Day 19 / July 25 / Sheridan, WY to Gillette, WY / 110 miles and 4568 feet / 110 degrees / head wind
As hard as yesterday’s ride was, today’s was even more difficult. It was 80 degrees at 7:30 when we set out and by 11 am it was over 100 degrees. The support team had to add several water stops. On a usual day, we have water stops about every 20 miles and today we had water stops about every six miles after 11 am.
The scenery also went from interesting back to barren so that made cycling even more challenging. More than half the group pulled the plug before the end of the route. Smart people. I pulled out at lunch and Bill pulled out at about mile 80. Those that kept riding to the end must have had their brains fried by the heat.
Just outside of Clearmont, WY (population 116), we came across the clean-up of a train derailment.
And then in the afternoon, it just got very hot and very ugly!
Except we went through Spotted Horse, WY and saw this convenience store/bar. They seem to sell just about everything a cyclist could need: candy bars, ice cream, ice, and who knows what else. I think it is really a motorcycle stop.
And, just for fun…
Comments
2 responses to “A very long and hot day!”
Absolutely love that first picture of the barn/lake etc. I was in Gillette a few years ago when my nephew lived there. Maybe you will be in South Dakota tomorrow. I wish I could say the weather will get cooler, but it doesn’t look like that anytime soon according to the forecast.
Did you notice the hobby horse on the roof of the convenience store in Spotted Horse? I had one just like it as a kid!