Day 5 April 29 Casper to Douglas

For those of you who know me, you know I am a plan ahead type person, with plan A, B, C etc. Well, today I had plan A and it turned into plan D. Not because I wanted it to.

Last night, I walked a total of 4 miles to and from dinner and ended up with blisters between two toes and on the sides of my heels. Unreal. Fortunately, they don’t bother me while cycling, but I won’t be walking that far tonight.

I met a fellow cyclist last nite in camp. He rides 100 mile days and I just shook my head. He is like my friends Charlie and Bill. He grew up in Casper so took me on the bike path all across town this morn. Bless you, Greg. What a nice start to a weird day.

The wind was ferocious but mostly at my back with occasional side gusts. Kept me on my toes and really worked the arms. Plan A was to suffer the wind 30+ miles to Glenrock, get a campsite and mellow out. The town was a ghost town. Nothing open (Sunday) and not exactly enticing to spend a whole afternoon. Couldn’t even get more water. It was only 10:30 when I got there, so talked myself into riding another 25 miles to Douglas. (Plan B). I pondered that a lot. Needed more water but thought I could ration it.

So I took off on my intended route, and a mile and a half down this back road I chose (really the only route other than the interstate), it turned to gravel. I asked a local and learned it was gravel for 20+ miles. No way on my skinny tires and the gravel was loose.

So plan C: I had to back track into the wind–brutal–to the interstate. I stood by the side of the road for half an hour, again pondering what to do. Back track into town another 4 miles against the wind and wait til tomorrow with less wind, or go for it. I was down to half a bottle of water and really torn. Finally, I decided to bite the bullet and go for it.

I’ve ridden the interstates before but with an occasional 40 mph side wind and the 80 mph truck draft, it can be scary, not to mention very taxing on the arms.

That actually turned out to be an almost pleasant ride, super wide shoulders and the traffic got over. Plus there was a seven mile stretch of road construction where I could ride all alone on the closed section. I loved that part.

So when I got to Douglas, I was tired, hot, sunburned because I forgot to put on sun screen this morn, except for my face, thirsty and sore all over. Just the thought of having to put up my tent in this wind made me go for plan D. Yep, a motel.

I can rest out of that wind, pamper myself and get recharged for tomorrow. I had planned on it taking a week to get my act together, but today was a test. Not complaining, just telling it like it is.

59.75 miles. 207.45 total