Quick Casper notes

We rode into Casper yesterday from Riverton. It was hot--near 100 degrees--and long--120 miles. Fortunately, it was mostly downhill and the wind was generally at our backs. Still it was 120 miles and drinking hot water and gatorade is disgusting. No more bears or bison, but I did see many prairie dogs. The vast majority were roadkill, but a few survived. I saw one run across the road and then run very fast into the nearby prairie. Near Casper, I started looking when I saw a dead prairie dog in the road and picked out one standing guard on top of its mound. It was chirping agitatedly, something to the effect of, "beware the big dork on the big bike." Scanning left to right, I saw sentry dogs on several other mounds, also sounding the cycle dork alarm. (See picture, magnified many times, above.)

Paul and I stopped to meet Missie at Hell's 1/2 acre, 77 miles into the ride. It is a canyon, said to resemble Bryce Canyon in Utah. I haven't seen Bryce, but it was very cool, full of weird shapes cut into red rock. Missie watched me down a giant hamburger, while Paul decided to motor on to try to beat the heat. He averaged almost 20 mph for the day; I was a couples miles per hour slower.

Casper has turned out to be surprisingly fun. One observation is that serving people will tease and talk back--none of the mandatory obsequiousness that we've come to expect out east. We shopped at Lou Taubert Ranch Outfitters in downtown Casper. I tried on a beautiful Stetson that was big enough to fit my oversized head and was sorely tempted to spend the $170 it cost, but couldn't think of a single occasion in Washington to wear such a thing. (I'm still not on the mailing list for those fun Bush-Cheney wear your cowboy hat parties.) Paul, meanwhile, got a very ornate cowboy belt and then started trying on blue jeans. The high school girl working in blue jeans kept urging him to wear tighter and tighter pants, enjoying the experience a great deal. While Paul was butt-horning himself into the tight pants, she told us that she played every known wind and percussion instrument, was president of her school's student body, planned to go to college to learn architectural drafting, but didn't really have to because she and a friend stood to inherit thousands of head of cattle and many, many acres. By the way, she also sings Eye-talian music. (I would have paid to hear that, but Missie restrained me.) We learned many more things about the lives and aspirations of young Wyoming cowgirls from her. She also said that she didn't like Dick Cheney--an icon in Casper--because he was rude. Paul got three pairs of jeans.

Today we went to the Crimson Dawn museum--a log cabin on top of a mountain in Casper that had been occupied by a famous local artist, had a great lunch near the mountaintop (the service was very slow, but it was a cultural experience and the food was great), and went to the national historic trails interpretive center. It turns out that all the 1840s trails to the west went through Casper because the easiest crossing of the continental divide is near here. (We cyclists passed up the easier southern crossing because it would have been 100 miles out of our way.) I learned that there are much worse ways to cross the country than on a bike--by covered wagon or pulling a handcart (as many of the early Mormons did) would be great examples.

Tonight, we celebrated early anniversary at the Wonder Bar in Casper. We ate massive quantities of meat, which is apparently the thing to do here, garnished with homemade potato chips, and washed down with good local beer. It was a great anniversary celebration. Missie liked the silver and torquoise bracelet I bought in Dubois, so all was good.

Paul and I really appreciate all the comments people have posted here. Glad that the TPC is running according to my master plan (I'd have implemented the 6 hour day long ago, but was never in the office enough to manage it) and really appreciate the encouragement from my friends at PIH. I'm still amazed at the generosity of my friends. That has certainly made the long days in the saddle a lot easier.

I hope to post many pictures soon.

Cheers,

Len