day36 85mi 7:20 5mi E of gunnison,CO

Woke up and made some oatmeal in the house. Got a late start around 8:30. Made really good time into montrose 27 miles in 1:47 about 16m.p.h. average. It was slightly downhill though. Loaded up on groceries at walmart which was really cheap and bought 'in defense of food' which they had on sale and I had been wanting to read. Ate at areally good chinese buffet and gorged myself. Ate way too much and felt sluggish on the rollout of town. rode a couple miles and then started a 4 mile climb. got over it and then an hour or so down the road started aother 4 mile climb. Got over that one and then rode along a river/resevior awhich was really pretty. Most of the roads I have been taking are right along rivers or cliffs which is really cool. The grades are pretty gradual and everywehre you look are mountains. In ridgway I was surrounded on all sides by mountains. At night you can see so many stars, I remember loking out my tent one night and staring right at the big dipper. Stopped at the elk creek visitor center and ate 6 bratwurst warapped with pita bread. Actually only 2 of them were wrapped in pita bread, the rest Ate ate as they were. Called some people and as I was leaving met a runner named john? He was training to try and Qualify for boston which is 3:15. I ran a 1:36 for seattle and I can't imagine holding that 7:20 pace for 26 miles. Go out and run a mile as fast as you can and see if you get anywhere near 7:20. Then imagine running that fast for over 3 hours! I was riding on the right side of the road and he was running on the left side of the road just like you are supposed to. We had to shout across the traffic to hear each other. It was kind of funny. Camping out at a park and sleeping on a picnic table. Go over the continental divide tomorrow and I heard its a beast.