Catching Up - in Riverton, WY

Wow! What a day! I realize I say that every evening, but sometimes it's more about exhaustion. Today was really fantastic - and I'm finally catching up to the chronology of things. (Thanks to free wi-fi at the Wind River RV Park, where I'm camping.)

Today I rode my personal record distance with a loaded bike - 84 miles, many of them following the Wind River through the rolling foothills and then valley leading from Dubois to Riverton. It was really gorgeous and exciting, not to mention I had a tail-wind for much of the ride - whoo hoo! (Unlike my Cycle America group friends, one of whom I talked to on the phone - they did that whole ride with the wind against them, the day that I rode into Dubois.)

It was also warmer, yay - summer's back. It was just a great day to be on a bike.

The other fun part was seeing the yellow arrows on the road painted by the Cycle America router - they go out a day ahead of the riders and paint small yellow directional arrows, to show the turns. They also mark what they call "comfort arrows" - which are simply there in random places along the highway, which in fact are kind of comforting. I ring my bicycle bell every time I see one (also every time I go over a bridge, and lots of times just for fun - or to talk to cows and horses, and occasionally note an especially-interesting specimen of road kill).

Then out of nowhere the yellow arrows said turn right, at a place I was planning to go straight. So I checked my map carefully and realized they were routing onto a country road off the highway, that lead into town from a slightly different direction. I decided to go with the arrows - and what a treat! Wow! It was called "Riverview Road" and followed the Wind River again into the south side of Riverton - it meandered through farms and then a few neighborhoods, with hardly any traffic. (One hay truck, one pickup truck, and a guy driving a tractor on the road.) It was fun to ride but also a kind of social thrill, knowing my friends had been there just yesterday...

With the RV Park's unexpectedly great internet connection, I've also been able to get phone numbers and call ahead to confirm campgrounds through Sunday. I've made a quick adjustment to this "lifestyle," realizing that the RV parks also offer tent sites with hardly any people in them (I'm the only one in a tent here), and have showers & laundry rooms. They also tend to be close to the main drag, stores & restaurants - so RV parks are my new best friends.

Now it's off to maybe even read a magazine article before I go to sleep! Wow! I haven't read anything but maps & route sheets for over 2 weeks!