They drive on the right over here!

D will drive anywhere in the world.  He's the only person I have ever met who has hired a car in Macau. The rental car guy didn't seem fazed, but just about everyone else thought we were crazy.  Navigating was a nightmare.

Whenever non-travelling friends ask us about driving in the US, the first thing they want to know about is how hard it is to drive on the right hand side of the road. Our answer is always the same - Be careful at first, but you get used to it pretty quickly and it is just not that difficult. What we don't tell them, and what you never get used to, is walking and cycling on the right - instinct just seems to take over and you find yourself constantly moving to the left.   To all those very nice Americans who I ran off the Rio Grande trail today because I just cannot get used to cycling on the right - I am really, really sorry.

The East Aspen Trail

We went for our first serious cycle today - about 35 kms (22.5 mls) -  from Woody Creek near Snowmass to a few kms the other side of Aspen. Apparently we turned around just east of where Kevin Costner lives - according to a couple of locals we met. D, who lives under a rock, asked 'Who's he?' - I just can't take that man anywhere.

Just before Aspen

The bikes were great. D managed to fix my low gear - I'll never doubt him again. We were the subject of many envious looks on our shiny new Walmart specials.  Just about everyone else on the trail were riding rental bikes. We felt very superior.

The Rio Grande

The trail runs next to the Rio Grande, often with spectacular views from quite high above the river. Once it enters Aspen it meanders along through the outskirts of town crossing and re-crossing the river on quaint little wooden bridges. After leaving Aspen to the east it runs for quite a while along next to lush grasslands with mountain back drops.  According to the signs, elk, coyote and black bears frequent the grasslands but I think it must have been afternoon siesta time while we were there because we didn't see so much as a chipmunk.  Oh well, later in the trip we're going to the Grand Tetons and I absolutely know we'll see a moose or two.

Downtown Aspen

                                             
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8 June 2013