brandon in japandon... this ones for you!

its funny how lifes gears keep turning, one tooth at a time. runnin heavy through those cold colorado mountains that mid summer nite. we left denver the day before, three deep with rick onboard. he was fresh in town from indianapolis and ready to go. champion. nick was ready to go, always ready to keep going, never stopping. charged. the four corners area is gold and so off the path, no one knows, no one ever takes the time anymore and im fine with the others missing out. the next morning, in rico colorado, on the bottom side of the pass, we scored some warmth and an even warmer and much needed breakfast. a bathroom to wash up a bit in and run our hands under the steaming water to thaw out the night. our server told us stories of black bears catching fish out of the stream running behind the restaurant and when it floods, it really floods. the road jerimiah said "turn right after the airport sign" heading west out of cortez was pock marked and meant for low flying aircracft at best. how many of you out there have ever seen "open range" or know how quickly that term will be extinct. wild horses running along side the three of us, bouncing down the worst road ever. why would the state fix it? who even knows its there anyhow. turning, always turning the wrong way when in a hurry. there was a road bike road race on roads hot enough to melt their skinny tires. where did these people live and who races in the desert when its 100+ degrees? up and off thru the valley of the gods. id never been there and it was a perfect set up for what came next... we even got a chance to stop at monument valley and take some photos, where ive seen a bus upside down in the ditch from a snowy turn taken to fast. "in the middle of every night" we stopped, got gas, bought candy and soaked our shirts in the sink of the gas station that was at the intersection of those two roads closest to where you guys camped that night previous. lunch was great, lunch was dusty. like i said, the four corners area is gold and keep on keepin on.