I didn't die.



See Mom, I am wearing my helmet.

Sorry about the lack of a post last night. I slept inside the Baptist Church in Jeffrey City, WY because of 50 mph winds. The city has 106 residents and no cell phone service for miles. This thought didn't occur to my parents though, who called Wyoming state troopers because I didn't check in last night. I left at 6 AM this morning and, soon after, was flagged down by the county sherriff and made to call home on his satellite phone. The whole situation was entirely absurd and enraging. Apparently, I'll understand one day when I'm a parent, but that day is not today.

Anyway, let's talk about riding. I learned two secrets about bike touring yesterday:

1. Your day is entirely more productive if you wake up pre-dawn and ride out as soon as there's light. I left yesterday and today at 6 AM and rolled into my respective destinations at around noon or 1:30. The rest of the day was mine to lollygag in town and I much prefer this to arriving at 7 PM in a frantic haste to find somewhere to sleep.



This is what Wyoming looks like. This. Everywhere.



2. There are no cyclists travelling east in Wyoming. Why? Because the damn wind blew them all to their destinations already. The wind here is beyond brutal. As soon as 10 AM rolls around, nasty 40+ mph gusts crash in from the west. Were I travelling east, I could probably have made it to Virginia in the just the last two days. But I'm travelling north. And that means the wind is bent on throwing me over the guardrail into whatever ravine lies to the right of the shoulder. Twice now I've had to dismount my bike and crouch as low as I can to stay grounded. Those were the only times that I've honestly been scared thus far on the trip.

In today's sanitation news, I showered for the first time in six days. It's been since last Friday night in Grand Lake, CO that I've had access to a shower. Thankfully, my body naturally produces the smells of happiness and rainbows so no one's really noticed. Plus, I like to keep my hair looking fresh so I normally wash it in a diner bathroom every morning.



Also today, I rode my bike at the fastest speed I've ever ridden it: 46 mph for 3 miles down a mountain. It's was thrilling, and made even more so because I listened to this and this on the way down. Tell me you wouldn't feel badass careening down the mountainside, jamming to those tracks and pretending people were chasing after you.

I'm in Lander, WY for the night. It's actually pretty okay and I think I might take a break tomorrow and chill out in the city. 70 miles every day has been intense on my body and a day off sounds nice. I'd really like to hang out with someone around my own age so I'll look for that tomorrow. We'll see what happens. I'm off. Make sure you check on your kids. They could be dead or dying right now!!








Sometimes Wyoming has more than air and sky to look at.




Who doesn't love some good symmetry?