Day 37 - A Party Of Bicyclists (July 8th, 2024)

City To City: Tribune - Ness City

Miles: 103

Miles Total: 2,422

Flats: 9

Video: https://youtu.be/I8lkZg4zkL0?si=CEJMQ0QbRPAelF4J

Our Unplanned Meetup At The Gas Station

On Our Last Thirty Miles

Stories And Camaraderie Around The Table

We left early and headed on our way.  We went around our usual pace forty-five miles away in a small town, where we found Neil and ate lunch in the shade.  Neil asked, "Hey, do you want to ride together?"

And, of course, my dad loved the idea and agreed.  So, we set the pace for the next twenty-four miles, averaging around 18 mph.  

Neil was planning on staying in the next town, Deighton.  So, we were planning to go on without him. While hanging out at the gas station, we ran into the two men we had met in New Meadows, Idaho, and crossed paths in Missoula, Montana.  One of the guys, Matt, had seen us come into town and came over.  The other guy, Mark, was talking to his wife on the phone and joined us when he could.  So, all six of us were chatting in front of the gas station.  Matt and Mark decided to join our little train for the last thirty miles. And Neil was on the fence about if he wanted to stay or continue with us.  Once Neil headed that Matt and Mark were also going to Ness City and it was only 2:30 in the afternoon, Neil hopped along with us.  Those last thirty miles were fast, too!  Everyone didn't want to be the sucker for falling behind, and we pushed it really hard. 

 So, we ran into Neil and picked him up, then ran into Matt and Mark and picked them up, too!

Once we arrived in Ness City, we all went to the grocery store and slowly went to the city park. 

After going one hundred miles and pushing it hard, Henry, my dad, and I were hungry, so we immediately started eating. First, we devoured the grapes and attacked the rotisserie chicken down to the bare bones like vultures.  

 Neil came down to tell us that the pool was closing and we needed to go immediately if we wanted showers.  So, we took cold showers, and my dad forced himself to get under the cold water, but not without protesting a little.

After our dinner and the watermelon Mark gave us, we joined the rest at their table, where Mark and Matt gave us three delicious, easy camping recipes.

Henry returned with two tubs of ice cream, and we ate it all. While sitting at the table, there was a mutual feeling of camaraderie. Mark, the storyteller, told funny stories about his business and his sons. The entire time, my dad and Mark were hitting it right off the bat. We had good laughs, and once it was getting dark, we all settled down for the night.

The park restrooms weren't too far away, but the girls were locked, so every time I needed to use the restroom, I poked my head around the guy's door. Once I saw no guy in there, I quickly locked the door behind me.  One time, while I was using the guy's restroom, I came out, and Neil was standing there: I had locked Neil out of the guy's bathroom! I quickly scuttled around the corner and out of sight.