The Collegiate Ramble - part III (final) "I arrived in Leadville at 9pm wearing all my layers - it's not summer anymore. Got a quick dinner at a gas station and went out to find a campsite for the night. Being Labor's Day Weekend, my chances to get a designated spot were very slim, so I stopped at Golden Burro Cafe and spoke with Dan, the owner, if he knew a secret, locals-only-spot, I could pitch a tent. He then introduced me to Rafael and Maria. Rafa is the owner of Leadvelo Bicicasa, a rad bike shop across the street, those are literally the best people you could possibly meet any time of the day, let alone at 10pm on a Saturday. After much talking about bikes, bikepacking, photography and adventure, they offered to meet me at 7am and show me the best way to ride from Leadville to Granite (halfway from BV) and to avoid the dreaded highway. I pitched my tent at Dan's front yard for the night, which was clutch for the early morning coffee stop at ZeroDay Coffee." This was my Strava entry for day 1 of my trip. I say this often but the best part of any bikepacking trip is to meet people along the way. I'm an introvert, who don't engage much with strangers but traveling by bike has opened my eyes to new ways to make friends. Riding bikes is more than just an athletic endeavor, it's a form of unspoken communication. It breaks barriers and allows you to experience life in a much slower and meaningful way. #VisualStorytelling . . . #Colorado #yourshotphotographer #optoutside #travelbybike #gravelbike #bikepacking #gravelbikeworld #gravelcyclist #graveldiaries #explorebybike #adventurecycling #biketouring #roam247 #amongthewild #OTVAdventures #selfpropelled #salsacutthroat #stayandwander #grsnaps #weareoutdoor #depthsofearth #viewsfromcolorado #optoutside #wildernessculture #nikonnofilter #ourwildtails #teampixel #proadventurer