UN DÎNER DE POISSON.

That big beautiful bed got me again. I woke up much later than expected. After packing up a bit, I scarfed down all the leftovers in the fridge. We successfully vacated our belongings from the motel. The next challenge was to reorganize Kaitlynn's car. When my bike was freed, I packed all my belongings onto it. Once the packing was completed, we said our goodbyes, for now. It was time to return to the road. 

Even though I had not biked in two days, the bike gods blessed me with ideal weather. Clouds covered the sky and saved me from the shining sun. It feels like forever since I had cloud cover during a ride. I took Highway 26 out of town, which took several miles. The traffic was busy, and the shoulder was small, but nothing was not used to. Eventually, I came across some luscious farmlands. I had not seen these green rolling fields in quite some time. There were miles of mountains to serve as a backdrop. It was a spectacular sight. The highlight of the farmlands was a small alpaca ranch. These creatures are exceedingly cute. 

Finally, I found some fine foliage. At the entrance of the forest, I stopped in Swan Lake for a beer. Several miles later, I reached Palisades Reservoir. Another amazing body of water. It was filled with the usual watercrafts and beach bums. It took fifteen miles more to reach my destination. I arrived at Alpine North Loop Campground to a full campsite sign. Paula, the park host, kindly greeted me and allowed me to pitch my tent on her lot. She fed me a fabulous dinner as well. Together we split a freshly caught trout and a potato. It sure was a treat. 

After our meal, I went and hung out down by the reservoir. It was absolutely gorgeous. Rather than bathe myself in the reservoir, I returned to camp and used the water spigot next to my site. The remainder of the evening was spent writing by the fire. I have found a new nemesis during this trip. We have never been friends, but I had forgotten about them since being in the drier landscapes. I am talking about mosquitos. Oh, how I despise them. Even when I lathered myself in bug spray, they still feasted upon me. Eventually, I reached a breaking point and retreated to my tent. That is precisely when the rain started. The soothing sounds of the storm sent me to sleep. Take a peek at the route, here.