It had been a windy night and the wind carried on into the morning, I could see the tall pines in Cara’s neighbourhood not just waving, but bending. There must have been comings and goings in the driveway as I slept because the Prius transformed itself into a truck, then the next time I looked there was a small convertible there. As I rose, Lizzy was on her way out with the owner of the convertible, obviously a friend or neighbour taking her to school. I waved her a happy Monday at school. That meant the house was empty. I only went I briefly to use the bathroom, then pulled away, pinching myself that yesterday had happened.

I drove forty minutes to a trailhead where I planned to ride. It was so windy that I dordelled. I made breakfast inside the van (there was no way the stove would withstand the weather) and researched Nebraska a bit. I would drive through it to get to Colorado. It seems there’s not much on offer!

I did as much as I could to get ready for my ride with the van doors shut, which I managed. My feet were still cold when I got out to get the bike. I rode away just after 9am. This was a trail that Harrison suggested and Jack, the guy I’d met on the Centennial trail a few days ago. Cara also recommended it. Three people can’t be wrong! After I warmed up, the wind didn’t really bother me since I was amongst the pines. Only at a few exposed peaks did I nearly get blown over. “Victoria’s Secret” was rocky and scattered with pine cones and seemed to mostly consist of ups, with just downhill rewards, though they seemed short and sweet. It was technical but the downhill sections flowed nicely. I was riding like a pig on stilts for the first part, then a good song came on my iPod and I found my rhythm. I was off in the bush with no signs to guide me, following the single track where it took me. I only lost the trail a couple of times and had to consult MTB Project. I rode amongst pines, along peaks covered with dry grass and rocks, and multiple piles of felled trees and brush, maybe set ready for burning? They would make a brilliant bonfire.

At the end of “Victoria’s Secret”, I’d been riding for over an hour and done 13.5 km. It was 2km back to the car or I had the option of doing the “Victoria Lake” trail. What else did I have to do? I felt like I had it in me. I sat and had a Clif bar, but couldn’t chill out long for the cold. I still couldn’t feel my feet. I have such shitty circulation. “Victoria Lake” was a similar style to “Secret”, but it flowed better. The back half of it was sublime after climbing for a mile along a steep dual-track road. I went quicker and quicker, ripping through the trees and leaning right into skinny cambered berms. With the odd rocky section thrown in amongst the pine-covered floor, I was in heaven. My eyes watered from the wind as I sped downhill, the blurry vision not really helping my riding, but I blinked them away as best I could. I was elated as I reached the bottom and bumbled along the last kilometre back to the van. It had been less than 40km in the end, but felt like more. It was just past 1pm and I was ready for my session at Starbucks.

My plan for the afternoon was to watch the last race of the F1 season – a title decider. It had happened over the weekend and I hadn’t heard the result so was excited to find out what happened. I packed away my bike stuff, changed into some warm clothes and was grateful to be out of the wind as I drove into the city. As I drove down the main drag, I was hungry for lunch and didn’t feel like making a cold wrap in the wind so decided to treat myself to a bought lunch (the first since I started travelling)! I declined all the fast food options and wandered into a Safeway since they normally have a hot food bar. That they did! I walked out with some Asian chicken, potato wedges and a salad for $6. Also replenished my morning tea supply with cookies.

I ate lunch in the van and started reading “Into the Wild”, which I have in paperback thanks to someone I met on the road back in Big Bear. It engaged me straightaway, I continued reading a few chapters after I’d finished lunch and had some cookies. Not forgetting my main goal, I went to the nearby Starbucks, ordered a hot chocolate and found a cozy couch in the corner for my F1 watching. I plugged my laptop into the wall and sat for the next three hours through qualifying, then the race. What a show it was. Full of drama that I’m sure not many of you will appreciate, but I was thrilled to see it all. The bridesmaid finally took centre stage!

It was hard to leave the my warm, cozy corner, but I did so, driving a few minutes to a Laundromat. I was down to my last pair of underwear so it was a necessity. I spoke to dad about the race while my washing was on, then caught up with V for the drying cycle.

I was surprised to see snow flurries when I went back out to the car with my folded clothes. There was enough that it had settled in a thin layer on the car. I made my bed with my freshly washed sheets then drove off to find camp near tomorrow’s trailhead. I only had to drive twenty minutes out of town to be back in the Black Hills National Forest. I stopped short of the trailhead because I found a nice enough pullout on the side of the road. Not a single car has driven past since I’ve parked.

I cooked dinner (chicken and mushroom pasta leftovers) inside the van because the wind was now a gale force. The van rocked from side to side as I ate and is still doing so now. Tomorrow may end up being a nothing day. Today’s wind was hard enough, if it’s anything like it is now in the morning, I think I’ll be having a sleep in!