USNA 1973 Ride-2-Remember

Day 23, 26 August: Riverton to Casper, WY

Team 2 took US 20 north out of town – sadly, Ron was med down most of the day and rode the SAG. The road was good the whole way with wide shoulders. At one stretch there was road construction that held up traffic, but the nice flag lady waved us through on the dead lane – 3 miles of brand-new highway all to ourselves.

The weather started out chilly in the 50s, but warmed up nicely after an hour or so. We passed over the Boysen Reservoir, part of a state park, and 20 turned east. As we passed the huge 307 Ranch there were several signs including one apparently marking the trackbed of the first rail line to come through the region. We’re also now entering oil country and saw our first wells, apparently serviced by helicopter (notice the windsock). Finally, at Hiland we found the now-abandoned motel that would have been the only place to stay between Riverton and Casper.

We made it to the Waltman Rest Stop, loaded up the bikes and drove the rest of the way to Casper. We had hoped to see Hell’s Half Acre, a canyon the Indians used to drive bison into when hunting, but we were going too fast to stop when the only sign appeared right at the turnoff. We arrived at the hotel an hour or more after Team 1.

A much-needed rest day tomorrow and hopefully Ron will be back up in short order.

Bill Montgomery