12,183'

Today I took Trail Ridge Road out of Estes Park.  This is the highest continuous highway in the country.  It climbs from 7500 feet at Estes Park to 12,183 ft, before dropping down into Grand Lake.  It spends several miles above the tree line, and, as you can see, at elevations where snow is abundant in late July.

I got on the road early.  I set the alarm for 5:00, and was eating breakfast at McDonald's by 6:00.  It was the only place in town open that early!  And I do appreciate the irony that my only McDonald's breakfast came in the fanciest town I've gone through.  If the fair trade organic coffee place was open I probably would have gone there.  But we'll never know!

The climbing wasn't too bad, but was complicated by the elevation.  I didn't get any headaches or shortness of breath, but I definitely didn't have normal biking power.  I rested a ton - a 15 second break every few hundred feet made sure I didn't get too winded.  

There were a lot of cars but I had a nice shoulder.  Towards the top there was picture-taking and elk-watching traffic, and the Alpine Center at the top was full of people buying food and souvenirs.  Ugh...but an inescapable reality when you're biking on paved roads.

There were also several bikers on top.  The general consensus I heard was that today was the best weather for Trail Ridge all year.  I guess it can be cold and wet up there.  Lucky me!

After I got down I had a moment of panic when I learned that all campsites were full in Grand Lake and Granby - something is going on this weekend.  I called around and ended up with a "sleeping room" above the Blue Spruce motel in Granby.  It's a bed and a TV with a shared bath.  And super cheap!  I couldn't ask for more.

Tomorrow I turn north, and a good-sized day will get me to Wyoming.  

Wyoming!