The Rise Up Ride: Day 28, More Trail Magic and Tailwinds Till All Shit Broke Loose
Date: 20 May 2021
Start Location: Gillette, WY
End Location: Buffalo, WY
Distance:113.6 km
Time: 6:51
Total elapsed: 8:26
Elevation: 784 m
I left the official route today, taking the boring but flatter direct shot from Gillette to safe haven in Buffalo. Riding on the backroads through Spotted Horse might have been lovely but I was in a hurry to beat the weather. I almost did.
The Powder River Basin drains the High Plains east of the Bighorn Mountains and is the largest coal producing region in the US. Its rolling hills and grasslands with no services offer little protection from the elements when the weather gets wicked. It did.
Jim, my gracious host, cooked up a proper breakfast, gave me directions to the Interstate and I was off, even though we could have talked bicycles and politics for another cup or so. There are no towns, no off ramps with stores, no bailouts between Gillette and Buffalo in case of big yellow/red radar blobs. There were.
The Yankees' game ended well just as the front swept through east of Buffalo, dropping the temperature by 20°c as the wind swung briskly into my face. A local rancher who was pulling on to the Interstate as I was seeking shelter under the overpass asked if I wanted to throw my bike in his pickup into town. I should've.
My "holy shit" bag is handy in case weather happens. After gearing up, I put my head down and rode into the teeth of the storm. Like the Dementors in Harry Potter, a chill 60 km/hr headwind and 4-5% climbs will suck the joy out of life. The day turned into a mettle-tester. A freeway sign warned of "WIND GUSTS 40+ MPH". No shit!
Dawn, at the Rodeway Inn, had just pulled a batch of welcome cookies out of the oven when I rolled my bedraggled ass up to registration. The perfect reward after a hellish slog into Buffalo. It's done.
My route up Powder River Pass (2946 m/9666 ft) is blocked by storms this weekend, so I'm laying up here until the road is plowed and I can safely assault the Bighorns, standing tall between me, my bike, four panniers full of gear and Sylvan Pass into Yellowstone. I can't wait.
