Ouray, Colorado
July 20, 2025

Dear Family & Friends:

July 18. I got an early, 8 am start for my next ride destination, which is Ouray Colorado where I will meet with my best high school friend, Jim Rollans and my nephew, Jeff Smestad, and his wife Nicci. Jim has a “cabin“ in Ridgeway, just outside of Ouray. Jeff and Nicci are camping not far from Jim’s cabin. It was another mega-ride day. I covered 224 miles in six hours. This was probably the most scenic ride of the trip as I traveled on back roads through gorgeous mountainous terrain, riddled with winding streams, trees and lush, verdant, vegetation. At one point, I rode up a mountain over 10,000 feet high. On the way down,, it rained really hard.

I arrived in Ouray  around 2 pm and met Jeff & Nicci. Jeff was riding a large BMW motorcycle and Nicci was trailing him in a car. We all rode to Jim’s cabin nestled in the woods in Ridgeway. We were greeted by Jim and his son, Tom. Jim’s girlfriend, Bev, joined us later in the day. Tom made us a wonderful elk hamburger dinner. We talked Jeff and Nicci into staying at the cabin instead of the campsite. I enjoyed a great night’s sleep in the barn.

July 19. Jeff and Nicci left early to return home. This, was a lazy, fun, day. We had a fabulous breakfast in Ridgeway and then sat in rocking chairs on Jim’s front porch sharing stories. It rained off and on all day, so I was happy to take a zero day. In the afternoon, we visited the Ouray Hot Springs Pools. All of the pools are fed 100% fed by hot springs from the mountains. We had dinner in Ridgeway at the Tacos & Beer restaurant.

God is good.

Check out the videos on my Eight Summits Facebook page

On the way to Ouray

Ouray

Nicci, Jeff & Bill in Ouray

Jim’s cabin

The barn where I slept

Jeff, Nicci, Bill, Bev & Jim

Other visitors

Ouray Hot Springs

Tacos & Beer

Only 3 states to go-Utah, Idaho & Oregon