I woke early to the sound of fire hose sprinklers cleaning my tent and bike...but inside I was dry and comfy all night. I had something to eat, dried the tent in the sun as it came up and set off...right into a headwind up the small climb out of Florence..soon the wind changed and blew me along nicely. The store in the next village was shut but as sign on the door directed me to the community centre where they had left water available for cyclists...now that is consideration and I applaud the store owner. Along the ride I saw what I think might be water melons growing amounst small sunflowers at the side of the road. It amazes me how much the climate and scenery and vegetation changes as I cross each mountain pass and each state line. I rode past another big prision...right out of cool hand Luke...and I made a mental note to behave myself in the USA lol!
Arriving pueblo I was happy to see it wasn't the dustbowel western Hispanic style town I had imagined it to be. It's greener than I expected. Subway was my first port of call as usual in a town as its pretty much the only place I know where I can get fresh food with leaves etc here in USA...but even there they try to force chips on you..erm that's crisps to those of you who still speak English and haven't like me dropped into American
Lol!
So then I rode to Santa Fe ave north where I found the best bike shop.yet. by English standards it was average but from what I have seen do far on my tour it was the.best yet. I found a new inflatable sleep mat there ..just the right size and weight...and I was pleased I didn't buy the cruddy heavy one in Fairview.
There were two kids in the bike shop getting ready to rife to sanfrancisco along the trsnsam mostly. Their bikes were totly overloaded..one guy even had two spare schwalbe marathon plus tyres strapped on!!...man those things are bullet proof and they don't fold either.  Lord help them on the hills they have to climb.
If anybody wants lots of free cycle gear..New..just follow them.and pick it up as they ditch it all on the big passes.
I arrived at motel shitsville...travellers lodge on north Santa Fe and was checked in by an Indian lady from tooting Broadway...well of course lol! The air con is broken..no WiFi but the room is the cheapest I've found yet on this trip and its on a big town next to a good bike shop and right on my route out of town..so it works for me.
My lip is healing from the sun and windburn...but it still looks like a bad case of herpes to the initiated lol!
I think riding it this heat all day is going to be a big no no. I will ride from sunrise to about 11am then find some shade to hang out in until 4 or 5. Thing is shade isn't easy to find inbetween towns. I almost bought a cycling shirt with the Colorado flag on it..but it was stupid expensive and I needed the sleep mat more than I wanted the shirt.
It struck me that pueblo really is the first town of any real size since missoulla.
I'm looking forward to this evenings night out with friends here in Colorado!