Traveling to Craig, Colorado

June 23.

This ride started with a long, relatively flat ride, but there was plenty of climbing and rolling hills in store.  The flat ride was made tougher by a head wind part of the way.  I was really proud of myself, because I was able to mostly keep up during that first part of the ride.  I went 18 miles before I lost sight of the person in front of me!  So that was an accomplishment.

Several people had talked about riding the first segment of the ride and then taking the van to the third rest stop of the day, after the very long, big climb.  I decided to do the same, but then it turned out they changed their minds.  They had gotten help during the windy section of the ride and weren’t as worn out, so they went instead to the second rest stop and got out.  I decided to stick with the first plan.

The third rest stop was at the General Store in Maybelle, Colorado.  Mary, who ran the general store was really a nice person.  We set up all the refreshments on a picnic table under a carport like shelter.  They had bumper stickers in the store saying “Where the hell is Maybelle, Colorado?”  I found out later that it’s also the name of a motorcycle ride.  At Maybelle, I rejoined with the group that had ridden with us to rest stop two.  They had learned to draft each other.  I managed to keep up for about five miles, but then I lost them.

We got a really big welcome in Craig, and we will be here for two days and three nights.  We arrived on Friday and the local Fuller Center Covenant Partner had arranged a picnic in the park for us.  Members of the local Fuller Center board were there, and they also invited a county commissioner and the mayor to the dinner.  The commissioner and mayor were invited to speak and they talked about what an impact we cyclists have had on the town over the years.  We nearly always stop here on the cross country ride because this is the chapter of the Fuller Center furthest to the west in the country (I think).  We also got to hear their history.

This local chapter started out as a chapter of Habitat for Humanity.  About the same time that Habitat for Humanity fired their founders, Millard and Linda Fuller, they also changed the rules for the local chapters.  This local chapter in Moffatt County, Colorado was going to be discontinued because the population of the area was too small.  The only option they were given was to join up with the Steam Boat Springs Habitat for Humanity chapter, about 40 miles away.  So in 2005, they opted out of Habitat for Humanity and became a Fuller Center Covenant partner.  So far they have built two houses which are now producing income through no-interest, no-profit mortgages and have a third in progress.  They have done several Greater Blessings projects, basically home repair help which helps people stay in their homes.

In the park, I got several photos of wood carvings.  Years ago, many of the trees started dying and the then mayor decided that they would contact chain saw carvers from all over and have a contest.  The contest still goes on every year over Father’s Day weekend, but now they have had to move the contest to a larger park on the edge of town.  They also bring in logs to carve and then the carvings are placed around town.  At the beginning of the contest is a drawing to see which log each carver gets.  They have about three days to complete the carving and then the various prizes are decided.  Some of them are really great.