Words can't describe the feeling I felt when I first saw the Rockies over the horizon and pictures just don't do it justice. I guess I'll make an attempt though.
I've been dreaming of the Rockies since I signed up for this trip, really before I even signed up. I picked this route specifically because it had the most ride days in Colorado and I just wanted to soak up as much of this (until recently unknown to me) state as I could.
I woke up on the morning of our 86-mile day (and final ride of our 8 day stretch) into Loveland knowing we'd see the mountains but not sure when. It happened at mile 36. I won't forget that number. It was the mile I started giggling and smiling uncontrollably. Suddenly I forgot that my butt hurt because my cheeks hurt too much instead. It was a magical moment seeing those snow-capped peaks suddenly appear in the distance. And I had a glorious 50 miles to watch them get closer and closer.
There was one point in the ride where we crested a big hill to find the most incredible open views of the mountains. I couldn't help but start tearing up. I just kept thinking to myself, "I biked here!" I was overwhelmed with emotions - from the breathtaking beauty to the enormous sense of accomplishment, it all hit me in that moment.
Shortly after arriving to our host in Loveland I set off on an adventure to Fort Collins with Sarah M. and her friends Lauren, Noah, and J Fast, who all live there. We had an amazing night hopping around breweries and enjoying an outdoor concert. I loved everything about Fort Collins - it was the perfect end to an incredible day.