Through Nebraska on The Westward Ho

Yup, that's my bike name. The Westward Ho. Punny and marginally offensive, just like me.

I'm in Lusk, WYOMING at the moment, sheltering from the heat in an original Carnegie Library (which we've all come to regard very highly) on a computer donated by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the town. It's an interesting confluence of philanthropy: the old money and the new, two different eras that boomed in their own spectacular fashion, and two controversial figures who gave a whole heckuvalot of money to a whole lotta people.

But enough on that. I'm in freakin' Wyoming. And I rode a bike here. With 29 other crazies. I believe that I'm really pushing this point because, for me, the West, as in Manifest Destiny-Trail of Tears-Yellowstone-Cowboys 'n Indians really starts here. The landscape, as you'll see in the next post (coming as soon as I get my own computer outta the van) is rolling and ridiculous-- buttes and prairie and tumbleweeds (yup, even saw one roll across the highway this morning) and bison! And we're at 5015' at the moment. Some people think the air feels thinner. I can't really notice a difference, but I might have grown accustomed to the lightheadedness and shortness of breath that a day's worth of riding in sun and heat brings no matter what the elevation.

I've really enjoyed Nebraska: the people have, as usual, been unfailingly generous and welcoming. An old-timer in Valentine (where all the street signs have hearts on 'em) gave me the baseball cap off his head: the "Buffalo Roundup" from South Dakota. He also told me we'd just missed the Rocky Mountain Oyster festival in town. For those of you who don't know, do yourself a favor: search for Rocky Mountain Oysters online. Lemme put it this way: I can't say I'm too disappointed that we missed the festival.

We also ran into two cross-country walkers: one doing it backwards (Mr. Bill, from Brattleboro VT no less-- I think he's a kook, but he CAN do 78 two-finger pushups in a minute) and another doing it forwards (http://walkforprogress.blogspot.com). Both had different reasons for doing what they do, but the mutual respect we all shared for one another was encouraging and exhilarating.

Today's ride was marked by a badass 1500-2000' climb over 4 miles into Nebraska's high country and a few ridiculous coal trains heading alongside the highway we were riding. We also took some humorous state sign pictures (as per usual) and generally freaked out about being in Wyoming already. It's a big country, but it feels like it's really flying by.

Tomorrow we head out of Lusk and to Pastor Struck's Ranch, about 50 miles away. We'll be riding horses and playing in a "water park" (I'm expecting a home-made slip 'n slide, but I'm secretly hoping for more elaborate structures) and then spending the night out there on the range. With the deer and the antelopes. The next day's another 50ish ride with a build day waiting at the end. We're all staring down the barrel at the Rockies, but the upcoming shorter distances are more than welcome. My next sweep day will be a ridiculous climb up to Jackson. I can't wait to see the views from the top.

All the best from the West,

Sam