TransAm 2012 - Cycle across America

Sunday 15th July 2012
Day 57 - Lander to Dubois

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Really long ride, didn't enjoy it much. The headwinds started and just wore me down. Big burger at end then felt ill all night.

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Cyclist from UK I missed.

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Lots of dead birds on the road through Indian reservation. day 60?

Start time: 06.38
Start location: Lander
Start State: Wyoming
Start weather: Overcast
Total millage so far: 2,954

Finish time: 15.26
Finish location: Dubois
Finish State: Wyoming
Finish weather: Overcast
Miles today: 77.07
Total millage so far: 3,031.07
Today's top speed: 32.5
Today's average speed: 13.1
Today’s ride time: 5hr 52min 27sec
Punctures - 2 (slow back wheel), (staple in back wheel)

Music played:
The Essential Mix - Carl Craig - 26-02-11
The Essential Mix - Fergie - 24-09-06
The Essential Mix - Ferry Corsten - 17-04-10
The Essential Mix - Carl Cox - 11-04-09

Blog for the day (Monday, 16 July 2012):
Yesterdays blog written today. Lets see what I can remember. If it’s any help, then I am sitting in a Tetons camp ground after riding into the park today. So yesterday was a long ride, a very long ride with a lot of headwind, not much fun. I entered/ saw my first Indian reservation today, I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I was kinad shocked and disappointed. First there was the casino just past the sign post, then there were the messy gardens and houses. It looked like any other poor American area we have been through. I had the impression that they would still live in harmony with the land and use all the bits of old equipment like they did the buffalo. No, it was all strewn across their gardens like a council estate in Northern England! Lol. Then there were the churches, some older and more run down than others, some looking like they cost millions to build. Again I was saddened to see that God was being rammed down their throats like this, what happened to all their beliefs? Then there was the battle with the water rights. They were given this land, then the Gov found out that they needed water for crops, but they had given the water rights to the Indians. They then had a big court battle and stole the water!! Grrrrrr

The scenery again was unbelievable, you’ve got to see it to believe how wonderful it is. I wonder if parts of the Middle East looks like these huge hills where the rivers have long gone. The big mountain which looked a bit like Devils Peak, forget the name, but I think it’s on one of the photo’s I took, looked just amazing from every angle you looked at it from. First seeing it in the far distance, passing by the side of it, then a different shape as we left its view. We passed lots of self supported guys today, more than usual. I gave them each a wave and a very English Good morning, although still feeling low regarding my recent bereavement. The tailwinds where ok and I got into a good rhythm for much of the early part of the day. One guy gave a hearty wave as I waved at him, but I kept on cycling. Unbeknown to me this was a guy I had been in contact during our individual TransAm rides. AS the day progressed I kept meeting part of our group and all of them had the same story to tell, that this English guy was looking for Simon! So it turns out that one of the guys I had waved to and the one he had not stopped was me. Bollox. Felt really bad when everyone kept telling me the same story, I guess you have to laugh a little bit about it. If I knew we were going to be crossing on the same day then I would have looked out for him. I will buy him a beer when back home and we can laugh and swap stories of our adventure.

It was a slow days riding with lots of breaks to, well, break up the long ride some. One of the stops was Crowfoot service station which was pretty expensive and wanted to charge for the ice! After that stop the headwind started big time, it was swirling around from the side the front and every direction apart from behind. Some of the gusts were pretty strong and nearly pushed me off my bike. The views were amazing as I rode and it kept my mind off the hard work I was having to put in. The downhills were more hard work than the ups too! That was the worst part for sure, having to pedal hard down hill to get about 10mph, and these were steep hills today. Not nice.

One of the funniest things was Judy’s crash, well, her crash wasn’t funny, it was what happened afterwards with the conversation with Gina.
Judy: I’ve just crashed
Gina: Where, over there? Like, just now?
Judy: Yes over there.
Gina: what just now? Paul: Are you ok Judy?
Judy: Just a little sore from falling from my bike.
Gina: You fell off your bike just now?
Judy: Yes, just now.
Gina: Really? Wow, are you ok? And that was just now? Right there? Just now, across the road? Just now?

So the end of the trip is coming up in just over 3 weeks time, and a lot of the talk now is about the end, which is a shame. Sad to think that it will all finish soon. Nice to see it's still wet back home:
http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/pictures/Photos-week-Somerset-flood-storm-damage-pictures/pictures-16531403-detail/pictures.html

Lots and lots of pics, too lazy to find just the best 20. Sorry.