Friday, July 07, 2006
Day 19 - Casper, WY - 7th July - A day off!
Weather: Sunny
Location: Casper, WY
Miles per day: 0
Today is a day of rest and reflection. After the last 9 days of riding, I was desperate for this day and it could not come too soon. For those who read my yesterday's posting, I apologise. When I initially posted it, I was exhausted after cycling 120 plus miles. I only realised that on re-reading it, it barely made sense. I made editorial corrections earlier today.
Time is flying by so quickly. I look back and can hardly believe I've made it! Seventeen days of riding and already 1,328 miles and 2.5 states. Great weather. Great cycling. Great challenge. I now wake up wanting to pedal. At the nightly route rap, I no longer flinch seeing the following day's elevation or long miles. I get a feeling of wanting to be on the bike.
Not much happens on a day off. Get some extra sleep, laundry, clean bikes and visit the local sites. Whilst I enjoyed my day off, I won't miss Casper. I'm ready to ride!
PS - some history: At Casper, Oregon Trail travelers had to cross the North Platte River in order to follow the Sweetwater River for the next portion of their trek. A small fort called Platte Bridge Station housed soldiers who protected the area. When the Indian wars heated up in 1865, young Lieutenant Caspar Collins was sent to provide safe escort for a wagon train carrying critical supplies for the fort. Shortly after his arrival, he came into conflict with the Lakota warriors and was killed. They renamed the Plate Bridge Station in memory of Collins, calling it Fort Caspar since there was already a Fort Collins in northern Colorado, named for Caspar Collin's father. The city of Casper was established in 1888, eleven years after Fort Caspar was abandoned. Some obscure person misspelled Caspar as Casper. The Casper vicinity has long been noted for its oil, initially mixed with flour and marketed as axle grease for emigrant's wagons. Casper's destiny was set as a boom and bust oil town. Wyoming's economy continues to be based on Oil.
Location: Casper, WY
Miles per day: 0
Today is a day of rest and reflection. After the last 9 days of riding, I was desperate for this day and it could not come too soon. For those who read my yesterday's posting, I apologise. When I initially posted it, I was exhausted after cycling 120 plus miles. I only realised that on re-reading it, it barely made sense. I made editorial corrections earlier today.
Time is flying by so quickly. I look back and can hardly believe I've made it! Seventeen days of riding and already 1,328 miles and 2.5 states. Great weather. Great cycling. Great challenge. I now wake up wanting to pedal. At the nightly route rap, I no longer flinch seeing the following day's elevation or long miles. I get a feeling of wanting to be on the bike.
Not much happens on a day off. Get some extra sleep, laundry, clean bikes and visit the local sites. Whilst I enjoyed my day off, I won't miss Casper. I'm ready to ride!
PS - some history: At Casper, Oregon Trail travelers had to cross the North Platte River in order to follow the Sweetwater River for the next portion of their trek. A small fort called Platte Bridge Station housed soldiers who protected the area. When the Indian wars heated up in 1865, young Lieutenant Caspar Collins was sent to provide safe escort for a wagon train carrying critical supplies for the fort. Shortly after his arrival, he came into conflict with the Lakota warriors and was killed. They renamed the Plate Bridge Station in memory of Collins, calling it Fort Caspar since there was already a Fort Collins in northern Colorado, named for Caspar Collin's father. The city of Casper was established in 1888, eleven years after Fort Caspar was abandoned. Some obscure person misspelled Caspar as Casper. The Casper vicinity has long been noted for its oil, initially mixed with flour and marketed as axle grease for emigrant's wagons. Casper's destiny was set as a boom and bust oil town. Wyoming's economy continues to be based on Oil.
