ROUTE: Dubois to Riverton, WY
DISTANCE: 79 miles
WINDS: Light
DISTANCE: 79 miles
WINDS: Light
WEATHER: Cool beginning and in the 80s by mid afternoon. Cloudy most of the morning TERRAIN: Downhill mostly
TOTAL CLIMBING: 1400 feet...but we dropped over 1900 feet from Dubois to Riverton . . . swwwweeeeeeeeeet!
TOTAL CLIMBING: 1400 feet...but we dropped over 1900 feet from Dubois to Riverton . . . swwwweeeeeeeeeet!
RIDE OVERVIEW: Just a short entry for today. This is Mike writing today as Susan was sweeping the back end today. She rode with Jim most of the day and she got a botany lesson as they both oohed and aahed all morning leaving town. For all those who are following our progress and thinking about riding with us someday, eat your heart out. You're missing a great ride now! Just when we think we've had the perfect day, along comes a day like this. Everyone really enjoyed today as the terrain dropped overall from Dubois to Riverton, we had light winds, and moderate temperatures, not to mention the scenery. The departure out of Dubois was spectacular and I spent all morning hustling around in the mechanics' van taking hundreds of photos of the scenery and riders. The early morning shadows on the weathered landscape made for some beautiful photo memories of our trip.
Our route today was highway 26 all the way to the motel in Riverton. Ninety percent of the time we had a nice shoulder and the traffic was almost non-existent. Most of the day we followed the Wind River Valley that provided greenery for pastureland. These and large ranches were the scenery of the day for the early portion. As we got closer to Riverton, we found ourselves in high desert with sage and sparse population. The only town, if you could call it that, between Dubois and Riverton was Kinnear and it had a population of only 44. When I stopped at their small convenience store, I think half the people who live there were in it. You've got to love solitude if you live out here. I really love riding through this area, but I don't think it would be too much fun to have a steady diet of this type of riding . . . only 1 paved road through here.
I always tell the riders to take their time and stop and smell the roses on this ride. One of the best things we do is stop and chat with the locals during our day. I've met some of the neatest people in some of the most out of the way places, but there are some places that we just should avoid...like the one to the right. The sign is enough to scare me away!
Our only problem today was Larry on the "lounge chair" recumbent. About 50 miles into the day he broke his rear hub . . . ouch. He has a low-spoked wheel and exotic hub that can't be replaced before he leaves. I straightened out his wheel and he continued to ride it with caution. He's leaving the ride tomorrow so we don't have time to get something sent to him. He'll ride it until it breaks another one, and if it does, he'll be done on this ride.
Everyone was in good spirits at the end of the day. The riding has just been too good. They needed an easy day before tomorrow's tough 120. Tonight they need to rest because no matter how good the winds might be, 120 miles will make them ready for the day off in Casper but that's tomorrow...tonight we feast and rest. See you tomorrow. Mike
Our route today was highway 26 all the way to the motel in Riverton. Ninety percent of the time we had a nice shoulder and the traffic was almost non-existent. Most of the day we followed the Wind River Valley that provided greenery for pastureland. These and large ranches were the scenery of the day for the early portion. As we got closer to Riverton, we found ourselves in high desert with sage and sparse population. The only town, if you could call it that, between Dubois and Riverton was Kinnear and it had a population of only 44. When I stopped at their small convenience store, I think half the people who live there were in it. You've got to love solitude if you live out here. I really love riding through this area, but I don't think it would be too much fun to have a steady diet of this type of riding . . . only 1 paved road through here.
I always tell the riders to take their time and stop and smell the roses on this ride. One of the best things we do is stop and chat with the locals during our day. I've met some of the neatest people in some of the most out of the way places, but there are some places that we just should avoid...like the one to the right. The sign is enough to scare me away!Our only problem today was Larry on the "lounge chair" recumbent. About 50 miles into the day he broke his rear hub . . . ouch. He has a low-spoked wheel and exotic hub that can't be replaced before he leaves. I straightened out his wheel and he continued to ride it with caution. He's leaving the ride tomorrow so we don't have time to get something sent to him. He'll ride it until it breaks another one, and if it does, he'll be done on this ride.
Everyone was in good spirits at the end of the day. The riding has just been too good. They needed an easy day before tomorrow's tough 120. Tonight they need to rest because no matter how good the winds might be, 120 miles will make them ready for the day off in Casper but that's tomorrow...tonight we feast and rest. See you tomorrow. Mike
HEARD ON THE ROAD TODAY:
- "Mike, can you make everyday like this?"
- "Wyoming is beautiful."
- "Finally, I can breathe again! The oxygen molecules are closer together at this altitude."
- "Bring on Casper!"
PHOTOS OF THE DAY:
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| Paul making it look easy up one of the early climbs. |
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| Jim spent the early morning polishing his dinner time botany presentation on a small herd of horses |
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| Diane pedaling out of the red canyon. |
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| Did we say it was gorgeous out here? |
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| Hickory and Dickory enjoy the ride along the Wind River... Doc was just outside the reaches of the lens. |
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| David took time to admire the scenery before riding through it. |
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| In her exuberance to get her bike as light as possible, Cov learned an important lesson in "necessary components." Josh, our eagle- eyed mechanic, saw her problem right away. |
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| Sponge Bob!!!!! My hero! |
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