Day 10 - Columbus, MT to Powell, WY

Today started out a little harried! I was all in order took my bike out got it prepped brought my bag out, ate my breakfast and then started to 'load up'. I went to put my shoes on and thought my right shoe was broken and I couldn't get it to buckle up - so I messed with that for five minutes til I got it to work (fixed tonight by tightening some screws - phew!). Then I realized I didn't have my cue sheet! Arrrgghhh!! Meanwhile, remember if it says you can leave between 7-7:30am, and you leave at 7:10 - you're virtually the last to go out! Also, my key to my room was in the room and you needed it to get back into the building - so I asked Carl to help a sister out and thankfully he did but I was still feeling a big frantic. Finally, out on the road again.
The weather was looking sketchy - big thunderstorm clouds off in the distance - of course in the direction that we were headed. So, I started out with my arm warmers and jacket. Thankfully, it was a lot of nice cloud cover and no rain. The terrain today was rolly - and by that don't picture "weeeee here I go down and the momentum will carry me up" - not really it was a struggle. Every time we went down around the bend we'd have to climb. My legs were very sluggish today. Before we started the climbing though we had an interesting start where they were doing road work and had it closed and we had to wait about 7 mins. or so and then proceed with a lead vehicle - lights included over gravel - you know when the tear the blacktop off and put a bunch of rocks and then compound it down - YEP that. There were two sections like that and believe me when I say we didn't care what the black top was like when we actually got back on it!! One guy's tire blew so loud that you thought a shot gun had gone off. Crazy - but very interesting and an experience for sure!! Back to those fun climbs today, as Paul, Susan and I started up on the first one Lon Haldeman - owner of PAC came up along us and took some pictures, meanwhile my tongue was hanging out. I expected him to keep on climbing and be gone. You may not know this but he's THE MAN, the big muhaffa, the top dog, amazing solid muscle and all things biking ability - you think I'm kidding - google him! (records, Race across America, on and on) He rode with us (and right behind me mind you) for so many of those dang climbs and I was trying so hard to kick it up the hill (yes, Lon, that was me kickin' it) thinking to myself he is probably looking at my pedaling efficiency, how well I climb - will she make it up the Big Horns tomorrow - THE PRESSURE - I tell ya! Haha!! But, actually we had some good chats - when I could get out some full sentences.
I'm not going to lie - after 1,081 miles and 39,460 feet of climbing - my body is sore and it let me know about it today! My legs were slow climbing, my back was killing me - even after standing on the pedals and stretching every 5-8 miles, my hands are starting to hurt a bit. So, I was really worried about the climb(s) tomorrow after not feeling so great today. (More on that later)
We had a crazy downhill and for those of you who know me - I'm a very deliberate downhiller. Ok, it wasn't that crazy but for me going down braking at just under 40mph was well, scary. When we went to dinner Bob, who passed me flying and with the biggest grin on, said, "Oh ya, I saw you on that just inching your way down" "inching my way down!" I was going 40ish!!! Of course, he had to have hit somewhere in the high 40's to maybe 50!
We had lunch along the way (of course) and guess what?! My favorite - hot dogs and not just hot dogs Hebrew International Hot dogs - you know I love the kosher all beef frank - mmm,mmm good!! OH! We entered into Wyoming just as we hit lunch too - so crazy cool! Ten days down, so a third of the way in time and almost a third in mileage. Amazing. As my roommate Michelle's said "I'm having the time of my Life!" - I could NOT agree more!
Well, tomorrow is 123 miles with get this - 7,300 feet of climbing -gulp! We'll go through the Bighorn Mts. in Bighorn National Wilderness. We start off with 32 miles of decent elevation nothing crazy then we start an 18 mile climb with 4 miles of 8% grade, 1 mile at 10%, half mile of 14% and then a steady 10% grade through hairpin turns! I'm scared! But, I think I can do it. They say that on average it could take 4 hours to do 18 miles (remember we have 122 to do for the day!) And unfortunately, that isn't all the climbing for the day - there is more!
Ok, it's almost 9:45 and I better get to bed we start at 6:30 tomorrow - I swear someones going to have to bring me a headlight!!
(if it works I'm posting pics below)