Day 16--Dubois WY to Riverton WY--July 7th
Miles Ridden 79.4
Avg. Speed 16.5 MPH
Climbing 1250 ft.
Total Miles Ridden 1196
Miles To Go 2433
The forecasted prospect of another day of stiff headwinds got most of the riders out early including our riding group. Breakfast required a two mile ride west and back to the start point which we decided was just wrong and would waste valuable riding time before the strong winds came up. Instead, we wolfed down a couple of granola bars and a banana. Probably not a good idea as we confirmed later in the day.
The morning was cold (37 degrees) at the start but warmed up quickly as the sun rose. We were told the first half of today's ride would have nice scenery but were unprepared for the beauty of the rock formations and colors of the Wind River Valley. Nobody I talked to had been here or heard of the area before so it must be one of the great unknown scenic areas in the country. We stopped at least a dozen times to take pictures and get a better look. Based on the almost non-existent traffic, the area is not on the agenda of many tourists. It should be.
The dreaded wind was in our faces but at a much lower velocity than yesterday. We were gently descending from the Rockies most of the day so the riding was fairly easy. One of the hazards of bicycling struck my roommate today when he was stung by a bee. He is somewhat allergic but did not want to give himself a shot or stop riding so I helped him wobble the last 15 miles into town. Hours later he appears to be OK.
We arrived in Riverton after a welcome seven mile descent. It is a bustling and growing town with all the requirements for cross-country cycling (a Dairy Queen for when you first arrive, a buffet restaurant for a few hours later and a Walmart for necessities).
Tomorrow we have a very long (120 mile) ride through mostly empty country to Casper before our second day off.
I've been asked by several people what it's like to sit on a bicycle seat for 5-8 hours a day, day after day. That's a good question. A cyclist averages about 70 pedal strokes a minute, that's 4200 strokes an hour or about 30,000 revolutions in a seven hour day. Each pedal stroke causes you to move side to side in the seat with 200++ pounds (in my case) of pressure on a very small and tender part of your body. Everyone gets at least a little sore and often a lot worse, but there are bicycling secrets to address this problem.
About the third day of the ride, the ride leaders asked if anyone was suffering from saddle sores as they are called. Almost everyone raised their hand. These can go from irritating to infected in a very short period of time so they are a major concern. They told us the best solution was Bag Balm, the farmers choice for irritated udders, and the store across the street had it. There was a rush over but we were disappointed to see it only came in huge cans. We created a comic scene as we each bought little empty plastic containers and scooped our handful of the greasy stuff out of the big can and into the containers as the clerks and customers watched in horror and disbelief. Everyone then raced back to apply it where it belonged. Since then, everyone (including me) seems to be riding in comfort.
Sandstone butte in the morning sun in the Wind River Valley about 8 miles south of Dubois
Looking north toward the Absaroka Mountains over the Wind River from Highway 26
One of the many outcroppings along the road, This one was honeycombed with caves
This log cabin on the Wind River was the only habitation for 10 miles
Had to sneak in a picture of my granddaughter, Meaghan
Don't know what you call this rock formation but it was beautiful in the early morning.
Avg. Speed 16.5 MPH
Climbing 1250 ft.
Total Miles Ridden 1196
Miles To Go 2433
The forecasted prospect of another day of stiff headwinds got most of the riders out early including our riding group. Breakfast required a two mile ride west and back to the start point which we decided was just wrong and would waste valuable riding time before the strong winds came up. Instead, we wolfed down a couple of granola bars and a banana. Probably not a good idea as we confirmed later in the day.
The morning was cold (37 degrees) at the start but warmed up quickly as the sun rose. We were told the first half of today's ride would have nice scenery but were unprepared for the beauty of the rock formations and colors of the Wind River Valley. Nobody I talked to had been here or heard of the area before so it must be one of the great unknown scenic areas in the country. We stopped at least a dozen times to take pictures and get a better look. Based on the almost non-existent traffic, the area is not on the agenda of many tourists. It should be.
The dreaded wind was in our faces but at a much lower velocity than yesterday. We were gently descending from the Rockies most of the day so the riding was fairly easy. One of the hazards of bicycling struck my roommate today when he was stung by a bee. He is somewhat allergic but did not want to give himself a shot or stop riding so I helped him wobble the last 15 miles into town. Hours later he appears to be OK.
We arrived in Riverton after a welcome seven mile descent. It is a bustling and growing town with all the requirements for cross-country cycling (a Dairy Queen for when you first arrive, a buffet restaurant for a few hours later and a Walmart for necessities).
Tomorrow we have a very long (120 mile) ride through mostly empty country to Casper before our second day off.
I've been asked by several people what it's like to sit on a bicycle seat for 5-8 hours a day, day after day. That's a good question. A cyclist averages about 70 pedal strokes a minute, that's 4200 strokes an hour or about 30,000 revolutions in a seven hour day. Each pedal stroke causes you to move side to side in the seat with 200++ pounds (in my case) of pressure on a very small and tender part of your body. Everyone gets at least a little sore and often a lot worse, but there are bicycling secrets to address this problem.
About the third day of the ride, the ride leaders asked if anyone was suffering from saddle sores as they are called. Almost everyone raised their hand. These can go from irritating to infected in a very short period of time so they are a major concern. They told us the best solution was Bag Balm, the farmers choice for irritated udders, and the store across the street had it. There was a rush over but we were disappointed to see it only came in huge cans. We created a comic scene as we each bought little empty plastic containers and scooped our handful of the greasy stuff out of the big can and into the containers as the clerks and customers watched in horror and disbelief. Everyone then raced back to apply it where it belonged. Since then, everyone (including me) seems to be riding in comfort.
Sandstone butte in the morning sun in the Wind River Valley about 8 miles south of Dubois
Looking north toward the Absaroka Mountains over the Wind River from Highway 26
One of the many outcroppings along the road, This one was honeycombed with caves
This log cabin on the Wind River was the only habitation for 10 miles
Had to sneak in a picture of my granddaughter, Meaghan
Don't know what you call this rock formation but it was beautiful in the early morning.
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