D27 6/10 Dubois to Lander

(Baked goods at the Crowheart Store)

Mileage: 75

Video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vxOQoejw3Mq 

Map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/92910056?privacy_code=h6DexPYohS7gPgJP 

Tomorrow's Destination: Rest Day

Tonight's Accommodations: Warmshowers host

First, a correction to yesterday’s post: I didn’t have the correct video on yesterday’s ride. Thanks to Mike for pointing that out. It’s all good now. If you don’t want to go back, here it is: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/92910056?privacy_code=h6DexPYohS7gPgJP.  

My eyes popped open around 5:00 in my rustic, log-cabiny, lodge room. I wished they’d popped open a little later. The bright side is that it will make waking up even earlier easier when I need to beat the heat and wind like I plan to do tomorrow. 

I was checked out and on my way for a quick breakfast at Perch Coffee House by 7:00. It’s pretty fancy. The regulars were all chatting. They seemed to be folks who’d purchased second homes in the area. They were self contained and for once, I didn’t feel like chit chat so I sat quietly on the new, not yet coffee stained sofa and ate my breakfast burrito and cinnamon roll. By 7:30 I was on my way.

(The Valley south of Dubois)

The valley out of town was green hills and painted rocks. I was not expecting the beauty. I saw new homes along eastern side with the cool rock confirming my impression at the coffee shop. Several miles out of town I saw the National Museum of Military Vehicles. It’s a big place. It wasn’t open so I cruised the grounds. Many of the vehicles had been restored. Later, Mark and Judy told me that the museum is privately funded and that the owner is also investing in Dubois seeking to make it a destination instead of a drive through town on the way to Yellowstone. 

(Lots of tanks)

Continuing on my way I passed a canyon that looked like it was lost and needed to find its way back to Utah. 

(Am I in Utah)

At mile 27 I pulled into the Crowheart Store. I thought it was going to be just a typical gas station, but it sold homemade baked goods and had picnic tables under the awning in the front. I purchased zucchini bread then walked out to find three cyclists had arrived. Later three more showed up. Four were a group of experienced retirees on their third or fourth cross country trip and two were a father/son duo from Brooklyn. I took pictures, but forgot to ask if it was OK to post here. 

(Free library at Crowheart store)

They all warned about a sneaky mean dog about a mile east of the store. He waits in the grass silently until you ride by then launches out. Since my air horn isn’t working as well as I hoped, I reluctantly bought bear spray which the store also had! With trepidation, I parted with my new friends and pedalled out of town. I decided to try the air horn anyway and use the bear spray as a last resort. I was determined not to be surprised, but it got me. Luckily, it wasn’t big, but it was fast. I blew the horn. Nothing. Of course. I just motored fast and moved away with it at my rear wheel never touching the bear spray I’d just bought.

(The great wide open)

The rest of the trip was cruising the open valley with only one big hill. The Wind River Mountains were to my left. The grass was green and lush. The traffic was light and the drivers nice. I rolled into Lander around 3:30. Judy and Mark told me to stop at Gannett Peak Sports where they hand out ice cream or beer to cycle tourists. They are super friendly. I got an ice cream sandwich and signed their log book. I saw that Olaf from Mitchell had pass through on the 7th. He’s already a legend for pulling off long 100+ mile days.

(Gannett Peak Sports. See my bike?)

From there I headed over to Mark and Judy’s. They were so welcoming. I am amazed at their openness of spirit. Judy is a nurse and Mark teaches wilderness medicine. They plan a bike tour from Seattle back to Lander so I was able to give them so insights. In return, they’d biked the route I plan to travel through eastern Wyoming which not a lot of cyclists do. I got the low down on a detour around I-25 on a gravel road which I a grateful for.

(Enjoying a nice dinner at Mark and Judy's)

After six riding days, I am taking a rest day. I’d planned on a rest day every five days so this is a good time. It’s supposed to be windy today (Saturday) and tomorrow when I head out. I am a little anxious about the wind so I plan to leave at 5:00 am. It’s 55 miles to Jeffery City. The strongest wind is in the afternoon. Hopefully, I miss most of it.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Consolation Tour - Seattle to Yakima and back - D1 Home to Carter Creek

Image
I am not sure who'll actually read this, but writing this is helping me get through my recent cancer diagnosis. I couldn't do the continuation of my planned cross USA trip so I did a five day trip from home to Yakima via the Cascades to Palouse Trail and back via Naches Pass. To paraphrase my brother, spinning my pedals was better than spinning my mind. Overview static map: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48494574 Day 1 Map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/220754440 Animated Map: https://www.relive.cc/view/vwq1gzDDdLO (This was the only entry written the day of the ride. It was written in the dark at Carter Creek ). Today's ride begins with me nervously pondering which way to ride my big loop. Go counterclockwise to Greenwater or clockwise to Snoqualmie Pass. I flip flopped all the way up to my departure. I decided to ride my commute route into work to see folks in the office. Work is a comfort in these times. I was worried about the rain situa...
Read more

Consolation Tour D3 Yakima Canyon to Little Naches River

Image
Static Map:  https://ridewithgps.com/trips/221899884?privacy_code=Hrw5hypqs7SqCpXgaV4qYVyJRR6aVWVB Animated Map:  https://www.relive.cc/view/v1vjY87M8Jq I woke up a little after six. The sky was blue but the sun hadn't reached the canyon floor. I listened to the morning birds while I contemplated the day ahead. The Waffle Caffe in Yakima two hours away, beckoned. With just a mini breakfast of bars and dried fruit, I set off down the road. Beaufiful views abounded. I found myself stopping to snap pictures almost every mile. Traffic was light. Most of the time I had the road to myself. Despite the number of times I have driven the canyon, the experience was new. I thought about my mom who drove the canyon almost daily to attend classes at CWU to finish her BA while being a new mom and managing a marriage that was heading toward the rocks. The canyon walls seem to enclose us on our own personal journeys. The canyon is more developed than I remembered or ma...
Read more

Consolation Tour D2 Carter Creek to Yakima Canyon

Image
Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/221188106?privacy_code=aq0uBAb1YD3hG0VxuuIfF4J5F4JOE5iy Animated map:  https://www.relive.cc/view/vXOnkz8kn56 The day began gray at Carter Creek. I slept well despite a visit by a small critter outside my tent. In the morning I found a stroupwaffel in my handlebar bag. It all made sense. The morning prep was easy paced and steady. I was on the trail by 8:17 on the nose. The sound of the creek pervaded the camp but as soon as you reached the trail you could hear I-90. It was a strange feeling being so physically cut off with the sounds of the modern world still present.  The trail continued up past the Lake Annette trail where I spent time with college friends, Kisho as a baby, and Jesse's family at various times. This was a different perspective having taken so long to reach it. I'd find that a lot of this trip. New perspective on familiar places.  I passed the snow shed where I'd been on my fir...
Read more