June 19, 2013
Day 37 - still near Sterling, CO
Posted via email Thu Jun 20 05:54:02 2013 PDT
I did sleep well last night, waking up this morning at 5:25am. Worked on report. Ate breakfast at 8:10am: sardines, Beanee Weenees, crackers, and ginger snaps. I was pretty sure I was going take today off, but decided to sleep on it. Fell asleep on the picnic table at 9:20am. Woke up at 10:40am when a park ranger walked over from his truck to see if I was OK. I asked him when the check-in station opened, since I was thinking of staying another night here at North Sterling State Park. He said it was already open, so I rode over. A younger woman park ranger was working there, and asked about my trip. She said her seventeen year-old brother wants to bicycle to Idaho, but her folks don't think much of that idea. She herself hopes to bicycle from Sterling to the park someday. I gave her the address for my journal. She had just recently heard of the CGOAB website.
The park ranger who had checked on me earlier stopped by again at 11:20am, asking if I had enough water. He recommended I not drink large quantities of the water here at the park, because of the high mineral content. He has a friend who could stop by after 4:30pm with a water delivery for me. That would work, because I'll need the water for tomorrow.
The southeast wind this morning and afternoon was quite strong. My in-the-dark campsite selection last night turned out to be one of the higher sites, getting all the wind. The tent wasn't handling the wind well. One gust even blew the empty bike over. I finally gave up trying to keep the tent up.
In the afternoon I took a shower, finally getting all the grit from yesterday's dust storm out of my hair. Then another nap on the picnic table. Each campsite here has a shelter for shade, and that was appreciated. The fellow with the water showed up at 4:55pm with two gallons for me. This guy has one strong handshake.
Decided to work on the bike before supper. No broken spokes from yesterday. Checked tire pressures. The rear was the same as I'd filled it yesterday (63psi), but the front was only 35psi. Rotated the tires, using the other new tube I had. Took the two original tubes to the laundry room sink. Found and patched leaks in both of them.
Next ate supper (Beanee Weenees and animal cookies). Then moved the picnic table over next to the tent to have something to tie the corners to. That helped. Went on a walk by the lake at 8:15pm. It wasn't as breezy down there. At 10:00pm, the wind is starting to let up, as a storm passes by to the west.
Jeff
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Spent: $16 (campsite) + $1.50 (shower) = $17.50.
+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +
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