Day 71, a fellow cyclist

Emerging from the National Forest road, a brutal headwind hit me.

But I wouldn't let it get to me - just keep pedaling.

I opted to take the Old Yellowstone Trail, yet another dirt road of questionable quality. Regardless, it sure beats slogging in the pitiful shoulder of Highway 89.

Paradise Valley, indeed.

A little bit further along.

Upon reaching the town of Gardiner, I found a burger shack with wifi to grab some food and catch up on blogs.

After two hours or so, I took off, ready to head into the park. I immediately ran into another cyclist - Keith. Also on his way through Yellowstone, we decided to ride together into the park.

I originally planned to stay on the bike a few more hours, but Keith had already clocked 70+ miles, so we stopped at the first campground. I appreciated the rest.

Since I usually wild camp, it is nice staying in a real campground - equipped with a table and water faucets. And consistent flat ground.

It is also really nice having someone to ride with. We'll see how compatible our riding styles are tomorrow...

Keith built a fire and we watched the moon rise from beyond the hill.

Tomorrow we agreed to ride towards Tower Junction and then figure out the rest of our route.

Joe