JULY 16: Telluride, Colo. to 10 miles west of Dolores, Colo. 77 miles via Colorado Routes 145 and 184. Average speed today, 13.6 mph. Total trip mileage to date, 2,651. Average mileage per day since June 1, 57.6.

The idea of climbing Lizard Head pass, which crosses a spur of the Rockies southwest of Telluride, inspired awe and fear when I first charted our cross-country bike route months ago. When I first – and last -- visited this area in 1970 it was early November and the snows had already begun. The 10,222-foot pass, which I didn’t even drive over at the time, seemed hostile and foreboding.

But in 2008, it was a pussycat. Starting at Telluride, itself at more than 8,000 feet, left us “only” 2,000 feet of climbing. That’s less than half the footage we scaled a few days ago on Monarch Pass. Not only that, but Lizard Head’s grades we’re about 4 percent, compared to Monarch’s 6.

Started early with several layers of cycling gear on, as Telluride’s morning temps were flirting with the 40s.  But within an hour, we had shed most of it.

The climb was gentle and we powered up at between 7 and 8 mph – a breakneck speed for climbing. Before we knew it, the 10,000 foot sign came into view and within a few minutes – with most of the day left – we had covered 15 miles and were at the crest.

“We’ve conquered the Rockies,” exultedBen, noting that this was the last major Colorado pass on our route.

Utah, however, offers a couple of similar grades and we argued briefly over whether its ranges are also part of the Rockies.

Lizard Head Pass, named for a jagged peak whose rock summit resembled the head of a reptile, was first crossed more than a century ago. The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad built a narrow-gauge route between Telluride and Dolores to service sheep ranchers and timber operators in the area. 

The freight business later gave out, but the railroad for a time continued to run a passenger excursion train – the Galloping Goose – over the scenic route. The one-car, narrow-gauge train was more like a school bus on rails. Its rails have long-since been torn out, but a Galloping Goose car remains in Dolores for tourists to look at.

But back to bike riding: The remainder of our day was a drop of close 60 miles – an enjoyable and easy ride. Had lunch at the sandwich shop in Rico – turkey wraps, delicious.  Then raced a thunder storm out of the Rockies and beat it to Dolores, where we met Randy and enjoyed a milkshake.

We put in 10 final miles on Colorado 184, which brought us to U.S. 491. On Friday we’ll ride this highway out of Colorado and into Utah.

But first will come a long-overdue day off. After today’s ride, we drove to the Durango-area home of former Union Democrat colleagues Dan and Robin Goldman and enjoyed a delicious pizza dinner and hours of catching up. The Goldman home, in Bayfield, is beautiful and their one-year-old daughter, Gracie, is delightful.

The thunderstorm we left behind caught up with at Dan and Robin’s, and we went to sleep to thunder and lightning. Tomorrow Randy will play golf on a Durango course and Ben and I will poke around the downtown area, have lunch with Dan and restock for the trip ahead.

This journal will also take a day off: The next entry will be for July 18.