Day 80, the Devil's Tower

I didn't get into the details about yesterday, but I camped behind some tennis courts. Gillette has a beautiful park with a nice wooded section to pitch a tent.

I was a little nervous setting up there, mostly because it was already dark, and I hadn't scouted the area. Instead, I spent the evening chatting with a wonderful couple traveling by motorcycle and trying to get cleaned up. One hundred miles makes you smell.

Gillette has a public pool, with an open swimming session before they close. Unfortunately, there was an accident just prior to my arrival, shutting down the pool. I managed to convince the lifeguards to let me use the locker rooms to shower.

So, I woke up refreshed.

I had a warmshowers lined up for that night around the Devil's Tower area. When I messaged the host, Frank, he replied with bring it on, dinner is at 7, don't be late.

Just as boring as entering Gillette, leaving wasn't any different. The highlight of the ride was the caramel vanilla milkshake whipped up by a diner in Moorcroft.

The scenery improved near the tower.

I arrived at the Devil's Tower an hour before dinner, with no idea where to go. The only two buildings in the zip code was a KOA and a general store.

The Devil's Tower, looming in the distance.

The ranger at the entrance to the park was incredibly helpful; he knew exactly where I needed to go:

Follow the road through the park, take the dirt road to your left, hang right at the Y intersection.

Although this pushed my arrival back thirty minutes, I made it. Frank wasn't there, but Sagar and Marie introduced themselves. Part of his lodge staff and climbing guides, they keep everything running. Frank's place is technically a lodge, but due to his previous cycle touring experience, he lets cyclist camp on the property and avail of the facilities.

Dinner was fantastic. A chicken dish with rice, broccoli, roasted potatoes and ice cream for dessert.

Everyone ate together, meeting a family from Minnesota on a rock climbing adventure, most of the climbing guides and some other climbers that just seemed to show up.

Per usual, fantastic Sunset.

The guides say that Frank should return later. Can't wait to meet him.

Joe