To Yellowstone

As I turn on the bike this morning, the beemer alerted me that rear tire pressure is dangerously low. I check the tire and can’t find anything. Not because it’s not there. And it can’t be ignored. So I find the nail. Inflate it enough to ride in town looking for a shop to patch it. After 4 shops (all in town) refused for liability, I realized it is something I need to do myself. I park in the shade by a gas station. Got the nail out, deflated and tried to clean/clear hole before patching. My patch tool broke. I look over my shoulder and see an auto parts supply shop the next building. Got a  better kit and patched the hole (first time). And went there twice more to get a gauge that I forgot at home and valve extender because the gas station pump didn’t fit my bike.

Btw, gas prices here are stuck in the 90s! Awesome.

I was so fortunate to have the car parts shop next door! So is it serendipity, destiny, random, god, Buddha? Whatever whoever helped. Thank you in advance. Just don’t bring politics and religion into this blog. I won’t. Oh, and I control it. Nicee.

I started the day unusually early at 9am. So I’m back to late departure but with pride of adventure hassle. I monitored the pressure all day. So far so good. Also checked with Roee of course.

Wyoming is mostly barren land with a few amazing gems such as Yellowstone. It was relaxing riding at 90-100 mph for hours. High desert formations flying by.

The plan was to ride the longer ride via 20 to Thermopolis, in a beautiful canyon. But the real treat was going into Yellowstone from Cody on 14. I wanted to do this route for 20 years. Amazing.

Also, wasn’t sure which air freshener to choose for my bike. Most good options were out :)

As I’m hanging in the sunny campsite, a bit tired and a bit unhappy with the site, I see another single man a site away, looking like he knows what he is doing, busy with boxes but no I tent. After unmooding myself, I approached him. Quin is a pastor in Oklahoma. A charming man, I was interrupting him trying to paint and later he came to my campfire for two hours and we exchanged numbers. By the way, it’s his first time on such roadtrip and was very impressed with my approach as an experienced traveler, which I don’t consider myself. Our perceptions, and self told stories are out of this world.

Then, after darkness a stressed dude comes to our campfire thinking it’s his. We calmed him, stayed back.  Then I hand him a light and a hammer for the tent stakes. Then, Josh, a half Israeli from Tennessee and his Swiss girlfriend are sitting with me by the fire for another two hours.

Even almost forgot to mention, saw Elk, Bison, and a deer that got too close to the road.

Weather was pretty hot at 85-95 all day but as I climbed into Yellowstone at 7800 feet, it turned perfect. And it even drizzled a few minutes. Some clouds, some stars. Beautiful!

Wow.

Mood -

Feeling mostly in the zone, calm a bit reflective and a bit thinking about the future and then going back to the being now.

Music -

Don’t remember :) a bit of jazz festival stuff and something else. Any new playlist ideas for the music seeker?