After breaking camp (and eating all the Pop Tarts) we immediately rode uphill through the ponderosa pines seven miles to Dixie Pass at 5,279 feet. I used my granny gear only for the last half mile. The crest came nearly a mile sooner than expected. Happy face.
The screaming descent to Prairie City was a hoot. Our discovery that all the breakfast joints in town were closed was not. We ended up eating breakfast burritos and donuts in the park. (The donuts were Corey’s idea.) The town seemed like an outtake from a Green Acres sequel.
As luck would have it there were two other cities on route to our destination in Dayville. As luck wouldn’t have it there was nothing but gas station food in either town. Mondays are days off in these parts.
Our ride from Prairie City to Dayville was gently downhill for 45 miles. We were in a race to beat the heat which was forecasted to break 90 degrees. Also, we had learned in Green Acres that the road we were riding was scheduled to be chip sealed today. (Crews lay gravel then set the stones using oil. It’s messy.)
As it turned out the chip sealing began after Dayville so we get to deal with that tomorrow.
We’re staying at the bike hostel in the Dayville Community Church. We’ll be camping on the floor. We’ll also be cooking from the hostel’s food supply which is impressive. We’ve already laid our tents out to dry, and showered. We’re doing two loads of laundry which will make anyone in our immediate vicinity grateful.
Miles today: 63 Tour miles: 2,872.5
A Few Spokes Shy of a Wheel 