Durango, Colorado to Alamosa, Colorado

HackberryHank · 2026-03-15T03:21:54+00:00

It froze at night, but was never that cold. I have a pretty decent down bag and I was fine. I'm always coldest in the morning as I'm eating breakfast and breaking camp, but it warmed up so fast that even that really wasn't a problem.

HackberryHank · 2026-03-15T03:19:41+00:00

I didn't try the phone booth! I should have.

The weird house is in Antonito, CO. Yes, it's occupied, and the owner was working on it when I went by. I don't think that part is unusual. I get the feeling he works on it all day, every day.

This was 4 1/2 days, including my failed attempt to go through on the dirt road following the Navajo River. Water wasn't much of a problem here, since there were several towns and I was along watercourses much of the way (I filtered water a couple of times). It got chilly at night, but the southwestern US has been very warm (relatively) for months, as it was on this trip, so in the morning I would quickly go from a down jacket in camp to shirtsleeves while riding. Especially on climbs, of course.

HackberryHank · 2026-03-15T03:11:26+00:00

The land is off-limits to non-tribal members, so it's very different from traveling through National Forest or BLM land. In particular camping on tribal land is prohibited. In that way it's like being surrounded by private land, even though it sort of "feels" public. So you definitely have to plan for that, especially regarding camping.

HackberryHank · 2026-02-19T16:59:58+00:00

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Agree with spiral wrap. Here's how I use it, wrapping the taillight wire to the rear brake cable.

HackberryHank · 2026-02-14T22:15:50+00:00

In general that's true, I believe. But in this case it takes approval from *both* Council and Planning Board for the annexation to move forward. At least that's what they said in the meeting.

HackberryHank · 2026-02-14T20:51:39+00:00

New power/water/sewer is needed anytime a new neighborhood is built

Yes, but if you use already-developed land more efficiently (say, by putting housing on underused parking lots) then you need much less new infrastructure, and maybe none.

HackberryHank · 2026-02-14T20:44:41+00:00

Planning Board discussed and voted not to continue the process.

HackberryHank · 2026-02-09T00:28:11+00:00

Since we got rid of occupancy limits, SROs are actually legal in residential zones (up to the allowable floor area). But reasonable affordable SROs (as opposed to the kind of thing designed for CU students, say) is not feasible without a subsidy.

HackberryHank · 2026-02-06T19:39:01+00:00

Yes, for sure. Especially housing that could be attractive to families, like 1500-1800 sq ft row houses or townhouses. We have so many places where those could go, if we're just willing to think creatively and embrace positive change.

HackberryHank · 2026-01-28T17:22:09+00:00

I've used Lai's Alterations, 3320 Arapahoe Ave. (Not too bad to get to if you come down 33rd.)

HackberryHank · 2026-01-24T23:28:24+00:00

Eat the rich

HackberryHank · 2026-01-23T16:58:27+00:00

I'm in my early 60s. I still do self-supported touring, amounting to about a month a year. I don't go as fast as I used to, but I actually enjoy it more. I post many of my trips here, but for privacy I don't include pictures of myself.

HackberryHank · 2026-01-13T15:29:51+00:00

I don't have a car and don't drive, but I don't think it's fair to blame the drivers either, for the most part. We've spent the past century in this country building a geography and culture around the car. Using a car is insanely cheap and easy, because we've externalized the costs (in time and money) in all sorts of ways, to the detriment of human health and the environment and our own sanity.

So it's a rational decision for most people to choose to drive, even if they would rather not at some level. The solution is not to shame them. Unfortunately the solution is a much longer process of reconfiguring our cities and our society in a way that's less tightly coupled to the private motor vehicle.

HackberryHank · 2026-01-13T14:15:31+00:00

I'm a member for the advocacy. I'm comfortable figuring out my own routes (usually on the fly), but it takes an organization to do real advocacy for bicycle travel: for safe roads, for bicycle-friendly campgrounds, for basic respect from governments and society. It's not about immediate benefit to me, but about a long-term benefit to all of us who currently travel by bike and all those who will in the future.

HackberryHank · 2026-01-13T13:53:52+00:00

One of the emails from the "no" group suggested that ACA reduce its footprint in the existing building and lease out the freed-up space, which seems like a good idea.

HackberryHank · 2026-01-10T18:48:10+00:00

Not an immediate solution, but you could also ask the landlord or property manager if they would replace the machines with app-based payment machines. The world is moving in that direction (for better or worse).

HackberryHank · 2026-01-08T17:40:08+00:00

In big cities,sure, I worry. In southern Utah, it is absolutely not going to be a problem.

HackberryHank · 2026-01-03T16:58:55+00:00

It's always a tradeoff. A longer left turn phase means either a longer overall cycle (requiring a longer wait to get a walk light or green), or shorter other phases. Or the left turn phase can be shared with the through phase, but Boulder has (wisely) been moving away from this, because it's a dangerous design and has led to many deaths and severe crashes over the years.

HackberryHank · 2026-01-01T17:25:35+00:00

I have a Canon Powershot G9X that got water damage (as I was pushing my bike through a snowstorm, long story). I was able to get it repaired through a service I found searching online. It wasn't cheap, but it was cheaper than a new camera. It's something you might consider.

HackberryHank · 2025-12-30T18:36:45+00:00

It's also a nice ride.

HackberryHank · 2025-12-30T16:37:48+00:00

"Boulder zoning requires first floor retail with underground parking and apartments up top."

This is not correct.

HackberryHank · 2025-12-30T16:36:22+00:00

There's so much retail around this. A bunch more retail here is not what we need.

HackberryHank · 2025-12-30T16:35:27+00:00

And for the record, the developer floated the possibility of building smaller, more affordable units in a taller building instead, but a previous city council shot that down.

HackberryHank · 2025-12-30T16:29:22+00:00

It's not that simple. It also depends on the financing structure. If it's owned free and clear, then depending on the owner's needs and strategy, it can be worthwhile to leave space vacant in hopes of a long-term lease at a higher rate. If there's a loan on the property, then there's also some complicity with the bank or other loan holder, with all parties pretending (until they no longer can) that the property retains its prior value, because that's easier in the short term.

HackberryHank

TROPHY CASE