The Rise Up Ride: Day 33, Crossing Wyoming's Bighorn Basin
Date: 25 May 2021
Start Location: Ten Sleep, WY
End Location: Basin, WY
Distance: 83.9 km
Time: 4:44
Total elapsed: 6:32
Elevation: 332 m
It was difficult to leave Ten Sleep Rock Ranch this morning. I dawdled doing yoga on the deck at dawn, rocking some flying Warrior IIIs next to my friend, Ten Sleep Creek. Rock climbers and touring cyclists mix well and I met some really good people there last night and this morning. Lots of climbing and wilderness adventure professionals getting in pre-guiding season climbing on some outrageous rocks in the Canyon. The Rock Ranch sits at the base of one of the all-time most awesome climbs in the world, which means that I'll be back to base here and explore the Bighorn Mountains again in the next years.
The Big Horn Basin stretches from the Western Slope of the Bighorns, across to the massive Absaroka Range of the Rocky Mountains to the west, guarding the eastern approach to Yellowstone. This rolling arid stretch of the High Plains is drained by the Bighorn River, which I joined after two days following Ten Sleep Creek down the canyons and today, when it joined the Norwood, all the way to Basin. Today I rode across the Basin to the town of Basin, and will continue tomorrow, gently climbing to Cody, where I'll camp for two nights, planning my steps up and over Sylvan Pass into Yellowstone. Many campgrounds aren't open yet, limiting options in an already weird weather time at altitude. I'll need some Plan B options.
Heavy weather is blowing in tomorrow afternoon, so I'm going to try and catch the favorable winds at dawn and find shelter or get my tent up in time when I get to Cody before noon. Not a long (89 km) or steep ride, but a long gradual uphill slog (623 m.) But, remembering that awful afternoon riding into Buffalo, when I didn't beat a similar weather front, I'm off at first light and the setting full moon.
