Week 3
My neck, my back
Day 15 (21/07): Lima to Henry Lake
Distance: 122 km
Elevation: 860 m
Wake up - we're in this one motel town in the middle of nowhere. Sadly, I fail to seduce robin. Saddle switch and late start. Breakfast pizza and burrito. We learn the definition of Big Sky - its a Montana thing, and feels extra relevant out here. I'm surrounded by the wild dessert but I've got Naples in my ear all day. It's easy riding and tail winds to Henry Lake where we meet Rus and Krystian. Rus is an old Denver boy inspired to take up the guitar and mtb due to a recent Ayahuasca journey, and Krystian is the human embodiment of lingering.
Day 16 (22/07): Henry Lake to Squirrel Meadow Creepy Cabin
Distance: 117 km
Elevation: 851 m
Sans breakfast, we sneak out of the campground early to avoid Krystian, but he's a fast boy and catches us up. Fuck me. Our homie from the bus ride, David, appears in Subway - he's been having a rough trip. Island Park is a total sand fest, and filled with ATV assholes, but ends with a descent along the beautiful train line trail. We learn exactly how much people love Germans, and claiming their capital W-White German heritage. Robin and I enjoy a lovely evening beer and meet a couple recently relocated to Montana after living all over the world. Our evening road is a bumpy rock fest with a taxing gradual incline. Just when I think my sugar low will take me from this world, we find a lovely murder cabin to shelter us for the night. After an unsuccessful break-in attempt, we shower using well water, light up a bonfire and used an abandoned Caterpillar as a makeshift "bear box". Big animal takes bath and scares me.
Day 17 (23/07): Squirrel Meadow Cabin to Coulter Bay
Distance: 67 km
Elevation: 787 m
Dusty ass climb to flags ranch. Saw all characters from yesterday there except Christian, who we successfully avoided. Booked our rental for Yellowstone. Road into coulters bay and washed our clothes and cooked at the beach hobo style. Slept between two peoples campsites.
Day 18 (24/07): Coulter Bay to Jackson Hole
Distance: 73 km
Elevation: 261 m
Rode easy scenic route. Black bear didn’t give a fuck. Jenny lake is beautiful! REI dudes are homies and take our bikes for the duration of our side adventure and in return, I buy my godsend sun shirt. In the avro, we end up chillin at Albertsons with David, a man we can't seem to stop running into. Sleep in horse spot at campsite with overly friendly camp host.
Day 19 (25/07): Yellowstone Break Day
Everything smells like farts. Yellowstone is beautiful despite the fact the Geysers are kind of gross. We miss the iconic highlights, but somehow it feels ok. There are big sleepy bison, and "fat people" (obvs not my comment) everywhere. Robins wound terrorises him the entire day. Race back to drop off car. Pick up bikes at REI. Hang out at Albertson's once more - David still there, maybe he never left? After our usual bedtime routine of frantic searching of a stealthy sleep spot, we hunker down in a bush on a private property in an industrial area.
Day 20 (26/07): Jackson to Boulder
Distance: 137 km
Elevation: 765 m
Quickly getting the fuck out of our sketchy campsite. Breakfast at convenient store and forgot food bag - had to cycle back. Pretty river valley, gives way to ugly road. Run into the Canadians again. Shitty burger at weird conservative parody country music hell hole. Clipping our nails in RV park laundry room.
Day 21 (27/07): Boulder to Atlantic City
Distance: 137 km
Elevation: 1386 m
Welcome to The Basin. After days of warnings from North Bound riders, we finally enter The Great Wyoming Basin, so disconnected from any body of water, that its one of the only places in North America where water doesn't eventually run-off into the oceans, but just evaporated completely. The Basin is almost 300 km without trees or water. It is hot, sunny, and windy. There are no animals except cows, horses and the occasional illusive Pronghorn, strangely suited for the Basin, as its the sole existing species in its Family, who's closest living relative is the Giraffe.
Our first day in the basin is long and hot AF. Robin befriends CDT hiker - Nick. They chat about freedom. Everyone in the bar in Atlantic City hella friendly, and into Germans as usual. The day ends with a beautiful sunset ride into our makeshift campsite at the Sweet-water River, the only natural flowing water in the Basin.
