Update: May 6, 2008 — TransAmerica cyclists helping Ordway “Trail Angel”
Update: April 22, 2008 — The community of Ordway has established a fund to assist everyone who suffered losses in the fire. Checks (tax deductible) can be made to the Crowley County Community Foundation, c/o First National Bank of Ordway, PO Box 278, Ordway, CO, 8103.
A fire that swept across the grasslands near Ordway, Colorado, earlier this week burned down the home of Gillian Hoggard, who received the Trail Angel award in 2006 from the Adventure Cycling Association.
She was honored for opening up the house at the end of the gravel driveway as a refuge for countless touring bicyclists on the TransAmerica Bicycle Route in recent years.
News reports say the fire swept through the area on Tuesday, destroying eight homes on the outskirts of Ordway, which was evacuated because of the smoke. Two volunteer firefighters died when a truck they rode in plunged into a ravine from a collapsed bridge.
Destroyed
A neighbor said Gillian's house and some outbuildings are gone. She has temporarily moved into a travel trailer parked on the property. Only the charred frame of the house remains, the neighbor said.
In addition to hosting bicyclists, one of Gillian's projects has been to plant trees on the grassy plain that marks her homestead. She lost about 400 of the 1,400 trees she had planted, according to news reports.
A photo at the bottom of a Denver Post story shows Gillian and her devastated property. Other news about the Colorado fire here and here.
Angel
One of those cyclists who stayed at the house last summer said a visit to the house is one of the highlights of the TransAmerica bike tour.
“The word on the Trail is 'Gillian's is the place to stay,' ” said Craig Sternagel. “She offers all the conveniences of home, even if she's not there.”
Craig says she'd leave her front door unlocked, and bicyclists were welcome to sleep at the house and use the kitchen and the laundry.
Others have said she's happy to cook breakfast or dinner for bicycle tourists passing through. When I wrote about her receiving the award (“Newest Trail Angel makes life easier for bike travellers”), Becky Douglas at Adventure Cycling Association said Gillian is also “active and sincere in encouraging her community to be welcoming and helpful to touring cyclists.”
Apparently Gillian has first-hand knowledge of what people enjoy on bicycle tours, as she once travelled around Europe with a 3-year-old in tow.
Support
Craig contacted me about Gillian's losses because he believes touring bicyclists would be interested helping her out, especially those who have stayed at her home.
He suggested that this would be a good time for bicyclists to show their support for Gillian, and I wholeheartedly agree.
If anyone has any ideas about fund-raisers or other ways to support Gillian please let me know and I'll help get the word out.
Thanks to Craig for the photo, above. You can read about his stay at Gillian's on his cross-country bicycle tour at Bike4Sudan.
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