35. Agate, Colorado

Day 35:  Sunday, July 26, 1981

Denver to Agate:  70 miles

Rick decided not to continue east with us, but to spend the rest of his money bumming around the west.  So Jack and I departed alone this morning.  I didn't quite get my screen door project done - someone else will have to finish it.

Being young and an ersatz student, Rick was on a limited budget.  His goal of Boston was probably too optimistic, even if he had pinched pennies.  But he was not a wise spender, eating a lot of junk food and playing the machines.  Of course, I abetted him on that latter point.  And we ate out more than he could really afford to.

Even though it's not on the TransAmerica Trail, we're still going to Manhattan, since we've already specified it as a mail drop.  We're paralleling I-70, and will probably follow it across Kansas.

Half an hour out, Jack remembered that he forgot the water bag, so I rode four miles back to get it.

In spite of a day-long headwind, we covered about 70 miles.  Although it seemed as if we were going uphill, we actually lost elevation.  The terrain is generally rolling, very dry, with livestock and grain agriculture.  Irrigation is not as prevalent here as it was farther west.

Yeah, it's dry here.

We're camped behind the schoolhouse in Agate tonight.  No facilities, but it's getting late.