Today's Report: 

I think the other riders had a good day off yesterday...some went sightseeing, some went for a bike ride, some just laid around resting, while others took the opportunity to spruce up their bikes.  A clean bike is a happy bike I always say.  We welcomed two new riders yesterday so we had a little time off in the afternoon...even took in a movie.  Now the staff needs a day off.  :-)

Everyone seemed to be in good spirits as they loaded the luggage this morning.  And why not, the winds were light and forecast to be behind us again.  As the afternoon rolled around, the winds picked up a bit and was nicely at our backs as we neared Lusk after a short stretch after the second SAG where it got a little in front of our left shoulder.  We were forecast to have afternoon thunder storms but they never materialized.  The dry afternoon wind, coupled with the dry climate, made for a hot and dry last 50 miles into town for sure and we had a little excitement after the second SAG that made it even a bit more sporty.  Karen was sweep today and for some reason I decided to subject myself to a long day by accompanying her all day.  It was nice to have some company, and the nice tailwinds made it bearable.  We were behind everyone at the 52 mile point when I got a call from Barb and she told me to hurry to the SAG and that there had been a fatal accident on our route about 5 miles down route.  A minivan and a semi tried to occupy the same space and the word we got from the officials was that the road would be closed between 2 and 3 hours.  Some of the riders had already pressed from the SAG and were able to walk through the weeds to an abandoned railroad track and get around it.  The impact point was right no the highway and there was trash and car parts strewn all over the road.  Nothing was going to move in either direction for awhile.

The staff jumped into action.  Jeff went to the accident site to direct the riders through and make sure they had plenty of water and food to get in and I assembled the remaining riders at the SAG and informed them of the delay.  After looking at a map, in order for us to get a van around the accident, it would take about a 70 mile detour which would allow us to come in from the other side to catch the front riders before they got to Lusk.  We decided that was our only option so we prepared the mechanic's van to take the detour.  I pressed forward on my bike to assess the situation and finally was able to ride forward to the sheriff who had the lanes blocked...about 8 miles from the actual accident site.  After a short discussion of our options, we got a call stating they were about to open the east bound lanes...I got on the phone to turn the mechanic's van back to course.  They had gotten about 10 miles into the detour and by the time they got back to us, the officials were letting the traffic through albeit slowly.  It was a terrible accident, but our concerns were for the riders who were in front of us.  Jeff was able to catch most of the riders who'd gotten through earlier before they got to the SAG, but a few of the faster ones had beaten him there.  I directed Barb in the box and Mark in the mechanic's van to set up intermediate water stops as it was getting pretty toasty on the road.  After what amounted to about an hour and a half delay, we were back to normal...whew...sometimes it's exciting out here.

To digress a bit, the weather was very pleasant as we departed Casper on a nice frontage road that paralleled I-25 for the first 30 miles.  Then we got on the interstate for about 14 miles and finished the last 50 miles on one of the loneliest stretches of road around...state road 18/20.  That's where the accident was.  The only break in the scenery they had after leaving the interstate was the coal trains that came by about every 15 minutes.  The trains out here have anywhere from 100-150 cars and fill up the horizon when they pass by.  As we neared the second SAG, I caught up with one as it was climbing and passing two other trains parked on a side track to let it pass.  I raced it to the SAG and after the SAG I ran it down again, but my bubble was popped as it crested the hill and started down the other side.  I gave it a good run but after it overcame my 35 MPH surge, I wasn't a match for the tons and tons of coal on the downside of the hill.  The engineer tooted at me as I passed him both times, but he really laid on the horn as he smoked me on the downhill.

We passed through a small town of Douglas home of one of the largest jackalopes...actually, it's just a statue to honor the little animal.  It stands about 8 feet and overlooks the Chamber of Commerce.  A jackalope is a jack rabbit with antlers...probably spent too much time on the prairie with the antelope.   I guess they have a lot of those allusive little critters around here.  Every once in a while, we'll see little antlers sticking above the sage brush as they spend the heat of the day in the shade.   I've never seen one as roadkill though...they must be pretty fast, unlike the numerous roadkilled rabbits we saw today who seemed to be a "hare" too slow.

The terrain today was dry, and rolling.  Again we are in a vast area where you can see forever. . . you don't see much, but you can see a long way.  We're starting to get into the grassland area that's a little more interesting than the desert, but we still ride for miles without seeing a living soul outside of a passing car occasionally. If souls are scarce, antelope and cottontails are not. I stopped by one field and counted dozens of rabbits gamboling about in the sagebrush. Antelope grazed everywhere on both sides of the road.  Last year an antelope ran out of a shopping mall in Douglas right in front of Karen and I as we rode through...must have missed the sale.  We passed through one prairie dog colony and all the dogs shrilled out their alarm whistle as we passed.  In the past we've seen buffalo on this route...but not today.

Douglas was the only town that had services, and a few of the riders stopped there for lunch.  Karen and I usually stop in the small little spot of Shawnee and talk to the post mistress, Amy, who's been there for 35 years.  She told us that the town population was 3.  We cycled through another town (Lost Springs) that had a population of only 1, at least that's what the sign said last year...but this year the sign was gone.  The final resident must have succumbed.  There is a bar in what used to be Lost Springs...lucky for the guys out front today...they were able to get water there.  The local bar was a very large two-story building...for 1 person...that's not even there anymore?  This area adds new meaning to "small town America."

Well, we're rolling again...we're over 1/3 of the way already...can't believe it.  Tomorrow we get up early to ride to Hot Springs...they don't call it hot for nothing.  We're hoping the wind Gods are favorable again...the new riders a hoping that too.  We'll load at 5:45 in the morning so we've got an early get up...yawn...time for bed.  See you tomorrow.

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