My wife and I rode from Denver to Pueblo, where we picked up the TransAmerica Trail and rode as far as Scott City KS before returning. 700 miles. The original plan of DEN - STL - DEN was too ambitious for our first unsupported ride. A few observations.
The ride from Denver to Pueblo was some of the most challenging. Google Maps had a couple of significant mistakes. Scott Rd on the outskirts of Castle Rock CO is closed due to construction and there is no posted detour. We got there during a workday. Otherwise, I would have walked through the construction. Skyline Rd, south of Castle Rock is private and closed. Tomah Rd is the better alternative. The New Santa Fe Trail from Palmer Lake CO to Colorado Springs is sand/gravel/dirt.
I can't say enough good about the Ordway Hotel (Ordway CO), The Cobblestone Inn (Eads CO), and The Lazy R Motel (Scott City KS). The latter two even gave us a discount due to being on bikes. Eads is pretty much closed on Sunday. Fortunately, The CobbleStone Inn serves food and drink (including beer and wine).
We encountered two very bike-friendly convenience stores. One in Boone CO, the other in Sheridan Lake CO. There is water is Haswell CO. A man in Olney Springs CO brought cold bottled water to us.
Wheat is harvested in Kansas in early to mid-July, depending on the weather. We were on the road with a lot of harvest traffic: semis hauling grain and semis hauling very wide combines. At least 99% of the truck drivers went across the center-line to give us additional space. One driver dropped to our speed until it was clear for him to cross the yellow.
The people we encountered were the best. I wish I had them for neighbors.
No rain, just heat and wind and sometimes the wind helped us. Two flats and one worn out rear tire, and I was carrying a spare tire.
Last edited by engineerbob; 08-04-21 at 03:31 PM.