Here I am, in the guest room of what has turned out to be yet an other perfect allignment of the stars. I am with the Cotant family in Buffalo, Wyoming, Set just outside of the BigHorn Mountains at an elevation of about 4600 feet above sea level.
The family, Brian and Becky (Husband and Wife), and their 2 wonderfully cheerful kids, Paxton (6), and Kaitlyn (3), has been wonderful to be. I met them through Warm showers, looking for a place to stay, and they were MORE than welcoming. When I told Brian, before Igot to his house, my reason for being in the BigHorns (the 100), he quickly shot back a comment about a good friend of his, Jon, participating in the event and invited him and his family over to dinner.
I got here on Wednesday night, and with my circumstances, they offered me to stay with them as long as is helpful. And with Jon living in town, also going to the race, I have someone to join up with to get there, marking this family`s home as the end point of my bicycle adventure.
Yesterday, they wanted to go camping up in the mountains, and invited me along, so i naturally joined, figuring a good day and a night`s sleep at 9000 feet would be good for my blood count. It turned into quite the adventure including some serious off roading in a Ford Explorer that called for a 2 hour test of patience getting the car unstuck. After a lot of jacking the corners of the car up and piling rocks under the tires to replace mud, we wandered back down until we found a good place to set up camp. It was nice to take my fire making skills and help the family out by getting a fire going real quick for everyone while they got dinner rolling.
With some evening smores, 12,000 foot mountains behind, a fast flowing mountain creek, and approaching storm heads, we set off for a good night sleep.
I can`t help but think, everyday of this trip, with amazement, that I got myself here by bicycle. I have squeezed my way into some interesting places on this trip, whether it be a hot tub at someone`s house who was only hours before, a stranger, or a nice beer at 5200 feet above sea level in the Black Hills, or a back mountain road jacking up a ford explorer, this trip has been blessed, there is no doubting that.
I`m sure there will be some deep level of withdrawal that I will have to go through at the close of this trip. You`ve only got so much in your karma pool and it can`t be good to pull it all out at once, so I see an appropriate ending of this trip in sight. It will be time to pay it forward, which, If i`m lucky, I`ll be handed good opportunities to pass the love and blessings on.
With less than a week to race day, I`ll be healing, breathing slow, and taking in what good things have been handed to me.
With love, gratitude, healing legs, and just an ounce of angst,
I bid you farewell for now,
-Lance Parker
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