I woke up at 10:00 and found the previously-crowded campground completely empty of bikers. I packed up my bike, ditched a book that wasn't worth the weight, and began the climb to Virginia City.
Well, the day turned out to be a hell day. The climb up to Virginia City was about 10 miles long, and it was rainy. While I was sleeping away the morning, everyone else climbed the hill in nice weather. I, on the other hand, was treated to a two-hour ordeal involving headwinds, freezing temperatures and rain. I finally got over the hill and cruised into Virginia City -- an exciting downhill any time, but even more exhilirating for me, since I had disengaged my rear brake (because of the broken spoke) and my front brake was wet.
Virginia City was a pretty cool place, with an old-fashioned boardwalk that runs past about a hundred restored 19th-century buildings. Unfortunately, it was a weekend when I hit the town, so it was packed with tourists. I was a freaking Trav-cicle when I hit town, so I woodenly pedaled to the Virginia City Cafe and locked up my bike while old guys in shorts walked by me, shoving ice cream into their mouths. I'm not bitter, though.
I sat for a while and drank coffee in a feeble attempt to warm up, then worked up the nerve to go back out into the cold. This time I put on my cold-weather gear under my rainsuit, which made the ride down to Twin Bridges a lot easier to bear.
I reached Twin Bridges just ahead of a big storm, so I took shelter in a gazebo with Bruce and Sue. They hid under a tarp while I sat on a picnic table. The storm came and went pretty quickly, but its passing was fairly impressive. Thirty minutes later, you wouldn't have known that it had ever rained, but it was too late to get back on the bike.
Bruce prepares for the storm
After a cheap dinner at the Blue Anchor Cafe, I went back to the Fairgrounds, where Bruce replaced my spoke and trued my wheel (not really that much to it, assuming that you have the confidence to do it). We chatted for a while about jobs and biking, then set up our tents.
I spent the rest of the night working on my journal and teaching the good people of Twin Bridges how to mix Sour Apple Martinis. Oh, and we watched a lot of bullriding. I think that was about it for Twin Bridges.
Sorry about the lack of pictures, but the weather was too rough today to use the camera.