July 31, Day 36

Layover day in Steamboat Springs, CO

We meet up again with Chip for a lavish breakfast at a café that serves great food, i.e. something other than the usual greasy fried eggs and hash browns that is our normal staple fare – pure bliss. We wave Chip off, then set to work on sorting what needs to be shipped home and forward from the post office. While we are working on this, the bike shop calls to say Numb Stuff’s new wheel is going to cost $400….. Numb Stuff’s face is a picture – he is in total shock. After a brief discussion, we realize we have no choice but to pay the price. To rebuild the wheel using stronger spokes would cost at least as much and besides, we don’t have the time to wait. And he cannot ride the wheel as it is. The bike shop has us, as we say in the UK, by the short and curlies.

We lumber down to the post office, run into Mr & Mrs Salsa again, who are picking up their ship forward box. After ridding ourselves of various boxes, we decide to cheer ourselves up by visiting the local hot springs, (which is right next to the post office) for a soak in the hot tub and an hour long massage. The masseuses are fantastic! They use really firm pressure and hit all the knots in our bodies so that we walk out feeling totally relaxed and feeling 2 inches taller.

Back to the bike shop, where we receive eye popping bills but hey, the bikes have been through some tough times too and deserve it. While here, Bill walks in, and we have another happy reunion. He decided to take a day off in Rawlins instead of here, and is hoping to push on past Steamboat tonight. When we return to the bike shop to pick up our dust caps which they forgot to replace, Bill is still there, chatting to another Divide cyclist who has just pulled in. We overhear Bill telling the new guy the story of how he met a guy who rode down Fleecer with a Bob trailer. Yep, Numb Stuff has become a legend in Divide lore already!

What better way to get over the bike shop bill than to hit the local brew pub again, and take advantage of happy hour, where we have 2 beers each and every tapas on the menu for less than 20 bucks total.

We then hit the local Mexican restaurant and drink margaritas (in honor of Neftali and Judith of course!) and eat great Mexican food, our first this trip and hopefully a sign of good food to come as we venture further south!

Also, here is our weight loss update... Numbstuff 16 pounds, Dirtbaby 4 pounds! We weighed in at hotsprings/massage lockerroom.