after that we we were heading to a viewpoint in Daniels Park, which involved a short, but suspicious stretch of highway and then a category 3 climb. We got hit by a some slightly stormy weather, but it stopped raining before I got to the top. Tian mostly escaped the rain and Sarah hid to wait it out. But at the top we were greeted by some more incredible views.
Cows observing me climbing.Heading to Daniels ParkRainSarah being cheekyThe viewsTrail heading out of Daniels Park viewpoint
With that we were heading into Denver. That was a combination of paved paths and crossing 6 lane streets (which truly scare me, there is almost no gaps!). At the end everyone successfully, although slowly had made it to Denver, where we were welcomed by Maud and Dave, had some great food, before getting ready for the learning festival the next day, examining our slowly leaking tires and going to sleep.
Uncharacteristically, I have no pictures of that. But this day with its adventure and a bit of chaos probably goes into my top 7 Spokes days so far. It was full of awe inspiring views, challenging in unexpected ways and I got to spend it with some great people. Could not ask for anything more.
Fowler, CO to Colorado Springs, CO — 99.7 mi; 4,127 ft
Why did the chicken cross the road?
I don’t know. Why?
To get to Colorado Springs, and the chicken is me.
Perhaps the best joke in the history of MIT Spokes 2025, courtesy of Ramona.
Ramona eating breakfast while calling family.
I woke up on the floor of the Trinity Lutheran Church, having had the best sleep I’d had in the past three days. Pew cushions did wonders. I was grateful for the driver (Ruth) alarm clock because I didn’t have to worry about setting my own alarm. My morning routine usually consists of packing up my sleeping bag and pad if we needed them, packing up my clothes and chargers, bringing my bags to the car, uploading the route onto my bike computer (preferably done the night before), pumping my tires, lubing my bike chain, filling my water bladder, and eating breakfast. I finished my tasks earlier than others today and set off before 8 am with the driver’s permission to tackle a long day and hills for the first time in a while.
On the road, I wanted to continue listening to my audiobook, The Hobbit, but alas, Spotify limited their audiobook listening hours, and I reached my monthly limit. A horrendous display of capitalism, if you ask me. So instead, I listened to 2000s pop on the first leg of the ride to the first rest stop. It’s fascinating how much popular music changed over the last 20 years. I also ruminated over the missing nose bridge on my sunglasses.
Changing landscapes and other Spoksies on their ride
After the first rest stop, I didn’t see the rest of the bikers for the next 80 miles and embarked on an adventure by myself. I skipped a second rest stop, which is a cafe in Pueblo, because I didn’t want to ride an extra mile into the city. However, I heard later that Pueblo is a cute city with many colors and tiny boats. After leaving Pueblo, I faced my first obstacle: a trail closure. Normally, I would’ve just biked past the sign, but the size of the sign made me pause. I rang up Ruth to inquire about next steps. Then, I saw another biker coming from the other side of the sign. Surely, the road can’t be that bad if other bikers are riding on the trail. Two thousand miles on the road have emboldened me to ignore signs. I pressed on and found out why there was a road closure. Construction for a new bridge caused chaos in a section of the road, but nothing I couldn’t walk through. Looking at the half-built bridge, I realized that any of the unsecured concrete platforms above me could crush me.
After more riding, I encountered Interstate 25 with a 75 mph speed limit. The number of cars on this highway was overwhelming, but the large shoulder offered some semblance of safety. The exits are the trickiest to bike across because you never know if a car is exiting when they are moving so fast. I was looking forward to rest stop 3, but surprise! It’s closed! I moved on, and after ignoring Joseph’s route that would have taken me off Interstate 25, I finally made it to rest stop 4. I am finally resting at a cafe after fifty miles of continuous biking. Luckily, the weather wasn’t too hot today, and 2 liters of water were enough to carry me through those miles.
I met Ruth! Finally, after hours of not seeing anyone. I heard about the epic battle of squirrels that stole Ramona’s Rice Krispies. An intelligent squirrel dug into Ramona’s snack pouch, climbed up a tree, and opened the package. A second squirrel became jealous and went up the tree. What happens next is only known to the two squirrels and the tree. Ramona, of course, was delighted by this event and didn’t stop the theft. This was the highlight of Ramona’s ride. Today was a particularly difficult biking day for Ramona, and her efforts to cheer herself up led to the birth of the best chicken joke in the history of Spokes. Charles got a stomach ache and ate a banana. He became enchanted by the phrase “Monkey no cramp” for the next few minutes and repeated it to everyone, slightly disappointed that no one got the reference.
For the rest of the ride, I took many detours from the planned route to avoid gravel. Greta thinks I have PTSD because of my gravel fall. My detours brought me on highways without shoulders and mud paths. The annoyed Colorado Springs drivers were not happy with me and drove very close to me. But hey! At least there wasn’t gravel. Speaking of gravel, I later learned that Greta rode into a bush and Sarah took her first fall of the trip during a steep descent. Luckily, they were ok. I, of course, walked down the gravel descent because I wasn’t about to risk falling.
Beautiful view right before gravel descent
My solo ride today was littered with thoughts. Looking at Google Maps, I realized we came halfway across the country. I felt an impending sense of ending. I dislike when things end because I am a creature of habit. I cope with endings by distancing myself from the thought of it. If we are meant to meet again, we will. However, this time, I am not only saying goodbye to a place or a people, I am also saying goodbye to a way of life, a journey. Despite all its difficulties, I enjoy my current lifestyle and the people I am spending 24/7 with. I am also surprised by how much I am getting along with my teammates and how much I like them.
Spokes had taught me a lot about myself. I realized that I need alone time in order to recharge my social battery. However, I am more capable of living and traveling with others than I formerly thought. With teammates who pull their weight, take responsibility, and care for others, Spokes is more effective and efficient together than any of us individually. I thought my biggest challenge on this trip was being vegan. While other Spokies joke about it, I found the crew to be respectful and accommodating. Perhaps, I actually don’t hate traveling with others, and I am more adaptable than I formerly thought. On the topic of adaptability, while I always enjoy a good bed (and prefer it), I can sleep almost anywhere. While I don’t regularly exercise, I can bike for hours every day. My newfound physical capability encourages me to pick up other physical challenges in the future.
Beautiful landscapes to accompany my thoughts
My travels around the world have made me more spiritual. I believe that everything happens for a reason. I couldn’t exactly place why I am doing Spokes right now. What lessons am I supposed to learn here at this time? Today’s youth suffer from the abundance of choices. My travels, in some ways, are a direct consequence of my commitment issues. Where do I want to live? What do I want to work in? How do I want to spend my life? I recognize that not everyone has this privilege. Privilege also comes with responsibility not only to oneself but also to the world. That responsibility can be paralyzing. In some ways, I am a chicken, too, and I am not sure why I am crossing this road.
With these thoughts swirling around in my head and music from The Greatest Showman in my ears, I pulled up to the beautiful home of Greta’s grandparents. Ruth had already unloaded the car. I finally saw the rest of my team and realized that I missed them today. David and Kathy (Greta’s grandparents) served delicious food for snacks and dinner. We ate the sweetest watermelon of the trip and tortillas with amazing toppings while watching the sunset from the balcony of their beautiful home. I also taught Charles a card game (Star Realms) and lost embarrassingly twice.
Little GretaSpokie Shenanigans in Greta’s grandparent’s home.
Since I didn’t get to spend much time with the Spokies, I asked them what their favorite things to do on the bike are to spice up this blog.
Ruth doesn’t like to think about anything when she is biking, but otherwise, she enjoys listening to music while riding (a recent discovery after 30 days of silent ears) and talking to people. She doesn’t like to listen to podcasts and audiobooks because she doesn’t like missing words.
Ramona is a big thinker and actually hates not having things to think about. Some recent topics she thought about are planning MIT classes and how to downscale the amount of stuff she owns. One thing she has planned is embarking on a self-supported bike trip once she returns to Latvia.
Ishaq enjoys going fast and riding hard. He will bend over, get on drop bars, and listen to music if it means he can go fast and ride hard. He enjoys talking to people unless the roads are good for going fast and riding hard. He enjoys riding with one other person, but specifically when you don’t know who is accelerating to go faster, yet still, you can’t be the person to say, ‘go slower’, so you have to go fast and ride hard. He dislikes riding slow. In other news, he enjoys shenanigans and antics such as swerving next to people, hopping on the bike, and yapping
Joseph likes going faster. He also enjoys riding with people, bopping to music, and enjoying the scenery.
Greta likes to talk. She also loves blasting music on her speaker that everyone likes. Otherwise, she enjoys calling people from the real world, including her mom.
Charles likes to think about existential dread. He also enjoys talking to people, which extends to calls with family. Otherwise, Charles listens to music.
Sarah enjoys calling her sister and friends while biking. She also enjoys listening to music, pop, Jpop, and Kpop.
Tian (me) enjoys a healthy balance of talking to people and being alone. She enjoys biking slow, even better if she barely notices that she is biking. While she is alone, she likes to listen to audiobooks when it is quiet and to summer pop when it isn’t. She saves her favorite playlist, music from musicals, for the latter half of her rides to lift her spirits. Otherwise, she occasionally thinks about logistics for Spokes and conversations to resolve conflicts. In general, she doesn’t like to think and lets biking be meditation.
Today, I was hit with the big trifecta of chores: blogging, laundry, and driving tomorrow. Since a driver’s power unofficially begins at the end of the previous day’s bike ride, I had many tasks to accomplish tonight. Naturally, I had to slack on one of them — this meant publishing my blog the day after. Apologies.
I wake up at 7am to Tian shrieking (she’s today’s driver). I mumble a half-asleep complaint and tumble off the three chairs I slept on. I roll up the sleeping mat I didn’t end up using, then pause right before rolling up my sleeping bag. I usually have a specific order I do my morning tasks in (put away sleeping gear, change to biking clothes, pack my bags, eat, pump bikes…) but today I had a crazy thought — screw it. Let me try something new. I leave my sleeping bag unfurled, brush my teeth, then eat breakfast with Ramona, who always wakes up earlier than the rest of us. Doing things backwards is refreshing after over five weeks of the same exact morning routine, and yes I know the fact that this was so exhilarating to me is slightly concerning.
Ramona and I — the dynamic duo — head out with Sarah and Joseph — the equally dynamic, albeit newer, duo. Ishaq had already left, and Greta and Charles are shortly behind. The high for today was 83 °F, so naturally Sarah, our Vegas native, felt “cold.”
A bit into the ride, Ramona receives a phone call. She initially tries to talk through the wind, but pulls over once she realizes she can’t hear anything. I dutifully pull over too, while Sarah and Joseph abandon us. It sounds kind of urgent, and I realize what the fuss is about as soon as Charles sends a picture to the group chat.
Good job, Charles
Greta had called Ramona, the gear expert, to ask for her expert advice on Charles’ screw-in-tire situation. Ramona agrees that Tian should pick Charles up and go to a parking lot where he can attempt to patch up the hole with a plug kit. Ramona begs Tian to let us know where they pull over so she can spectate (nerd). Tian unfortunately opts for a grocery store we had already passed to kill two birds with one stone, so Ramona and I continue pedaling to rest stop 1.
Rest stop 1 is short since Tian and Charles and the van with all our supplies are nowhere near. The unofficial dynamic trio of me, Ramona, and Greta, who we picked up at the rest stop, bike and chat. My dad calls me in the last 5 miles and I tell him how the day’s going so far. When I mention the lightning storm from two days ago, he mentions a similar story from his youth, when he walked for hours in torrential rain in the middle of a forest in Ethiopia. I love hearing stories from my parents’ youth. It’s almost like they lived full lives before I was born.
Unrelated proof that my dad is hilarious
At rest stop 2, a trusty Dollar General, Ramona and I pull up to a loud POP. Charles is trying out a new plug kit combo, and it apparently burst at 45 PSI right as we arrive. Ramona is excited that she finally gets to witness the (attempted) repair of our worst bike damage yet, so while Sarah, Joseph, and Greta leave, I dutifully wait by Ramona for another half hour (spoiler alert: I do not see Ishaq the entire ride, he’s too far ahead). We come to the conclusion that Charles should in fact not bike for the rest of the day, and that he should try to fill his initially tubeless tire with a tube, which will supposedly provide an impermanent but stable solution to the screw issue. I suggest to Ramona that Charles ride my bike tomorrow, since I’m driving and he has pretty short legs, but this great solution is ignored.
By this point, everyone is wayyy ahead of us, so Tian, Ramona and I agree the van can skip rest stop 3 so the others don’t have to wait for supplies as long. Ramona and I pull up to the gas station rest stop anyway to refill our waters with ice, and to our surprise, the van is there! Apparently, Tian is easily susceptible to the whims of others. Specifically Charles and his lottery addiction. At least he wins $40.
Ramona and I leave rest stop 3 at 2:10pm. We are informed that rest stop 3, a cafe, closes at 3pm. There are 11.7 miles. I am determined to make it. We zoom there, our last 2 miles at an average speed of 20 mph. Ramona casually called her parents in the midst of this speedy ride, one-handed — they had just finished eating dinner after a fun day of mountain orienteering and quarrying. We make it to the cafe a minute before closing! Turns out the baristas do not care at all about us staying overtime, because I lounge on the couch far after 3pm. Also shoutout to Tian for letting me try her pear peach apricot smoothie 😌
The last 18 mile stretch is surprisingly quick. Ramona and I arrive at our church for the night, and find it entirely empty save for all the Spokies’ bikes and bags. Apparently Pastor Wayne graciously let everyone shower at his house, so we make the long, 5 minute trek to his place of residence. Everyone’s finished showering, except Greta and Charles who are crazy and decided to go on a run (more so Greta, Charles was a bum in the car today). Ishaq asked for the password at the door, Ramona correctly answered “password,” and we were allowed in. I stayed at the Pastor’s house until everyone was done showering so I could start the laundry, then Greta and I walked back to join some church members at dinner. We were greeted with burgers and a mix of freshly grown fruits and veggies, including Fowler’s very own cantaloupe specialty. Yum!
Post dinner, I unload our food from the cooler into the fridge. Then I walk back to the Pastor’s house to do some more laundry, and Greta graces me with her presence on the walk. We run into a bunch of cats on the way! The cats apparently all live in one house!! I count 16 total!!! I go back to the church to get my phone to take pictures of the cats, and Ramona follows me out. We squeal at how cute they are — fine, I squeal at how cute they are. At the same time, the sky starts looking like a renaissance painting, so we take flicks of that as well. I knock out at 9:30pm after a long day, gleefully knowing that I’d get to wake everyone up at 6:30am the next day, however I want 😈
MIT Spokes 2026 