The day started off with breakfast with the neighboring Mormon group and talking to the missionaries that run the site before Tyler and I packed up and headed out.
The morning ride to Lander was pretty similar to yesterday's riding, Tyler and I chatted while riding and that seemed to make the morning go by fast, and by early afternoon we rolled into town.
Somewhere next to a gas station I hit the 3,000 mile mark, I had hoped to hit it somewhere picturesque so I could do what Tyler did - write your name and mileage on the road with chalk and take a picture next to it, but since the location wasn't very exciting I opted to just take a picture of the bike computer and post it to facebook.
We hit up the post office first and I mailed some small stuff and all my used ACA maps home. Then it was off to the Lander bike shop which turned out to be a nice place and decently stocked. We wheeled our loaded rigs into the back room and removed all our panniers. We had them look over our bikes, Tyler got a bunch done: a new chain and rear cassette since his previous chain was over-stretched, his wheels trued, and new/extra tubes!
Next was my turn! I noticed they stocked Schwalbe Marathon 700Cx32 tires (the exact tire I was currently using) and had them throw on fresh pair. The old ones still had tread left after my 3,000 miles and could have probably made it to the end of the trip but I decided I'd play it safe and replace them. I also had the bike shop re-tape my handlebars and adjust the rear derailleur since it was in the stand.
While we were hanging out in the bike shop, the father and son team we met yesterday, Eric and Will, came into the bike shop. They had spent last night in a trailer in Jeffery City which the functionally drunk bartender let cyclists stay in. Also staying there were 3 Korean cyclists who didn't speak a lot of english. Apparently around midnight the bartender and some of his friends had a bonfire outside the trailer and banged on the trailer door till the father, Eric, and the Korean guys came out to join the party. Eric said they all had to drink a couple beers and do some shots of whiskey with the guys before they could go back to the trailer to sleep!
After departing from the bike shop, Tyler and I rode over to the high school for $2 showers then went looking for dinner. We stopped at a mexican place and ordered their $10 burritos but were very disappointed with the small size of thier $10 burritos. So much so that afterwards we went down the street to McDonald's (I'm sorry body) and grabbed some cheeseburgers as we were still hungry. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
Tyler stayed at McDonald's to use their wifi and I headed over to the city park which had free camping. I went to the wrong park before busting out the map and riding over to the correct park that was on the edge of town. This park had a sign that said overnight camping was allowed and as I went to the back field I saw a bunch of tents. I didn't know it but a lot of climbers also camped at this park as there was good climbing around the area.
As I got closer I saw Eric and Will at a table with some other people and rode over to introduce myself. I met another cyclist, Warren, from South Africa, and another guy (can't remember his name) who came there to climb but couldn't find a way out of the town to Yellowstone (he flew in, no car.) He had been there for several days and had to wait a few more before he could hop on a bus that was going through town so he was hanging out at the park.
Tyler eventually rolled in and we all hung out until dark then called it a night.
Start: Sweetwater Station, WY
End: Lander, WY
Distance: 47.14 miles
rut ro. bike shop. mailing stuff back? suddenly the package in lolo is looking like a miss.
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