My Washakie Breaky (Crow)heart

Day 26

Dubois, WY to Lander, WY

Distance: 77 miles

Photos taken: 38

Today’s ride won my heart. I didn’t think it possible after the breathtaking scenery of the last few days, but the views today around Crowheart and on the Washakie Trail were the most vast and uniquely beautiful of any day so far.

It wasn’t until near the end of the ride that I started to wonder whether my new cycling shades might be the reason. The silver Rudys haven’t been the same since their flight of fancy on the downhill from the Nez Pearce reservation in Idaho, and so I treated myself to a new pair and had them delivered to the cabins in Dubois: with carbon frames and pink light-sensitive lenses. Yes, the clue was there had I turned my mind to it… I had been viewing the whole day literally through rose-tinted spectacles.

But I jest. The views were jaw-breaking. The most difficult decision of the day was knowing when to stop taking photos and just leave it already! But I managed to get a few good ones…

It was as I was taking a break at the gas station in Crowheart that I met a cyclist called Luke, who is also cycling cross country, but from San Diego, CA to New York City, over 5,000 miles, to raise money and awareness for a charity providing life-saving packets of nourishment to starving children in sub-saharan Africa. Luke gave up his job, selling the marketing business that he ran for the last 15 years or so, and he and his family are now on this trip for the next 3-4 months. Luke is putting in some serious miles, but has the luxury of having his gear carried in the family RV driven by his wife from stop to stop (he tells me that she is in fact an excellent RV driver and I believe him)!! Also, and I find this the most incredible, not long ago Luke was 340lbs in weight. He now weighs 175lbs. He is now literally half the size of the person he was. Nice one Luke! Here’s a link to his website if you want to know more and/or to donate.

http://www.CycleCause.com

But it wasn’t long until I was making friends again. Just a few miles down the Washakie Trail in the middle of nowhere, I could see them crossing the field towards the road for a long time before I reached them. It didn’t occur to me that they could possibly have spotted me from that far away, but they had.

As I drew level with them, they all crowded against the fence, looking at me expectantly. When I carried on cycling they started running alongside the fence, keeping pace with me. A whole bunch of cows and calves their chubby bodies rippling with the effort of the motion.

To begin with I was laughing and then a nasty thought crossed my mind. I was remembering the plastic farmyard models that I have on display at my home in London.

“Why do you have three bulls on your shelves?” Antonio asked me one day as we were chilling in my apartment.

“Oh you mean my cows?” I replied.

“Those are no cows Kitty,” Antonio said, picking one up, turning it over and pointing to the appropriate place.

And me a Vet’s daughter… I’d had those cows/bulls for five years without noticing!

So, as I rode alongside these running bovine creatures today, my mind flashed back to this conversation and suddenly all I could do was look at the flimsy wire fence between me and these powerful cantering creatures while simultaneously trying desperately to see what was hanging down between their legs.

Never have I been so grateful to see ten sets of swinging udders. So much so I decided then to stop and take a photo of them…

It wasn't long after this, however, that the bubble burst. The Washakie Trail leads to a town called Fort Washakie, the life and soul of which appears to reside around the town's gas station, with its large "no loitering" sign on the door, which of course always seems to be accompanied by a few shady characters loitering. Indeed, from what I witnessed in the few minutes I loitered to fill up my water bottles and eat a snack, FW is the centre of the drugs world in this area of Wyoming (non-prescription). The lady at the cabins who I spoke to over breakfast this morning warned me to have my wits about me "on the reservation" and when I asked if she meant bears, she simply said "just watch out". If I'd thought ahead, I probably could have offloaded a few of my "caffeine" tabs. 

With FW behind me, I’m staying in another great small town tonight called Lander. With lots of fantastic looking dining options to choose from it was difficult to decide. But despite the achingly cool looking micro-brew pub with its garden at the back, I couldn’t resist the Thai. It’s the best cycling food in my book. 

And so now I’m full of chicken, vegetables, rice and chilli. Yummmmm. But me turning down a pub for some food? On a Friday night? What is the world coming to? Oh, and I’m ready to sleep again.

Cycling across the USA... cheaper than rehab!

Good night.

Me x