Gold to Grand Loop - Day 2 - "Warning - Travel at Your Own Risk" Across the Parashant
I slept hard from the combination of a long school week and a first day's bikepacking. The temperatures dropped low and true as I buried myself into my quilt. It was the rest I needed. November nights stretch their length with the waning winter sun and I laid until the graying of the morning sky made me rustle. Everyone had their puffies on because our camp sat in the shadow of Gold Butte with the waxing sun hidden behind the craggy peak. Breakfast was cold and quick, eaten with the urgency to pack up and ride into the sun. Russell headed out first eager for warmth. Josh and I rode over to Granite Spring for me to catch a look at it with full daylight. I confirmed it was indeed dry - it even looked like someone had dug up and cut the main spring line piping (I returned a few months later and found Granite Spring full in late March - the exposed piping was unrelated to the current water line). The Sun finally peeked over the jumbled ridgeline of Gold Butte and lit us up with warmth…
