Independence Pass, Colorado

Arrived at Glenwood Springs just after lunchtime, checked in to the hotel (a nifty little German-style 'alpine haus'), jumped back on the bike and went for a ride (just for a change!!).

Through Carbondale and Aspen and the road started to climb - the views got better, the road got narrower and I wondered where I was going to end up. Then a sign saying "Independence Pass, Elevation 12,095 feet, Continental Divide" - this must mean I'm halfway across America then, the winds change, rivers flow in a different direction (really??) - but it's a lot closer to the west coast than the east so maybe all of that is wrong.

Actually it's something to do with hydrological divides rather than geographical ones - rivers flowing into the Pacific and the Atlantic and all of that.

I took a few photos of the fantastic views, shivered a little (it was chilly up there), then headed to Leadville, Basalt, back to Carbondale and then to the hotel.

Tomorrow night I am in Georgetown - my last night in Colorado - before I fly off (flight connections via Chicago and Detroit) to Atlantic City NJ and the seaside ......