Tough day today.
Is this ride too much for me?
I trained my heart out this spring, but I can't seem to keep up.
Dereka suggests breakfast on our own in town to avoid the extra 4 miles to get to the food provided by ABB.
So I treat Al to a meal at Daylight Donuts.
Cute local place...
We help sing Happy Birthday to local girl, Zoe.
After breakfast I run across the street to the ATM in the grocery...
Trouble with my contacts...
Delay...
I look up and everyone is gone...
I'm the last biker left in town...
And we have a head wind coming...
Not too bad now, but I'm worried about a repeat of the horrible wind from yesterday...
So I book it out of town...
Past gorgeous scenery...
The Wind River Valley - sacred to the Native Americans.
Wonderful rocks...
sculpted by this wind...
I take no time to appreciate...
It's snap one or two quick photos and hurry on...
Hurry, hurry...
Is this the right bike ride for me?
I want to savor the moments...
Take the time to learn about the land here - the habitat, plants, rocks...
I want to hear the Indian legends - how Sacagawea may be buried here after wandering the West for many years after Lewis and Clark...
Thus the name of the rock - Crow Heart Butte....
I would like a ride that averages 60 miles a day, not 80.
Enough to give us more time to breathe..
...to enjoy the wonderful scenery...
maybe if I were a stronger biker like the rest of them...
I'm so tired.
I'm angry.
Why did Alex leave me behind?
I need her help facing this wind.
It just seems to be pedaling one place to the next with a quick glance to the scenery and move on.
When I was in college I took my boyfriend to a zoo.
He was the fastest zoo-goer I've ever seen.
He rushed past each cage - saw the lion, check off the elephant.
He finished that zoo in record time.
But I didn't think he'd really seen anything.
That's how I feel right now.
Checking off the sights one by one and moving on.
They all run together in my head.
It's too much...
I finally see Ellen at the lonely store in the country...
Tired dog in a pick-up truck...
As we bolt our food - energy bars now, nothing to linger over - I do get to see the saddles George is selling next door.
History in these saddles - this one was traded in by a 92 year old trapper.
What stories this saddle could tell.
And what stories will my bike saddle tell?
Don't know.
Gotta go.
Another Power Bar.
Arrive in Riverton.
Laundry.
Food.
Bed.
Worn out.
5 comments:
the scenery is just incredible mom. just appreciate being there even though its tough. thats what pictures are for to see what you don't have time for while biking. by the by love the puppy pic =) i missed my kitty while at camp
Helen...Mark Weisbarth said your blog was the most beautiful and I have to agree. Interesting to read everyone's perspective of the ride so far.
Hang in there, you can do it
Dee
I hope today goes better for you! When my fiance got me into biking he said one of the reasons he enjoyed it so much was that it was a great pace at which to see the world. Better than in a car, since you only get a fleeting glance of things you pass, better than running, since that slow monotony makes you antsy to see more. But on a bike? Just about right. I bet the hills and headwinds drop the pace to a point where you can notice what you pass with a little more time to savor, but at the same time, the effort required is so much more that you might actually be tucked in and straining too much, without a chance to really SEE. I hope you find your balance! I'm sure you can - what a journey, and what things you ARE seeing - you can do it! That is evident by the photos. They are beautiful, and will bring back the places when you can look back after reaching the Atlantic.
Hey! I wish I were there with you! The difficulty of these adventures is what keeps the average person away from them! You have made it this far, and have the capability of completing the journey. Enjoy the journey, but partner up with someone like Ellen, Gerard, Dericka...and keep moving down the road consistently. Leave 1st in the morning and ask for an early load if it is possible. YOU can do this but it takes a concentrated effort to accomplish all you want. When the land flattens, wind comes behind you and a little shorter day...it will seem EASY! Good luck! Jay
Dr. S.,
I don't have any doubts that you can do this. I've enjoyed your journey with you. Your pictures are beautiful. I am thrilled by your blog. The uphills have exhausted me and your downhills have terrified me. Hang in there. I'm having a blast following you daily.
Kris C.
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