He peddled off like Lance Armstrong.
As Dean peddled up to Bird Song, he saw no unfamiliar cars.
It was dark as he peddled, headlamp on, down the side streets of the now-quiet town and out the back road the short distance to Lydia's place.
As he peddled downhill toward Ridgway, he could see the east side of the valley, exposed to the southern sun, had melted nearly clear of snow while across the valley, draped in shadow most of the day, the western slope retained almost all its recent covering.
He hit a comfortable pace and stayed there as he peddled past the cemetery and the open meadows where a herd of elk grazed near the river to his left, standing at attention near the edge of the tall cottonwoods that lined the bank.