Day 41, Laughing Ladies Lunching

Having changed our plans, we took it easy today. A rare leisurely morning in camp (waking up to river sounds is quite pleasant) led to 25 miles of flat river riding in the canyon. The ride was really easy on our legs, which is good since we have the over-11,000 foot Monarch Pass tomorrow. A very dear, sage woman said: 'Monarch? As in the butterflies? If they can go over it, so can you girls!'

We rode to the cute mountain town of Salida (pronounced Sal-eye-duh), which is nestled in the Collegiate Range of 14,000 foot mountains so-named for eastern Ivy League schools. There is the big, egotistical Mt. Harvard, the majestic and clearly the best Mt. Yale, and also Mt. Princeton, which hardly matters at all. We spent a nice afternoon in Salida, lunching at the Laughing Ladies restaurant, shopping (it turns out that it's really easy to send purchases home!) and enjoying the mountain-town atmosphere.

If only we become as light as butterflies tomorrow...