Saturday. I know this must be sounding repetitive, but each day there are new, different, and spectacular scenery. The day started out at about 40 degrees. Luckily I had just received arm and leg warmers that caryn had shipped so I had cold fingers for awhile with the rest of me was comfortable. Starting the ride at 6:30am there was no warming effect from the sun. after a few hours and 30 miles of gentle up hill most of the layers came off. Leaving dubois at just under 7000 feet and riding to the top of
Togwatee pass at 9600 we crossed the continental divide yet once more and it won’t be the last time. Stay tuned because I will surely document each crossing. With hoosier being our highest point on the trip this pass is our second highest point. Major reconstruction of the entire road in underway causing us to have to be ferried through 2 sections. Of course for us it was on the down hill side so we didn’t get to save any energy. Our bikes were put in the back of a pickup truck and we sat with them in the bed of the truck. It was fun. We finished the 65 mile ride at colter bay village in grand teton national park. We’ve pitched our tents in a very rustic pine grove. I can only dream about the wonderful accommodations at the jenny lake lodge the last time caryn and I visited here with ed and Jeanne Samuels. We’re off tomorrow so I think it will be very quiet and restful. Tonight frank is taking everyone out to dinner in honor of his wife leslie’s birthday. Leslie joined the group in Breckenridge and will be riding with us until Missoula. With the rest day tomorrow there will be no post.

Friday. I never thought I’d ever say that a 75 mile mostly uphill ride was delightful, but today proved to be one of those days. weather was beautiful, winds calm, terrain ever changing. About a quarter of the way into the ride a kid named steve caught up to me and rode the rest of the day with me. I didn’t get to finish the nelson demille novel I’m listening to but good conversation made the miles fly by. Steve is a may graduate of a small college in Missouri who has the summer off until he starts a job in September. This cross country trip has been planned for a few years. Steve has been riding the same daily schedule as we have for the last several days and we’ve bumped into each other and made small talk at various campgrounds. He’s riding alone but share that he enjoys hooking up with others occasionally to break up the aloneness of being on the road for a few months. He’s engaged to be married on December 5, 2009. I explained that the date was a good omen. Tonight we’re in Dubois which is a very authentic looking old western town. There was even a horse tied up to a hitching post on main street. We’re in a very nice koa campground. The koa’s have been the most consistently nice campgrounds throughout the trip.

Thursday. Yesterday we stayed in a very weird motel in Jeffrey city. I had moseyed down the road to the café/bar for an afternoon snack after the hard ride. It turned out they had wifi so I was able to post a quick blog, but I had no cell service so I couldn’t get any pictures from my camera/phone to my computer so I could post them. Below are some pictures from yesterday. As a was sitting at the bar schmoozing with a couple that was riding eastbound a disturbance broke out between a male patron and a female patron. Abusive language, pushing and shoving and some fists thrown. It only lasted a minute when the two combatants stormed out and drove off. The bartender told me this kind of thing happens all the time. She even pointed out that there are bars on the inside of the window so when someone tries to throw another through the window they will not break glass. Within 30 minutes the sheriff showed up to take statements. It was all quite exciting. We are certainly in cowboy country now.
Today we left just before 6:30am because of out fear of a repeat of the headwinds yesterday. The wind was calm and the ride was a mostly downhill run to lander, Wyoming. We arrive by 11:15am so it’s like half a layover day. We’re staying at a very nice camp ground. I was able to get a little cabin for myself that has air conditioning and a full bath. Great little town, population 6800. It’s a jumping off spot for all kinds of outdoor recreation as we get close to the Tetons and Yellowstone. I will continue to post photos of the views but trust me, there’s no way to capture the spectacular scenery that we get to view around every curve and over every rise. It is just breathtaking. i think the views are enhance by our slow speed that allows it all to be taken it and absorbed. Actually the highlight of my day was changing a tire. I’ve been riding for a couple of days on a soft rear tire. I decided I’d rather change it in camp than on the road. It’s my first flat in about 1000 miles. The big deal was that I changed it all by myself with no assistance. A first!!!!!! I guess I’m now a complete biker.

leslie taking care of business while frank naps

pay phone jeffrey city style

alice, cammie, and andy pooped after the hard ride awaiting refueling

jeffrey city motel

Wednesday. Rawlins to Jeffrey city 68 miles. Started with a gradual long climb to just over 7000 feet crossing the continental divide for the third time. Then a long flat ride through the great divide basin. It reminded me of Kansas with different scenery. Another gentle climb and back over the continental divide. I had mentioned earlier that we would cross the divide five time, but now realize we’ll cross it at least seven times. The last 14 miles were the hardest miles I’ve ever ridden. We were directly into head winds that were close to 20 m.p.h with gusts much higher. In low gear I was pedaling for all I was worth and couldn’t go faster than 6 m.p.h.

Tuesday. Short(45 miles) easy ride today. Mostly flat with gentle bumps. Wide open spaces with cattle grazing. Nice temps, around 50 when we started at 7:00am rising to mid 70’s. Rawlins, Wyoming was our destination and we get there before noon. The unique event of the day was a 14 mile ride on interstate 80. Back east this would never be permitted, but out west several states allow bicycles on the interstate highways. I had some anxiety with this, but it worked out fine. The shoulder was wide and smooth and the traffic was far enough away that we didn’t get the buffeting that I expected. There were areas of heavy road hazard that require alert riding. All in all even with big trucks whizzing by at 80 miles and hour the day proved to be uneventful. Getting to camp so early makes this like a half a layover day. We’re at a very nice camp ground with good showers and a laundry. By the way we have officially reached 2500 miles.

wishful thinking

riding on the interstate

getting on to I-80

Monday. A spectacular day. Sunny, helping wind, comfortable temperature, great scenery for our 68 mile ride to Saratoga, Wyoming. A few hills but net down hill of around 2000 feet. We crossed the Wyoming border at the 22 mile mark. At 50 miles we at lunch at the mangy moose restaurant in riverside, Wyoming, touted to be the best burgers on the route. Having had almost a burger a day I would concur. Camping tonight beside a pretty lake, but no showers. We’re vanning it into town for showers at the town pool. I slept great last night and anticipate the same tonight with projected lows temp around 40. My sleeping bag has kept me toasty at that temp.