Wednesday
Day 33
Miles: 62.46 – Total accent: 1,900
Totals:. Miles-1,623.35 – Accent- 58,315 feet climbed – 140 hrs 15 minutes in the saddle
Riding a bike is a lot like life: some days are harder than others. You just have to dig deep and keep moving forward.
We are riding into the wind all day. Our progress will be slow with lots of energy expended. It is what it is.
We said goodbye to our Warm Showers hosts Lorraine and Charlie Powell. So grateful for their warm hospitality. A much need rest under our belts and we’re ready to move on.
Early on, we saw a wild turkey.
Wind farms were scattered across the landscape and we learned about coal mining and the changes over the past few years and how it’s affected Wyoming.
We stopped in Evansville at the gas station for coffee and met Vanne. She shared how she was searching where she and her husband should move.
We passed prairie dog communities. They were so adorable! We could hear their alerts. They stood by their burrows and scurried in as we got closer. I’ve seen them on TV and have read about them in books but this is first time to them in person!
We are definitely in a different part of the world. People don’t lock their homes/garages, keep the car running when they run into a convenience store and offer to loan you their car if you need it.
After arriving in Douglas, we set camp and rode into town for dinner. At The Depot, we met a young man who wants to be a doctor. He shared how some people discouraged him. I am reminded how many times I’ve heard the same…of the man at the KOA camp in West Yellowstone camp who told his young daughter she couldn’t ride the bike, that she wasn’t strong enough…of the many times I was told I couldn’t do something. I told him to never listen to the naysayers. Don’t take no for an answer or give up. YOU are the only one to decide what it is you can do. I find it incredulous that another person feels they can make decisions about what someone can or cannot do.
We had an amazing meal at The Depot, returned to camp to prepare for our next day in the wind. So grateful for our lives…to be healthy, strong and blessed with this journey.
