Wyoming Space

Continuing our astonishing ride through the Rocky Mountains, gorgeous car-ad-like-sceneries made up for otherwise deserted sights. Mountain-weather still played its tricks on us and we were very happy to be taken indoors by James, owner of the Moose Creek Restaurant in Walden, CO, where we sheltered and dinnered after being nearly drenched  (we stopped and improvised shelter by wrapping Jacob's tarp around a timber shack 2 miles into town. Apocalypse, try to come and get us now). Walden, being the moose-viewing-capital-of-the-world and under flash-flood warning when we were there, we were even more happy to hang out and enjoy James' hospitality another day when we heard they were sandbagging the town we were supposed to get to the next day. So we had a relaxing rest-day, I climbed the big Moose statue in front of the restaurant, managed to fell of and climbed it again (for some reason moves like these are always captured on camera).

By crossing the Wyoming (Cowboy State) state line, we entered the Wild Wild West, the last frontier. Think ever-stretching plains, high deserts and ghost towns. Impressive out-of-space-landscapes that in a mysterious way manage to keep impress you right before the moment you think they'll depress you.
Another pain of the lack of trees or descent bushes in these open plains is there is no way you can merge yourself in the landscape for a quick pee. Your best bet is a shallow ditch which would be just fine if not for funky tan-lines. My but is compared to my legs so beamingly stark white it alarms cars in a radius of 5 miles each end of the highway. As a consolation, I do feel connected with the white-butted Pronghorn antelopes that roam the plains here in plenty numbers.

So rough terrains and not a lot of people. In Wyoming, if you're not a farmer or work for the US forest department, you're a taxidermist. Cycling through it, I enjoyed nice weather, nice topography and nice company. Arriving in Saratoga, the sand-bagged town, we dipped our feet in the only hot spring that was just semi-contaminated due to the floods. Heavenly.
We stayed there at a great host's.  Bear with me for this one: It was Jacob's father's cousin's best friend in college 's brother. In the far West, you do go down the line pretty far if you have to. I feel like at the end of this trip, I'll be connected in no more than two steps to every US citizen.

And so we blended Philip into our gang, who seems to jinx Lauren cause since he's enriching our company, Lauren managed to wreck twice, of which one was rather severe and we hitched here a ride to the nearest hospital. Braced and bandaged, our though one is alive and kicking already back on her bike though.
With one of the most astonishing five mile descends I've ever done and a headwind straight out of hell after, we cursed our way into lovely Lander where I am now, left behind and yield to the urge to butterfly by myself again. I waved of my friends, the herd by now, with mixed feelings. But we will meet again (I give it another 72 hours). And I know the time by myself will be short lasted 'cause another surprise lays ahead of me, one that involves more than 2 wheels ... Get back to you soon!