Bike Across America – Day 18

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Start: Riverton, Wyoming
End: Casper, Wyoming
Mileage today/cumulative: 120 / 1,335
Elevation Ascended: 2,753
Weather: Sunny, 65° at start; sunny, 92° at finish
3D Relive Video (approx. 1 minute)

Today’s 120 mile ride was the longest of the entire tour and it was definitely a day to be riding with a group to share the load and take your mind off of the desolate landscape. There was one establishment between Riverton and Casper, about 60 miles into the ride. It was an odd store/bar/motel called the Bright Spot and it was located in the ‘town” of Hiland, population 10. Yes, ten. This business has no reason to exist, yet it is there in the middle of nowhere. I met the woman who owns it and learned that the lounge has been there since 1921. She bought it seven years ago when she moved from Casper, which she left because “it’s too crowded.” The lounge has four or five stools in about 300 sad square feet. It had one television, tuned to The Price is Right. No beers on tap and they discontinued Taco Tuesday at the end of 2016. Maybe because there are only ten people living in Hiland, Wyoming. Just guessing. We all bought sodas and probably doubled her revenue for an average Thursday.

Our friend Deb, while riding with another group today, encountered a local man who claimed to be a former Army sniper. He told Deb that the Army asked him to train soldiers to become snipers but he declined because if the current generation “steps in dog shit, they have to use the internet to find out what to do.” We are totally stealing that line.

We also saw antelope today, causing most of the riders in our pace line to sing Home On the Range more than once. It was that kind of day.

Tomorrow is rest day #2 – hooray! Saturday we head to Lusk, Wyoming where we’ll get to experience the Rawhide Days parade!