Pedaled into the park today, to my great elation. I headed north to Mammoth and stopped at the Artists Paint Pots and Norris Geyser Basin. I arrived at Mammoth in the evening, and set up camp at a cyclists-only campsite here for $5. No shower so I hiked up the hill to the Mammoth Hotel where I got a shower for $3. It was almost as clean as the shower at the Albuquerque Greyhound station. Got some internet for $5. There is much more to see at Mammoth and I'm going to do some hiking here tomorrow morning.
It is fantastically beautiful. Everything of course smells like sulfur, and the geysers and springs and mud pots are otherworldly. You stand there and there is deep gurgling and spitting and hissing. You can sense that the inferno below is not very far down. It would be really cool to do some backcountry travel here. I can't imagine what people thought when they first saw this place. Thanks to Roosevelt (I think) it's still unspoiled. I'm glad that it hasn't been converted into one huge Taco Bell.
Traffic in the park is much different than outside. I'm really glad I came after the Labor Day weekend. Traffic is actually really light right now, and I am thankful. Speed limits are low and nobody is in much of a hurry. However, there is all kinds of erratic behavior. People slam on their brakes without warning and turn without signaling, deciding at the last second that they ought to see the such-and-such mud pit. When people see me, they freak out. People slow way down even in the oncoming lane, causing a backup. I guess I'm much more interesting than a bison. When people pass me from behind they slow waaay down and follow me for awhile. Then after they pass, they look in their rear view mirror and swerve all the way over into the shoulder. Today a fire truck went inches from going off an embankment doing this; I'm certain it was because he was staring at me through his mirror in curiosity.
Everyone has to talk to me when I stop about my contraption and my trip. A surprising number of people offer me advice. Like, "You're going to Colorado? Let me warn you, there are a lot of hills." Hills? No kidding, Sherlock.
There was a stiff breeze today, blowing out of the southwest mostly. I either had tailwinds or crosswinds. If the wind is the same tomorrow, I will have headwinds and crosswinds. That will be more effort. I'm not sure how far I will make it after I spend some time hiking here.
Physically I am feeling strong. I am taking most hills in one gear higher than before. Also, I am less conservative about saving energy at the beginning of a long climb, going a little harder from the get-go. It feels good. I have some minor chafing on my thighs, windburn on my face, heat rash on my arms and neck where the sunblock clogged my pores, and plenty of insect bites. I could also use a foot massage.
Gear-wise, everything is mostly good. I think there is probably something amiss with the bottom bracket, as it gives me a minor pop on every pedal revolution. It's annoying, but I don't get the sense that it would fail suddenly. My socks have holes in them, and my shoes need to be replaced at some point. Ten years of pedaling in the same shoes and they are stretched to where they fit like house slippers. I still have not had a flat tire, which is unreal.
Not sure how far I will make it tomorrow, as I will spend some time hiking here.
Thanks for taking my picture, Asian tourists!
Feels so different
Gibbon Falls/canyon
A bad way to go
Kids staring into a hole, waiting for something to happen
Norris Basin. This basin covers a huge area, however I couldn't give it justice since I still had to ride 20 miles before nightfall.
America
New setup using the bike. A bivy may have been a better choice for this trip.
Genius!
