July 17, 2001. Lander to
Crowheart, Wyoming.
(46 mi.) Mile 2866
Through
the Wind River Reservation
"Everything the power of
the world does is done in a circle......The wind, in its greatest power,
whirls......and so it is in everything where power moves."
Black Elk
I was reading these words in one of
several Indian Crafts and Gift stores we checked out today, while still
stinging from the road rash and bruises suffered yesterday when the wind
picked me up and slammed me into the side of the road. Though I was not
seriously injured (a bicyclist is not seriously injured if his or her first
words after the accident are, "Is my bike OK?"), the power of the
wind has made its impression and tired us out. Maybe those tailwinds wished
for us from different parts of the country got mixed up into a whirl out here
in the middle.
We slept in this morning, started
late through the Wind River Indian Reservation, and stopped for lunch at Fort
Washakie, near the purported grave of Sacagawea, Indian guide and interpreter
for the Lewis and Clark expedition. This reservation is home to Shoshone and
Arapaho tribes.
Crowheart Butte
Much of today's route was more
desolate rangeland and badlands. We didn't feel like pushing hard today,
especially since the head wind picked up again in full force. Not only was it
discouraging to be working so hard to go so slowly, but I had a new
apprehension about being blown off my bike.
We made use of a rest stop wind shelter to fix a flat.
We called it quits after only 46
miles of this when we came to the Crowheart general store and got permission
to pitch our tent across the highway next to the volunteer fire station. We
ate our dinner of miscellaneous groceries at a picnic table, and were in the tent and asleep
by 8:30 pm.
We dry camp at
Crowheart with the Wind River Range in the background.
