Rusty Crank Coast to Coast Bicycle Tour across the USA on the ACA TransAM Route

TransAm Day #36 June 30, 2018 Walden, CO - Saratoga, WY 70 Miles Ride Time 6:21 Hours Tour Total  Miles 2626 details at: https://cyclemeter.com/4b2d99e24f1383f2/Cycle-20180630-0907-35058 Last night I pitched my tent in Walden City Park with about fifteen other cyclists. There was a westbound ACA unsupported group, and numerous others. I met a German woman and another couple who were traveling east. They gave me some good tips for Wyoming and Montana.  There were showers at the nearby swimming pool, and a clean bathhouse. Walden has several nice restaurants and bars. We went to All Smoked Up BBQ, located in an old bank building. We then brought our food across the street to Stockman’s bar. Back in the old days, the saloon in Walden had a front door large enough for cowboys to ride in on their horses. Unfortunately this bar no longer exists. I would like to see a bar where cyclists could ride their bikes through the front door.  There were tons of ...

TransAm Day #37 July 1, 2018 Saratoga, WY - Rawlins, WY 44 Miles Ride Time 4:15 Hours Tour Total  Miles 2671 details at: https://cyclemeter.com/4b2d99e24f1383f2/Cycle-20180701-1300-40205 I slept great last night at the St. Barnabas Episcopal Church Agape House in Saratoga. I got my very own queen sized bed, and was spared the frigid outdoor weather. Shawn shared my room and slept on the floor. He got up early and was gone by the time I awoke.  My body was so sore from battling the Wyoming wind. I laid in bed for an hour in the morning and published my previous day’s report. It was Sunday, and I could hear church-goers downstairs. I thanked them immensely for the accommodations.  Eileen, Scott, and I went to the J. W. Hugus restaurant for breakfast. Scott ordered two breakfasts, and we're worried that he's got a tape worm. I met a woman from the local Chamber of Commerce. I complained about the winds, and she told me that Wyoming’s weather was it’...

TransAm Day #38 July 2, 2018 Rawlins, WY - Jeffrey City, WY 71 Miles Ride Time 6:48 Hours Tour Total  Miles 2743 details at: https://cyclemeter.com/4b2d99e24f1383f2/Cycle-20180702-0857-18030 Last night I pitched my tent under the pavilion at Washington Park in Rawlins. No more hammock for me until I’ve worked out my Kremmling experience. At 4:30am I heard what I thought was a leak in my air mattress. It was really loud though. Maybe it was the wind. Scott, who had cowboy camped on top of a picnic table was shrieking. The lawn sprinklers were spraying massive amounts of water into the pavilion. We're in a desert here, and we were getting soaked. I got up to secure my things. My shoes were drenched. Everything in my tent stayed warm and dry including my extension cord and electronics, so I climbed back in and tried to get some more sleep. Eileen’s one-person tent had holes in it, and was flooded. Scott crawled in with her to stay warm. None of us got much sleep, a...

TransAm Day #39 July 3, 2018 Jeffrey City, WY - Lander, WY 60 Miles Ride Time 4:55 Hours Tour Total  Miles 2803 details at: https://cyclemeter.com/4b2d99e24f1383f2/Cycle-20180703-0535-62758 Last night when I got back from dinner, a cyclist was departing west towards Lander. The wind had stopped. The notion was tempting, but I was exhausted and it didn’t seem safe. Our plan was to get up early. The room we were sharing downstairs in the church was gross. It smelled bad so Eileen sprayed it heavily with air freshener. The shower, though, was warm and felt like heaven.  Eileen’s alarm went off way too early this morning. Scott and Eileen made coffee and breakfast, but I wanted an early start. There were no services for the first fifty miles. I had two Cliff bars and water. Hundreds of mosquitoes attached themselves to me as I was trying to load my bike. I thought about the settlers on the Oregon trail. Those people were tough.  It was cool out, but ...

Off Day Fourth of July in Lander July 4, 2018 Lander, WY Last night after Scott, Eileen, and I left the bar we pedaled to the Lander city park in the dark. We were paranoid about lawn sprinklers so we set up our tents in the middle of a park pavilion. It had a bright overhead light that glared all night long. I was too tired to be bothered by it. I slept as well as anyone could on a Therm-a-rest on a concrete slab.  Early in the morning, we were awaken by a man yelling for us to move. Last night, after we had already set up, I had noticed where everyone else was camping in the park. We carried our tents and gear over to where they were. We met east-bounder Asa, who was drinking a Budweiser tall boy first thing in the morning. The Lander Lyons Club was preparing for an epic Fourth of July barbecue nearby in the park.  We went to Middle Fork Cafe on Main Street for perhaps the best breakfast so far on the tour. I had the Eggs Benedict and two Bloody Marys. Th...

TransAm Day #40 July 5, 2018 Lander, WY - DuBois, WY 78 Miles Ride Time 6:06 Hours Tour Total  Miles 2895 details at: https://cyclemeter.com/4b2d99e24f1383f2/Cycle-20180705-0624-90230 Last night in Lander I managed to sleep well in my tent underneath the exploding fireworks. I got up early this morning and was on the road by 6:30am. Eileen and Scott were still sleeping when I left. The park maintenance guy was spraying the lawn. The streets were littered with spent fireworks.  Internet service in Lander has been a problem these past two days, probably because of all the people in town for the Fourth of July. This is the reason I’m behind on my blog, messages, social media, etc. I’ve heard that it’s going to be even more difficult to get Internet service where I’m headed.  I spent much of today’s ride pedaling my way through the Wind River Indian Reservation. I didn’t notice much difference except for the casino when I entered. After sixteen miles...