Day 18. July 4

Day 18. July 4.  Riverton to Casper, WY.   -   120 miles

Today is two for one day. I'll tell you about yesterday's ride and then REST DAY!

Yesterday was a test, as it was a very long day in the saddle, not only because we were riding 120 miles, but we rode it through very barren scenery. The road just seemedto go on forever. Somebody said out here you could watch your dog run away for three days! 
 We left Riverton just after 6:30, fortunately with a slight tailwind. Over the first 65 miles, the road rose about 1500 feet, pretty manageable, but there were a few hills where you had to work.  Amy, my riding buddy from northern Kentucky, and Yuval, my roommate from Israel, and I decided to ride together in a short pace line, each taking a mile turn at the front. So it went pretty well, but again, pretty boring because of the never changing scenery. Just mile after mile of sage and cattle. We hit the town of Shoshoni at mile 21, and didn't see much else until mile 61, the "town" of Hiland. This town is so small that they use the same sign to mark the beginning of town and the end of town - population 10. There's one store and two houses. Because that was, for all practical purposes, the last town before Casper, we watered up good. Well, actually, at mile 81, we rode through the town of Powder River, but it was a modern-day ghost town. All the buildings were boarded up, houses, restaurant, gas station with a few cars that obviously hadn't been moved in several years.

At mile 75, we reached "Hell's Half Acre." Excavations and archeologists have determined that the plains Indians used to stampede the bison over this little cliff.

At this point, the roads were supposed to start going downhill, but I didn't notice, as the wind turned and we were again riding against it. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like we ride into the wind a lot. Maybe I just notice it more. After 70 miles, with 50 still to go, it feels like the wind wins a lot. Finally, after 8 1/2 hours in the saddle, we arrived in Casper. The town was pretty dead, as it was the Fourth of July and many businesses were closed.

We have now completed two of the five stages and over 1/3 of the mileage. On Sunday, we'll enter South Dakota for a few tough, tedious days.

So today, Friday, July 5, is rest day. What do you do on rest day? Most of us do NOT get on the bike. After 8 1/2 hours yesterday, yes, the backside needs some down time. We walked a bit, just to keep the muscles from locking up, but it's a relaxed day for laundry, shopping, cleaning the bike and making sure the drive train is lubed and ready to tomorrow.
I got to sleep in until 6 this morning. A few of us were shuttled to St. Patrick's church for morning Mass. We lucked out, as every first Friday, they have an anointing of the sick. I talked briefly with the deacon beforehand and he said today they would extend that to the sick and sore! I was impressed - about 120 attended. After Mass, a few who didn't recognize us as "regulars" came over to greet us. I met Bill and Donna, whom I would guess to be in their late 70s.  I had noticed them when they first entered church, hand in hand.  Donna has a pretty large hump on her right shoulder and is fairly stooped, looking over the top of her glasses. Bill walks a bit slowly, I would guess from arthritis. While it was an effort for them, each made a full, respectful genuflection before entering their front row pew. The sign of the cross was deliberate - not the "swish, swish" you often see.
Bill had been an engineer for the railroad for over 30 years, hauling coal around Wyoming, so they could raise their 5 children. Bill asked if I prayed the rosary. And gave me a card with all the mysteries when I related that I say at least one rosary a day, at least when I ride my bike.

As we headed out the door, looking for a way back to the hotel, we met Ingrid, a woman, perhaps in her early 50s. She had been one of the altar servers. She related that she had some time and would take us to a couple of stores as well as back to the hotel. I learned that she grew up just north of Pittsburgh, but came out west with a chemical engineering degree to work for an oil company. She did that for several years before she and her husband had their daughter. They live on Casper Mountain where there are mountain lions and bears. She now works for the church where she takes care of the buildings and grounds and leads some adult education classes. She also volunteers at a local food pantry. Ingrid was especially helpful to us today. You can meet the nicest people in church.