From: Mary
Sent: Tuesday, 8/26/03
To: Friends and Family
Subject: Selkirk Campground to Salida

August 25 - Selkirk Campground to Hartsel (38 miles, 1110 feet)

The best part of being in Colorado -- even better than the beautiful scenery -- is the chance to see our friends.  Tom and Charlotte Saponas were in the neighborhood so they joined us for breakfast.  Yesterday Tom did a 100-mile ride and Charlotte did 30 out of Grand Junction.  After a breakfast characterized by more talking than eating, they hit the road.  What a treat for us!

Vern moved the motorhome to Hartsel for us, so Jim and I rode directly to Hartsel while Evan took the fly-fishing route.  The ride was very pleasant until the rain started when we were about 10 miles from Hartsel.  We put on our rain gear and rode for all we were worth.  The rain stopped about the time we got to Hartsel.

August 26 - Hartsel to Salida (49 miles, 3840 feet)

I loved the ride across Park County with its sage-covered rolling hills in the foreground and the 14,000-foot mountains in the distance.  The rock radio station in Salida announced that a steady rain was falling there, but it was dry by the time we arrived. The song selection and the solitude of the ride gave me the perfect opportunity to sing along off-key. The temperature was mild and perfect for riding.  We lucked out and remained dry while scattered showers fell around us.

In the last 2 days, Evan caught a 15-inch and a 20-inch brown trout that he brought home for dinner.  Most days he does catch and release, sometimes due to regulations and other times just because that's what he usually does. I'll never be a catch-and-release fisherman; I can't see torturing a fish when I could kill it and eat it.  When I say it that way, neither option sounds very kind, does it?  Anyway, Jim boned and smoked the trout for a very tasty dinner.

Happy trails,
Mary

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