Posted on by Greg

Bike Across America – Day 17

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Start: Dubois, Wyoming
End: Riverton, Wyoming
Mileage today/cumulative: 80 / 1,215
Elevation Ascended: 1,470
Weather: Sunny, 65° at start; sunny, 95° at finish
3D Relive Video (approx. 1 minute)

Fast and furious sums up today’s ride. Eighty miles with an average speed of just over twenty miles per hour. Neither of us could believe it when we saw our stats for the day. The elevation profile was kind, with a net descent and only a couple of steady inclines. Most of all, we kept a pretty good pace line with a core group of five riders, including ourselves. It was another fun day in the saddle!

We gladly left Dubois, a town everyone will remember for at least a few more days due to the GMO mosquitoes that bit everyone in places one wouldn’t think possible. Add anti-itch cream to the list of things applied to the butt. However, before departing that town with poor internet and well fed bugs, we met an older man who is also riding across the country. He carries all of his own gear and camps along the way or stays in friendly churches that accommodate self-supporting riders. His bike weighs 40 pounds and he hauls 50 pounds of gear. That’s doing it the hard way.

Since cresting the Continental Divide yesterday, the terrain has changed dramatically. In the early miles today, we saw red rock formations and buttes that have been formed over the millennia and reminded me of old John Ford western films. From there, we rolled into more range land with open skies. Some riders reported seeing a few antelope but I think they were jackalopes that escaped from Dubois.

Tomorrow we ride 119 miles to Casper, where we’ll enjoy our second rest day on Friday. There is absolutely nothing but open range between here and there. It’s going to be a long, hot day but we’re feeling stronger than we did seventeen days ago when we left Astoria.

Before today’s photos, a few more from yesterday’s ride from Jackson to Dubois, courtesy of our friend and talented photographer, Martin Stabler.

One last look at the Tetons from yesterday’s ride.
Team Pea public display of affection yesterday at the Continental Divide. SMOOCH!
Oh, you want us to be serious?
On the way into Dubois yesterday. Red rock, blue sky.

And now, photos from today’s ride from Dubois WY to Riverton WY…

A quiet morning riding out of Dubois.
A few miles out of Dubois and the red rock was beautiful!
The scene across the road from our second SAG stop. We agreed that this is what Wyoming is supposed to look like.

3 Replies to “Bike Across America – Day 17”

  1. Rest well for tomorrow’s ride!
    P.S. I heard if you eat garlic that will help keep mosquitos away….

  2. I’m grateful these awesome pictures wiped out the one of your itchy, mosquito bitten, butter butt!

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