101 Miles and One Tree BBQ Start time: 9:05 A.M. Top speed: 51.7 mph (Roman) Total distance: 103 miles Finish time: 6:05 P.M. Weather and temperature: Wind hard to the left most of day, with tail wind the last 30 miles. Mostly flat with only one climb, and then a very long and fast decent. The ride was smooth and paced. As our legs were quick to develop the burn that normally takes 3 hours. The pain came very soon, within 90 minutes. This was mostly due to the burdensome climb through Wolf Creek Pass yesterday, Thursday. But it was also due to the fact that our hearts, heads, and lungs are getting stronger, and we are pushing our selves earlier in the day. In fact, we averaged 17.8 miles per hour for the first 2 hours. This is a very good sign. We have one more day in Colorado, then we are in Kansas for five days, then MO for four long days. The picture shows the only mountain pass we crossed today. It is in front of the motor coach. It seems high, but was less than 1500 feet. Nothing compared to yesterdays tall 10,850 foot peak. We are 1/3 of the way home. And more excitingly, we are on schedule, so we can now focus on one of the major purposes of the trip, getting Danny’s experiences to the folks in these towns pass through. Shawn has telephoned all the Chamber’s of Commerce in the towns that we will reach in the next two weeks. We have never gotten a response from the American Cancer Society? If you have friends or relatives in towns we are close to and would like to have Danny talk with folks that are effected by cancer please call Sean at 843-270-0310. Or send an e-mail to rider@dannysride.org. This would be a great help. He would like to speak at civic groups, church gatherings, or the like. The highlight of the day was our feast at One Tree BBQ. The sign on the door read, "Truckers welcome. All you can eat BBQ". When we were approaching Walensberg, (population 3,300) the aroma of One Tree filled our hearts. Danny does not pass a BBQ restaurant. Even if he has just eaten at one, he is known to stop again within 10 miles and sample the flavors. Andy Panettiere is the owner. His long term friend, Baldy, is his sole employee. Baldy is 62 and retired from the rail road. Andy is a transplant from Alabama, where he left an executive position in equipment manufacturing and his Mom and Dad to move to southern Colorado. His menu is delightful and very inexpensive. The buffet includes brisket, chicken, hamburger, pork ribs, and much more. We mostly enjoyed the corn that was smoked and prepared in the cooker. The sides include baked beans, potato salad, super slaw, and baked potatoes. The desserts were many and endless. If One Tree BBQ is worthy of a 103 mile bicycle trek, it is worth a 300 mile, 5 hour car ride. If you find this statement not to be the case I will refund your $7.96 meal tab. Let us know what you think. You can reach Andy and Baldy at 738-2169 or 989-1426. Or you can e-mail Andy at apanettiere@aol.com.