Day 34 – Dolores to Telluride After a solid night’s sleep at the hostel, I took a slow start to the day. I’ve been fine-tuning how I pack my gear and finally decided to ditch the frame pack. Conveniently, the post office was right next to a coffee shop, so I hung out with a cup of coffee while I waited for it to open. While I was there, I met another cyclist who was attempting a 220-mile day ride called the Death Loop. Incredible to imagine that kind of mileage in a single day. After shipping the pack back to Boulder, I hit the road. It felt good to be back in the mountains. The air cooled as I gained altitude, and I followed the Dolores River for miles. The constant roar of the water made for a great soundtrack. I kept pedaling up toward Lizard Head Pass, soaking in the fresh green hillsides, the leftover snow from spring melt, and the high alpine beauty I hadn’t seen in a while. This part of Colorado always reminds me of the Alps—lush, dramatic, and full of long climbs. At the top of the pass, I cruised past the last patches of snow, then started the long descent into Telluride. I stopped at every National Forest campground along the way, but everything was full. Turns out the Mountainfilm Festival was going on, and town was packed. I took a chance on the city campground, no luck. I doubled back into National Forest land and managed to find a quiet spot along the river to pitch my tent. It was secluded and peaceful, right next to the water. I cooked a massive spaghetti dinner with ground beef and fresh sauce from a local market. I crawled into my tent just as the sun dipped behind the mountains and fell asleep to the sound of the creek. Completely content.