Monday, April 30, 2012

I heart Telluride

Ready to leave Utah
We left the rain of Utah behind us and arrived in sunny, cold Colorado on April 28th.  Colorful Colorado did not disappoint.  We loved the Oregon Trail monoliths in Utah, but welcomed green rolling hills with open arms.

We love Colorado!
In Dolores, Colorado, we found ourselves in our first small town microbrewery with charm, character, and delicious beer.  We presented information on the ride to a small church that rewarded us with at least five days worth of chili and a nice prayer to send us through their beautiful state.

Great Brewery
The ladies... blogging
Really pretty little church
After Dolores came Telluride, where I type now.  We're staying in a nice condo, donated to us by a local supporter of the Ride for World Health for our two-night stay.  Our first evening in Telluride on Sunday was spent creating a prom for our 18 year-old rider Skylar, who decided to leave all formalities of high school behind to join a bunch of rough and tumble med students and me, the future student.

Ben and his boutonniere (crayons, index card, safety pin)
Skylar, Blair, and Jess
We spent Monday, today, giving presentations to kids at Telluride Mountain School.  I took part, giving an inspirational speech on following your dreams and incorporating action and volunteerism into your life.  One of our riders, Daniel, presented on his trip to Mexico.  He asked the audience, "Hey kids, how many of you have been to Mexico?"  Half the audience of K - 8th graders raised their hand. 

Following the presentations, we explored the city of Telluride, and I ate kale for the first time... in a while.  The group also discovered a yummy bakery and a fantastic mechanic at a local cycling shop.  The mechanic complemented me on my chain-lubricating skills.  It was a special day. 

Tomorrow, half the riders leave at 8 am to ride with the kids from downtown Telluride to their school three miles away.  The rest of us are leaving at 7 am (Brrrr...!!!) to make it to Montrose in time for more presentations.  We're teaching kids about health, fitness, and a thing or two about bicycles. 

I'm in love with the Rocky Mountains...