It was anti-climactic crossing back into the US, as it should be. I wasn’t sure if we’d be treated to a TSA screening or not, but it was fast and easy and they weren’t surprised to see cyclists coming thru this checkpoint. We’ve seen about ten GD tourers so far, with three going north bound and seven following the same course as us. We’ve met Buck and Bob from California. Buck was on a custom Pugsley Surley with a German 14-speed internal rear hub with it’s 4″ fat tires. Jenny and Josh from Washington were towing Bob trailers, and there were three commonwealth boys from NZ, AUS and Canada.

The most interesting rider we met so far was Jill from Denver who had just finished her 27-day ride northbound from Mexico. She’s done numerous bikepacking races, twice on the Colorado Trail in five days, the Arizona 750 twice and now the GD in 27. Not bad for only taking up mountain biking in the last 3 years. She was gracious enough to answer my countless questions about gear, food, sleeping and nutrition.

Normally a vegan, Jill practices what Don and I have agreed on, “What happens (what you eat) on the Tour, stays on the Tour.” The best thing I learned, we asked, “I heard you racers can be in your sleeping bags within 10 minutes of stopping to rest, how do you do it?” She showed me her sleeping rig: a tent with the NeoLite air mattress and Mont Bell 30-degree SS 3 tucked inside. She rolls the entire thing up and stuffs it in her front handlebar pack. As of this morning, my tent, pad and sleeping bag are rolled up just like hers.

Very nice feature the town of Eureka offers is a 2-acre public park in the center of town that allows overnight tent camping. The Commonwealth boys, Don and I plus Jill on her trip back to Denver stayed in this park. It even has a shower, albeit a cold one. Weather report for next two days is 98 and 100.