I'm going to spend the night at the historic Ladder Ranch! (41.00408, -107.24152) That's Wyoming, people!
They have Internet!
Two nights in a row that I will have a shower. I met a guy today (much more on him in a moment ...) who is biking THE WORLD on $5 / day. With the money I'm spending in these two days, living my opulent biking lifestyle, he could live more than a couple weeks.
I gotta tell ya, it's nice to be a have.
I officially rolled off the campsite at 7:58 this morning, loaded up with 5L of water (yes, Matt, I know it's ridiculous to haul that much water around, especially on this water blessed section of the route) and pedaled off to rejoin the official route. It was a very long climb out to Columbine, CO. The route passes through pasture land with hundreds of rolled up bales of hay littering the numerous fields. It's really amazing how much humans have taken over; if not for these ranchers, the terrain would have been a mix of forest and grassy parks.
I was very excited to make it to Clark because there's a grocery store there and, from the start of my planning, I was going stop there to resupply.
Well ...
... I had resupplied in Steamboat Springs (hauling all that weight up from 6700' to 8700' with too many ups and downs through too many watersheds!) so I just stopped in for a recharge: chocolate milk, jerky (high in fat and protein, good for a growing boy) and ... wait for it ... Mountain Dew. I really just wanted the Mountain Dew bottle for my water filter, honestly, but, man, that caffeine boost helped me get to 8700' Columbine. The grocery store was very rustic with worn by years of cowboy boots floors and log walls. The proprietor offered half price Bronco tickets for the gametonight, but biking to Denver would have been problematic ...
I got to Steamboat Lake sooner than expected. I think that my climbing is slightly improving. Seems like I can hold a higher gear a bit longer before having to dump down into Granny Gear 1 (the lowest possible gear on my bike). Also seems like I can ride longer before having to take a break.
Mountain Dew?
I took an alternate, "authorized" route to save some climbing. I didn't have that all mapped out ,but, save for a couple intersections where I had to check the map, you couldn't go wrong.
After reaching the high point, it was mostly downhill (except for those damned up and down watersheds ... last time I'll mention them), following the drainage of the Little Snake River. Some HUGE ranches that took me at least 45 minutes to ride from one edge to the other. I was racing downhill and passed a ranch that was set up for a wedding. I waved at the people as I streaked by, but, in hindsight, I should have crashed the party for a cold beer.
The depressing thing was I rounded a bend and the landscape almost instantly turned to scrub: no aspens, no pines, no nothing. If this is what Wyoming is going to be like (hint: it will be ...), it's going to be a real slog to get through.
Fortunately, the road dropped back closer to the Little Snake and magically trees appeared and there was abundant greenery. Shows you how important water is.
On the official map they show a campsite where I wanted to end the day, but from everything I was seeing, it looked like all private land. I had put in my 7 hours of riding, covering 59 miles and I was done for the day. One of the divide riders heading south told me about the Ladder Ranch, so when I saw the banner across the entrance, I turned right and chugged up to the group of people that where standing around: yes, it was a guest ranch, but I'd have to talk to the daughter, Megan, who ran that side of the business.
I could tent (and pay $10 for a shower) or use a cabin (with FREE shower) so I opted to spend the big bucks for the very quaint log cabin with two small beds and a bathroom. Just one minor problem: Megan couldn't get the pump working to provide water for that FREE shower.
Frickin' well systems!!!!
So I was "upgraded" to the cook house which, I'm hoping, has water. They had dinner for the ranch hands which I declined because I have too many provisions in my packs as it is. Breakfast at 7, bacon and eggs, again, declined so I can burn off some provisions.
Very quiet and peaceful and I will have an actual bed with clean sheets. I will also be indoors so maybe the full moon won't wake me up in the middle of the night like it has the past couple nights, fooling me into thinking it was dawn and time to get up. A red, full moon rose this evening, thanks to the fires west of here throwing up soot into the atmosphere. Southbound riders have told me the haze is worse further north: one couple didn't see The Tetons because of the smoke. Yikes!
I met 4 south bound divide riders, but the most exceptional rider I met was heading north. As hinted above, this guy is biking around the world. He started in Patagonia and is hoping to ride all the way back to England. He didn't have a mountain bike and was carrying a ton of photographic equipment. I tried to buy him anything that he wanted at the Clark grocery store, but all he wanted was a cup of coffee. We talked for quite a while then I headed off while he did some Wi-Fi stuff. He caught me after I had ridden 10 miles. We rode together for about a mile then he took the hard way, I took the easy way. It was very cool for me to be riding, even for a short time, with someone who is attempting to ride around the world.
He had told me that he had ridden with a Kiwi at some point in the past and the Kiwi was evidently heading south. I told him I hadn't met him so maybe the Kiwi had already blown by. Nope: I ran into him this afternoon. I think he was hoping to do more than 100 miles today. Yikes! I get excited when I do over 50 ...
I've met the world biker from England, this guy from New Zealand, a couple from the Netherlands, a couple from North Carolina, a couple bro's from Tennessee, a solo woman from Philadelphia. And, believe it or not, there is a guy doing the ride ... on a unicycle. We passed each other and I yelled out something like, "Unbelievable!!!". We didn't stop to talk but when I got here, the Mom who made dinner, told me that the unicyclist stayed here last night and was, indeed, doing the entire divide ride. WOW!
Man, I am looking like a piker compared to these guys ...
OK, what about tomorrow?
The problem is The Great Basin. I want to be at the A&M reservoir the night before I attempt the 55 mile section across the Great Basin that has NO WATER. I can load up with water at the reservoir then get a very early start the next day to get in a few miles before the sun becomes unbearable and the winds come up (predominantly headwinds).
The ideal situation would be to be in Rawlins tomorrow night (another hotel room???), get provisions then head to the reservoir (57.2 miles, no serious climbing)Monday to overnight. The problem? It's 74 miles to Rawlins from here. 1200' climb, rolling hills, 1200' drop into Rawlins. It would be the longest segment of the trip for me. I'm going to give it a try (by starting early tomorrow) and if I poop out, I can camp short of Rawlins and figure out what to do tomorrow.
If I make it to Rawlins, there will be an update tomorrow night; otherwise, look for an update on Monday.
Feeling good, no serious aches or pains, maybe getting stronger ...
I hope all is going well for you and your loved ones!
JK
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