After devouring a monster breakfast burrito at the Moosecreek Cafe I cycled my way to the southern rim of North Park.
It was a short and steep climb but nothing too bad. On the descent I reached a maximum speed of 45mph! Other folks have certainly gone faster on a bike but that is definitely out of my comfort zone, especially while riding a bike loaded with saddle bags full of gear.
The day was spent spinning through the Sierra Madre and environs. Another great day of cycling that featured roads with few cars and wide shoulders that provide a cyclist plenty of room to operate without being in traffic. About twenty-two miles into the day I crossed the state border into Wyoming. I love Wyoming, having lived in wonderful Jackson Hole for a year, and I was happy to be back.
Upon arriving in the town of Riverside I pulled into the same Lazy Acres campground location as seven years prior. I surprised to see that today’s campground bore little resemblance to the place in 2004 as it had been taken over by new ownership and overhauled. The people were friendly and the facilities were super clean.
Pitching my tent for the first time invoked a certain level of satisfaction. I was now officially doing this trip. When camping with a tent, you are out there, no place to hide from the elements. This is where the contrast between your regular city life and travelling life becomes pronounced – and it always something I and up appreciating in the end. You never know how much you miss indoor plumbing, laundry machines, a big bed, and other creature comforts until you step away from them.
For lunch Kurt and I ate at the Mangy Moose Bar. The only think they really do at the Mangy Moose is burgers, but they do them well. Everything is cooked to order right there at the bar so everything is very fresh and tasty. A few hours later we would sit down for dinner at the Bear Trap Café. I ordered a big bowl of the Cajun Jumbalaya pasta and let me tell you it was a spicy high-calorie adventure. I was dismayed to learn that they were out of desserts (but the emergency king size Payday candy bar in my back pocket kept me from starting a riot).
After dinner I went on a walk to survey the beauty of Riverside. The river was swollen over its banks with snow melt from the mountains and monsoon style rain that the area was experiencing twice a day. This season has been a wet one for the Rockies, and flooding has been a big problem for many communities.
The day at the campground ended with a massive double rainbow glittering over the river, followed by a dazzling magenta sunset, followed by a pale white full moon that glowed for hours over the prairie. Just another typical day in the mountains!
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