cheyenne, wyoming

Nebraska's got some Big Sky country

We made it to Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming. Along the way, I couldn't help but think, "I'm ready to get out of this Explorer and get on my bike. I'm ready to be outside this vehicle and pedal in the wind,  weather, and whatever, uphill and down. Let's go.

WHY DO I WANT TO DO THIS AGAIN?

The real people of America. French fries with tartar sauce. Finishing at the end of each day. Smells. Hole-in-the-wall, Mom & Pop eateries. Small bike shops. Wide open spaces under big skies. Downhills. The anticipation and excitement of riding through places I've always heard about but never been. Showers. Feeling healthy. Riding the back streets of cities and main streets of small towns. Going a little bit faster than the dog. Not understanding how a bike stays upright when I'm on it. My shadow moving next to me. An occasional but incredible tailwind. People saying, "Are you crazy?" I want to ride Washington Pass again, up and down! Cleats and clip-in pedals. Songs in my head.

Quiet, nothing but the wind. Early morning fog. Figuring out how to carry one more license plate. The mountain climbs. Experiencing creation at much less than interstate speeds. Beef Jerky, gummy bears, Good and Plenty, and Carb Boom. Ducks in North Dakota. Riding in the rain. Seeing our white  Explorer parked up the road. Barns, lots of barns. Rest days. Because it was too good to do just one time. Riding Michigan's U.P. Leg warmers, wind breakers, and gloves. Centuries. The Great Lakes. "Where ya headed?" from riders pedaling the other way. Grain elevators from miles away. Wildlife. Smooth road surfaces.

Breakfast subs at the Chevron station in Twisp, Washington. The Atlantic and the Pacific. Crossing the halfway mark. Junk stores. Fish and chips. Breaking the speed limit. Bison burgers. Making new friends. Getting better routes from the locals. Stopping for fun photo shots. Blogging the adventure. Praying with Margaret by the Explorer each morning. Route 2. Historic sites. The mysteries of abandoned farm houses. Surprises. Cold water that doesn't taste like a water bottle. Maps. Root beer. Burning up calories faster than I can put them in.

Encouraging notes on my blog. Snow on the mountains. Bald eagles, bison, moose, and antelope. My yellow Cannondale. The challenge of a good ride. The riders who plan to come along. Riding, no matter what! Discovering more of America. Montana's 667 miles. Downtown Duluth, Minnesota. Ice cream. Ignoring detours. SRAM components. The mixed emotions of getting closer to the Atlantic. Riding through an irrigation sprinkler on a hot day. The long talks even when I'm alone. The click of a cleat in a pedal. A perfectly adjusted saddle. Great opportunities to tell my story. The unexpected. 

Cool and colorful jerseys. Hearing my heartbeat. People in cars looking at me like I'm crazy, especially on rainy or snowy days. No hands! The roar of the ocean. Eugene's Pizza in Glasgow, Montana. Bumper stickers. Lonely roads and little traffic. The mountains of the Northeast. Long trains going my way. A new bike. Sounds of the road under my tires. Freedom. The wonder of it all. Refreshment, renewal, and revival. Creation bragging about the Creator. Cattle running away from me and horses running with me. Dipping my back tire in the Pacific Ocean. Dipping that front tire in the Atlantic. Packing a treasure chest of memories. The Crew: Phil, Gale, Becky, Kevin, Barry, Sarah, Margaret, whoever else joins us, and me!

We ate supper at Outback this evening. (Yes, I know, this is not a Mom and Pop eatery. We find them as we pedal the small towns and back roads. You really can't find many of those hole-in-the-wall restaurants along interstates.) Our waitress, at Outback, was Taylor. Taylor, a Wyoming girl, moved to Cheyenne to study and train at a cosmetology school there. She loves the community, friends, and opportunities she's had. She has dreamed about being a cosmetologist and says that Cheyenne has given her the opportunity to realize that dream. It's giving her a second chance at life. She says she's blessed to live here. And we were blessed to have her as our waitress At the top of my list for what I love about this ride are the real people of America. Taylor is one of those people. Thanks, Taylor, for being one of those special people.

Love people.