The day started off strong. I survived the night in the wild, packed up, and headed out for the Waltman rest stop about 30 miles from my campsite. About 8 miles in, I noticed my bike was making some concerning grinding noises near the cassette. I reflexively lubed my chain, which made some other noises go away, but the grinding remained. Thankfully, Casper is a big city so it wouldn’t be too far until a bike shop. I trucked on to the rest stop and arrived some time around noon.
Brunch was energizing: 4 tortillas with peanut butter and raisins. I didn’t eat breakfast to avoid spending more time at the campground than necessary. (Also, my water supplies were on the lower end.)
I refilled on water (~5 liters) and continued on to the remaining 50 miles into Casper. I had originally intended on wild camping again, but decided it didn’t make a ton of sense as my butt was feeling better and I’d rather not camp again. I had a tremendous tailwind leaving the rest stop, which brought me much joy, but that only lasted about an hour or less. The rest of the day was the usual headwind, so the going was slow and tiring.
I wasn’t sure where I was staying for the night, but I’d identified a campground (Fort Caspar Campground) that got mixed reviews and thought I’d give it a shot before looking further. After brief stop at a gas station for a large Mountain Dew, ice cream, and brisket burrito (surprisingly good), I set off for the campground. My morale was low, but as with the winds, it quickly changed for the better. The campground turned out to be a nonprofit organization, and the manager refused to charge me any money for my site. With free hot showers, cheap laundry, Wi-Fi, and ample places to charge my devices, my mood was significantly lifted. Fort Caspar Campground is a must stop for any cyclist passing through Casper. Plus, they have an amazingly round and fluffy cat.
