The Rise Up Ride: Day 29-31, Wu Wei Days: Waiting For the Pass

Date: 21-23 May 2021

Start Location: Buffalo, WY

End Location: Buffalo, WY

Distance: 0 km

It was probably from watching Westerns as a kid that I learned the perils of "getting froze crossing over the pass." It was always about timing. "They tried too soon, poor souls," or, "they left too late, poor dears." After three days covering 312 km between Spearfish and the Buffalo, I've gone as far as I can riding west without going up. And up means over Highway 16, linking Buffalo and Ten Sleep, punching through the snow-capped Bighorn Mountains over Powder River Pass at 2946 meters (9666 ft). For sure I'm better equipped than the settlers, who didn't have the Weather Underground app, live webcams showing real-time road conditions at the US 16 Big Horn County Line, and a SPOT satellite transponder with a button that activates the GEOS Search and Rescue operations. But, I'm still balancing on two wheels while moving a bunch of gear and myself up and over a formidable geological barrier that is practiced over thousands of years defeating poor, dear souls who didn't get the timing right crossing over the pass.

The timing hasn't been right. It's been cold and rainy at the Rodeway Inn (1,416 m/4646 ft) for the last two days while I rest my jets, waiting for conditions 1530 meters (5020 ft) higher on the pass to improve. The WYDOT cameras showing conditions on the pass are, "temporarily under repairs" but the cameras down the pass towards Ten Sleep show wet slick roads this morning, With warming weather today and no rain or snow in the forecast tomorrow, the timing should be right in the morning to climb and descend safely from Buffalo to Ten Sleep.

Wu Wei is a concept at the core of Taoism that is in full effect while striving to stay in harmony and at one with the awesome rhythms of the natural world. Containing both "action" and "inaction" it can mean using strategic passivity to find the right moment to act with and not against nature towards your objective.

Tomorrow I'll ride. Today I'll wait for the moment by going all Pirsig, cleaning my bike.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500"] "The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn't any other test. If the machine produces tranquility it's right. If it disturbs you it's wrong until either the machine or your mind is changed.” ― Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 Groupset with the FC-9000 Compact Crankset front end and a mountainbike backend: 50x34 Shimano XT RD-M8000 Rear Derailleur with a Wolftooth Tanpan and a Shimano XT M8000 11-speed cassette (11-42)g I'm wiping down the Tanpan, the "mullet" device that connects the racing front end to the greater gearing options of a mountainbike derailleur in the back by looping the needed extra cable pull between two barrel adjusters. Geeky bike porn. [/caption]