My journey westward from Denver toward Rocky Mountain National Park had begun. The first city ahead was Boulder, a university town just an hour’s drive from Denver.
From this point forward in my U.S. journey, I plan to use the WarmShowers app more frequently. Since I usually prefer solitude while traveling, I’ve only used it occasionally. However, after six months on the road, my budget can’t afford solo accommodations in the U.S. So, until my long break in San Francisco, it’ll be more camping and more WarmShowers stays.
Boulder has become my favorite city in the U.S. in terms of location, architecture, and cycling culture. The way the university campus is scattered around the city is something I found very appealing. This wouldn’t be possible in a city like Ankara with universities such as Hacettepe or ODTÜ (Middle East Technical University) for various reasons, so I didn’t find myself wishing for the same setup back home. It suits Boulder well. However, the one thing that doesn’t suit this city is the high number of homeless people. I saw more here than in Denver. The U.S. desperately needs to find a solution to this issue.
In Boulder, I stayed with a young WarmShowers host named Alden. It was my first time staying with someone so young finding through the app. She lived with her boyfriend, and they had bought a house, renting out the lower floor to cover expenses or mortgage payments. They were both passionate about mountaineering and cycling during their university years, but they admitted that financial burdens had made it harder to travel as much as before.
It was a one-night stay. After the morning coffee, I thanked them and left. For some reason, I didn’t feel entirely comfortable in the house. Our conversations always felt a bit distant. Maybe it was the age difference, or something else, I couldn’t quite figure it out. Sometimes, these things happen, and I don’t force myself to understand them.
The next city is Estes Park, where I also found a place through the WarmShowers app. Larry and Becky were going to host me in their home. Using WarmShowers this way, planning my stay, and setting up an arrival time two days ahead, is not something I particularly enjoy. However, the hosts also arrange their schedules accordingly, so it’s understandable.
I like WarmShowers, but I prefer to use it as little as possible. As I mentioned earlier, the main reason I’ve been relying on it more lately is financial constraints.
Before I arrived, Larry checked my profile and let me know that Becky would be preparing dinner. He also asked, “Gürkan, is there anything you don’t prefer to eat or have allergies to?” This is a question I often get when staying with people over a certain age in the U.S., and I think it’s a very thoughtful gesture. However, over time, it has also become a necessity in this country, as some people have sued restaurants, claiming they were poisoned.
The dinner time is set, and I should be home by then. Sometimes, they also specify, “If you arrive at this time, we’ll be home.” Sticking to a schedule within a specific time frame can sometimes be challenging. If something unexpected happens and I can’t make it that day, the meal will already be prepared, and I’d feel bad about it. That’s why I pay extra attention to this matter. I always make sure to arrive at their home exactly when we agreed.
The entire road to Larry and Becky’s house is an uphill climb, a popular training route for cyclists living in Boulder. Along the way, I had the chance to meet and chat with a female touring cyclist riding with her son. Hmm… I would have loved to go on a long-distance ride with my mother; it could have been a great experience. Maybe I’ll try it when I return to Türkiye, only if you’re up for it, Mom!
The climb was quite enjoyable, but the road was busier than I expected. When I mentioned this to Larry upon arrival, he explained that autumn had arrived and that local tourists flocked to this area to witness the vibrant colors of nature. It made perfect sense, during this season, nature truly transforms into a spectacular display of colors. For me, climbing this road was an absolute pleasure.
During dinner, Becky’s questions were exactly the kind a mother would ask. They reminded me of my dear mom. “When you have a child, you never want them to leave, Gürkan. You don’t understand this yet because you don’t have children.” She was right, and I completely agreed. No, I don’t have children, but I’ve had experiences in my personal life that have given me some perspective. It’s a universal sentiment, found in many places around the world. If it had been up to my mother, Ayşe Genç, or my late father, Şerafettin Genç, perhaps they wouldn’t have let me set off on a world tour. But what was their most fundamental wish? For their child to be happy. When they see that I am happy, and can stand on my own two feet despite the difficulties and that I am not only succeeding but also creating opportunities to help others, they fully support me. “You’ve chosen a completely different life path. Since this is what you’ve decided, go all the way and be successful,” my father, Şerafettin Genç, had told me. Have I succeeded? I don’t think I’ve quite reached the level of success he meant yet. But I am fulfilling the things he entrusted to me.
Spending time with Larry and Becky was truly wonderful. They even suggested, “Why don’t you stay and rest for a week, explore the area, and go on hikes with us?” But I felt the urge to keep going. During dinner, we heard the call of an elk, or, as it’s known in my homeland, the red deer. Becky told me, “The elk is nearby with its family; maybe you’ll get to see it.” The next morning, during breakfast, it had come up to the garden. Later, when I set off, I spotted it sitting in a neighbor’s yard. What a magnificent creature! I stood there for a while, watching in admiration.
Now, let’s talk about the objectives of my world tour by bicycle. Yes, back in 2011, I thought, “If I’m going to cycle around the world, I might as well break a few world records while I’m at it.” However, there weren’t many records left to be broken in the realm of touring cycling. Then, something caught my attention. Every continent had the highest passes and highest points accessible by vehicles. These were places I could reach by pedaling. Forget about just being the highest-altitude cyclist in Türkiye, if I could achieve this on every continent, it would be a first. Wow, I had found my challenge! So, I decided to do it.
On top of that, I was also crossing deserts. That meant I could set another record: being the cyclist who covered the most distance in the largest desert regions of each continent. I wrote to Guinness World Records, and they responded by saying, “Yes, others might surpass your records in terms of time and duration, but you can officially register in these categories.”
However, back in 2011, I had a concern. If I shared the names and exact locations of these places, by the time I reached them, someone from my country, or elsewhere, would surely attempt to beat me to it. So, on my website, I listed these locations under different names in the route section. And guess what happened?
I received a message: “Hey Gürkan, best of luck on your journey. Sorry, but I saw your route on your page, and I’m going to be the first Turkish cyclist to cross this area.”
This situation happened to me twice during my travels. When those individuals completed their routes, I pointed out that they hadn’t crossed the highest passes. When I later passed through the correct ones, they stopped talking to me.
No offense, but after all these years on the road, I couldn’t just hand over the title of being the first Turkish cyclist to cross these places. I hope you understand, my friends. It wouldn’t be fair.
Now, anyone can go there, by car, motorcycle, or bicycle. No problem at all.
The highest passes and the largest deserts I have crossed are listed on my ROUTE PAGE.
Only two locations remain, and their real names aren’t even on my page. Finding the world’s highest pass was truly difficult. Let me tell you right away, it’s not the one listed on the internet. J
In the United States, the highest pass accessible by vehicle is Trail Ridge Pass, at 12,183 feet (3,712 meters). Compared to the passes in South America, 12,183 feet is considered mid-level. However, they haven’t placed the pass sign at the highest point because that spot is on a sharp curve. Since there’s no sign there, and most people, unlike cyclists, don’t track altitude statistics, this pass’s height is commonly accepted as that of a point several kilometers lower: Alpine Visitor Center Trail Ridge Store, at 11,795 Feet (3,595 meters).
Because of this, many people mistakenly believe that America’s highest pass is elsewhere. Some Americans claim Mount Evans is the highest vehicle pass, but that’s just a summit, you climb up, reach a point, and return the same way. It’s not a pass.
Later, they clarified Trail Ridge Pass by calling it the “highest continuous vehicle pass.” If I weren’t paying attention to these details, I might have missed them entirely.
Above, I used the word “Alpine.” This term is generally used in countries that do not have the Alps to refer to high mountain ranges. There are specific reasons why this particular point is called the Alpine Pass. I can say that this pass runs right through the middle of the Rocky Mountains, which divide the United States into east and west. By 1915, Rocky Mountain gained its national park designation. We’re talking about a national park that spans nearly 621 miles (1,000 kilometers).
The road through the pass was opened in 1933, and to minimize damage to its stunning nature, some interesting precautions were taken during construction. It took about three years to complete. Once finished, it provided easier access to breathtaking panoramic views, much like in the European Alps. I can’t say how much the natural environment was damaged in the process, but records show the number of visitors and vehicles that entered the park on its very first day.
I’m talking about Day One: 83,000 automobiles entered the park. In 1933, the entrance fee was $3, meaning they generated $249,000 in revenue on that first day. Additionally, 293,000 people entered the park on foot, each paying $1. The numbers were astonishing for that time, they made over half a million dollars on the first day alone.
Fast forward to 2024, and in Türkiye, the most visited national park is Marmaris National Park, with 11 million visitors. The entrance fee for vehicles was 100 TL, and for bicycles, 40 TL. But in our country, there’s this common reaction: “Brother, why are you charging me when I came on foot or by bicycle?”, so pedestrian entry is completely free.
In 2024, Rocky Mountain National Park saw 5 million visitors. The single-day entrance fee for a bicycle is $15, and for a car, it’s $30. And honestly, almost no one enters this place without a car. Assuming an average of four people per vehicle, their minimum revenue from entrance fees would be $40 million.
…And now I’m annoyed again.
Inside the park, you can’t just go anywhere and set up a tent as you please. I think this was where I saw the highest number of rangers patrolling. Toward the park’s exit, after passing the summit, there is an official campground.
Oh, I almost forgot!
This pass made history for me in another way: in 15 years of traveling the world by bicycle, this was the first pass I ever had to pay for. In October 2024, the entrance fee for an individual was $15. Car entry was even more expensive.
Unbelievable.
In the evening, I’m excited because I’ll be setting up my new tent for the first time at the campsite. Yes, I haven’t tested the tent yet. The view was looked at, photos were taken, I went straight down with the bike, and the brakes started not holding. I had already noticed something strange after I started climbing. As I ascended, it seemed like the hydraulic fluid inside disappeared. The brakes hold very little. Oh no, here comes the trouble, how will I go down from the mountain, brakes dont work at all? It’s not working.
I stopped, first I changed the old brake pads with the new ones. Since the old pads were worn a lot, I adjusted their proximity to the disks. Until I went down, I kept pressing and releasing the brakes, meaning pumping and also used the foot brake when I gained too much speed. (The benefit of not having mudguards on a touring bike. People always ask why there are no mudguards. I had tested and experienced this years ago.
Nowadays, the new generation of touring cyclists doesn’t know this, and they won’t experience such things either. These are the troubles of long tours, not picnic-like tours or bikepacking tours.) Let me mention when I last did maintenance on my hydraulic brakes. 4 years ago! It’s very normal for it to break, but the place where it broke was a bad spot. There’s a small town in front of me called Granby, there’s only one bike shop there. But before that, I’ll pass through Grand Lake town.
I reached the campsite. The sky is getting dark. Damn, I didn’t want to ruin my shoes, they’re new, and it took me hours to go down. When the staff found out I came by bike from Türkiye, they didn’t charge me for the campsite. Look, I’m saying, everything changed in Colorado, hospitality became something completely different. I’m almost at the point where they’ll make me attach the Colorado state flag to the back of my bike.
Let’s talk about the MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepacking 1 tent:
In October 2024, it’s a tent model designed for cyclists and sold on MSR’s website for $500. The total weight with its bag, poles, etc., is 2,75 pounds (1 kilo 250 grams). After removing the bike attachment system, it became 2, 42 pounds (1 kilo 100 grams). I put its bag directly on the Ortlieb Bikepacking 16-liter handlebar bag, it fit perfectly. The connection points seemed like they were made for Ortlieb. I might also attach Ortlieb’s small bag to that point, I’m thinking about that. The MSR color stands out there. This touring bike isn’t like a gypsy bundle. It’s compact, tidy, and organized. Everything is within arm’s reach.
This model comes without the protection tarp that spreads under the tent, called a ‘footprint.’ This can also be purchased for $35. I continue to use the one I have for my old Triarch 1 tent. With a small setup, it perfectly fits under this tent.
The tent fabric consists of two layers. The first layer is the rainproof layer. I started using this tent in the United States during the rainy season, in the fall. It’s quite good. They’ve placed stabilizers in the right places for windy weather. I also had the chance to test it on a windy day, and it stands very stable.
In the Triarch 1 model I used between 2016 and 2024, the storage area was on both the right and left sides of the first layer. However since the tent only had one door inside, I could only access the left storage area by going outside the tent. MSR canceled the left storage area and left some space to protect the tent from the rain. And they enlarged the right storage area. In addition, the zipper dont start from the middle but from the bottom, starting at the very edge from both top and bottom. Now, let me tell you how this has made a difference. I can put the 4 bags I took out of the bike, plus the chair that was set up on the bike, into this area. When cooking, I also have a large space. It’s super, I really love it! It has become a large storage area.
The second one has again brought a simple innovation on top of this first layer, and it’s quite useful. We usually try to hang something on the top of the tent, and the things we hang fall. Well, they’ve set up a simple but functional string system where we can hang clothes on the upper part. It will be nice to put my clothes there on days without rain. Wet clothes or socks.
Let’s move on to the second layer; the sleeping area. The net part inside is aligned with the upper part of my shoulders when I sit at a 90-degree angle. This design allows for this; It’s very comfortable to use the first layer (without attaching the outer tent) as long as the weather isn’t rainy or cold. Inside, you can comfortably change your top or head. However, it might get hot in the summer, but quite good in the winter. When I wrote this, I saw -10°C at night in Colorado and Utah in the tent. It performed quite well.
On the door on the right, they made two zippers, one at the bottom and one at the top, starting from my feet at a 75-degree angle. This was something I had been thinking about for years, you know, the place where the zipper makes a U-turn usually wears out after years, wouldn’t it be good if they made two zippers, one at the bottom and one at the top? In Triarch 1, they had especially redone the zipper part in the industry from the beginning, put on a much bigger zipper, and solved the problem. In this way, it’s really nice.
They also made a system inside the tent, where you can hang your clothes. Some tents have this, but they tell you to set that system yourself; in this one, it came out of the box. A small hole at the end of the pockets at the head and foot sides was also useful for cable passing.
The only thing I didn’t like about this tent was the stakes that came with it. The material used is good, but the shape of the stakes is wrong. Also, one would think they would include spare stakes, we’re paying 500 dollars, but there are no spare stakes. Well, I got used to my new tent very quickly, and I am very happy.
I even shot a promotional video of my tent, but then I decided not to upload it and deleted it because it took up too much space. I’m telling you, it’s a good tent for one person. In fact, it’s an improved version of the Triarch design I’ve been using for years, I must say that too.
My first city after this amazing climb and adventurous descent I did in Rocky National Park is Grand Lake town, where waters flow from the mountain. The town is great, the view of the lake and trees is incredible. Since I entered the town, I’ll have a coffee at a local shop, then go on my way.
Now, let’s move on to the series of nice events that followed.
Just as I was about to enter the café, someone coming out of the café saw me while I was parking the bike:
– Welcome to the town. You seem to be on a long journey, let me treat you to a coffee.
The man buys me the coffee, I sit at a table inside. Two young friends walk in through the door:
– The bike outside is amazing, you must be on a long tour. If you don’t mind, let us treat you to breakfast.
They buy me breakfast, and while chatting, a woman from the back table joins the conversation:
– I have a house by the lake that I rented, and it’s empty right now. If you want to relax in the evening, my home is your home. You can stay as long as you want, you seem like a good person, Gürkan.
The difference of Colorado state also shows up in its villages. It’s unbelievable. Damn, people didn’t even offer me water for months down south, look at where we’re at now.
Trace’s offer to stay at her house was great. The house had an amazing view of the lake. By the way, she was one of Bush’s former lawyers. The 9 or so houses at the end of the lake were hers, but despite her saying I could stay as long as I wanted, I told her I would only stay one night and then continue on my way. Many people would have accepted this offer. She even let me know when she was going to the bar that evening. But I was so tired from the climb, and I had pain in my right rear leg muscles, I couldn’t join her. When I came back home that night:
– Gürkan, you did tour the town today, and everyone saw you. When I told people you stayed with me and what you did, everyone wanted to invite you to their home. Even if you don’t stay with me, you can stay with someone in the town, if you like.
Give me the flag, give it to me. I’ll hang it hahaha. Sometimes people ask why you didn’t hang the American flag on the back of your bike. The flags of Japan, Algeria, and Brazil were hung on that bike. The reasons for hanging them:
• The fact that everyone I asked for help in the country helped me without exception.
• The fact that people in every corner of the country invite you into their homes spontaneously without knowing or recognizing you.
These two things are not common throughout the United States, as I mentioned in my previous writings. If Colorado were a country, I could say it deserved it. The Colorado state flag can be hung.
In the next town, there was a good bike mechanic where I could get my bike’s brakes fixed. I can tell he’s good because they opened the shop right at the intersection of the two most famous bike routes in the country. Otherwise, from what I saw online, the town doesn’t have anything else going on really.
The day I was leaving Trace’s house, she made this lovely offer:
– If you ever return to Mexico, please let me know. I have a house in Baja California, and neither I nor my kids visit that summer house much. I’ll tell the people taking care of the house, that you’re coming, and you can stay there as long as you want, Gürkan.
I didn’t know what to say to Trace. I just gave her a big hug and thanked her. I encountered so many similar situations during this trip. At this point, I could decide to live here and continue my life very comfortably. It’s a matter of choice. I’m someone who prefers to be on the road. I’m someone who prefers to travel this way.
The next day, when I set off, I only made a short distance and arrived in that small town. The first thing I did was, of course, go to the bike shop. My plan in my head was: to change the hydraulic oil, and then continue on my way. How long could it take?
Brandon is the owner of the shop. We chatted a little. Then he checked the brakes:
– Gürkan, I have a job to finish, let me finish that, and then I’ll take a look at your bike.
– Okay Brandon, I’ll hang around the town.
I arrived in the town in the morning. I waited until noon. Then I went to the shop, and my bike was just pulled into the service area. Of course, all my bags and equipment had been taken off. Afterward, I went out to spend a bit more time outside and then returned to the shop.
– Gürkan, something bad happened. While removing the brake system from your bike, the screw inside broke. It was rusty, and nothing I did worked.
– Alright, let’s do this: You drill the area with a drill. We’ll secure it with a small plastic clamp.
– Okay.
While doing this, he misadjusted where the drill bit would come out, and this time, he damaged the clamp that holds the gear. Also, because he was doing all this on the bike’s handlebars, he tore the handlebar tape. When we clamped it in the vice, it was too late. The clamp part also broke. By the way, he broke two drill bits himself. We couldn’t get the screw out from inside the brake lever.
– Brandon, this isn’t going to work. Do you have another brake lever of the same model?
– Gürkan, this brake lever is the top-level gear-brake lever combination, there’s no model above this. But if I order it, it’ll come. Should we check on the computer?
By now, the sun was starting to set, and the bike was in pieces. I could only check into a small establishment nearby with 10 rooms, and I had to do it quickly, or there wouldn’t be any room left. Drivers on the road fill all the rooms.
– Check the order status, I’ll try to reserve a room at the hotel across the street. Got it, I’ll stay here tonight.
I called it a small town and said there was nothing there, but hey! The price for the cheapest hotel room for one night turned out to be $125 + tax. Great, huh? There was nothing to be done. I booked the room and then went back to the bike shop.
The result: 4 days later, the brake lever arrived at the shop. My face dropped because the hotel stay cost me $500.
– But I’ll do you a favor. The Enduro Santa Cruz bike here has the same brake gear lever system. I’ll take the brake lever from there and put it on your bike. And I’ll charge you the list price.
– Thank you, Brandon.
The shop closed at 6:00 PM, but it wasn’t until 10:00 PM that we finished everything and left the shop. Let me put it this way: for the same work, at other places, a service fee of $500 would have been charged just for the labor. Brandon only charged me the regular prices for the materials and the usual service fee.
A shoutout and thanks to Brandon, the owner of Two Pines Supply in Granby, Colorado.
I woke up the next morning and set off towards Grand Junction. Along the way, I met other cyclists and had a bit of a chat. Everyone has their unique way of traveling…
I received a message on my phone. In a few days, I’ll have a new riding companion, even if it’s just for a short time.