Day 11: Across and Over in Wyoming

Day 11: 123 miles in 7:14 with 7,500ft, average about 17mph. Which is a massive understatement for the day it was: big ups, big downs, a time trial, verdant alpine fields, and our high altitude mark for the trip. The relevant data is… Powell, Wyoming is at 4,390ft, our starting place. We descended over 32 miles to Bighorn Lake at 3,760ft which was the base of a time trial to climb 4,500ft over 18 miles, then still another 10 miles and 1,500ft to the real top at 9,340ft, enjoyed first stage of a fast descent to lunch, then an amazing second downhill to 4,340ft, and finally a 20 mile roll out to Sheridan at 3,742ft. To put our Wyoming day in perspective, our previous highs were Steven’s Pass (4,080 ft) in the Cascade Range, the Continental Divide (5,902 ft) near Butte, and Bozeman Pass (5,712 ft) in the Gallatin Mountains. Today we did the equivalent of starting at one of those and adding another 4,000ft.

Since long climbing days increase the time we're on a bike we had an early breakfast at 6:00 and were on the road by 6:40. The morning roll was incredibly quiet, nobody up at that hour, and much warmer than the last couple days. The time trial was optional for those that wanted to participate. Jerry\Minnesota (2 Jerrys, 3 Gregs, 3 Jonathans, and 4 Toms, but only one Mike on the trip) set up a competition where you bought in at $5 and guessed your time and the person closest to being right got the pot. The all time PacTour record for the climb is 1:25. Again that’s for 18 miles and 4,500ft of vertical following 14 Alt (there are two Rt 14s on the map, this was the more northerly route near Burnt Mountain). I guessed 2:27 (my birthdate and 2 hours more). Tom guessed 2:05 figuring he was within a mile per hour of the best time during the last trip which was 1:45. First 9 miles were an increasingly steep false flat, looked easy but had to ride in the small chain ring at 14 mph. I got to 9 miles in 37 minutes. Then steeper around some corners, I had 12 miles in 1 hour. So then it was just a question of holding 6 mph for 6 miles to beat two hours which I thought was more than honorable. Grind, grind, grind up the barren steep hillsides. I finished in 1:43, Tom in 1:37, the second fastest for guys! Priska (Swiss girl) set a new record for women at 1:45 (she is slight thing who together with boyfriend Kurt maybe weigh 225lbs). A lot of tired people at the end point\rest stop.

Then it got interesting, from way down below it looked like another mountain chain, so get to the top, and then go down the other side. But no, it’s a 100mile by 20 mile plateau that runs NW\SE so at the top of the time trial first there’s more climbing and then there is the traverse. And it’s beautiful, down in the valley below either it’s irrigated or it’s desolate. Up at the top was Switzerland in Wyoming with vast high meadows, evergreens, cows (but no cowbells!), snow in random crevices and acres of wildflowers in bloom. I took notes: purple Lupen, small white pillows of Alpine Phlox, yellow Shrubby Cinquefoil (looks like buttercups), delicate blue clumps of Alpine Forget me Not and both Wild Buckwheat and Bistort which throw up beige bulbs at the top of an 8 inch stalk. All we needed was Julie Andrews to complete the scene (and cowbells, we need more cowbells!). This lasted all the way across the top and the first part of descent until we started dropping down the far side\2^nd descent through some non-triumphant construction. The 2^nd descent was twisting and dropped about 12 miles with consistent 35 to 40mph speeds back into the heat, overcast skies (it was perfectly clear on top) and the desperate need to water or grow nothing. The last peice was racing the overcast sky that threatened to open up on us before we reached Sheridan. Arrival was close to 4:00pm.

Dinner was at the 1893 Inn and Saloon with Jerry, a Buffalo Bill Cody hang out back in the day. Steak was good, that and frozen things (shrimp, walleye) seem to be the only choices in these parts. The town is cowboy central, many shops with hats, boots and saddles and feels completely authentic, no ski town "come dress like the locals" feel to it at all.

Roadkill count included two raccoons, a porcupine, a couple completely unknown creatures (or “urp”…unidentified road pelts) . There were deer (live ones) throughout the trip in the low areas.