Hot as Hell

Yes, that is precisely what it is. As Ken finished his ride this afternoon, the temp was 94F. It was his first time ever riding an extended period in heat like this. Not a surprise, he did great. We took the winding highway from Sheridan into Moorcraft. Really small town.

Tomorrow is our last ride then a DAY OFF!! We'll ride into Rapid City, S Dak to spend a full day with the bestest Aunt & Uncle ever!! And celebrate her 80th Birthday while we are there!! Since we are all getting a bit tired, and looking forward to doing laundry, and just not riding a day, this will be a double treat. Then back on the road Sunday.

Since this is a really little town, with little to no InterNet access, I'm sitting in the baking van with a million flys around/on me. So, I'll leave you with these thoughts:

While riding on your bike for many hours and many miles, you start to think odd things. Add to that equation heat, minimal dehydration, lowering blood glucose levels, and thoughts oft times become actually strange to weird.

Ponder This:

**On our 2009 Road Atlas (what a great purchase!!) each state has its own page. The page has the state map, state flag, and other trivial facts listed. Each State Motto is also included. Very interesting as most of the mottos are related to a geographical structure, plant, animal, etc. Wyoming is called the “Equality State”. Call me confused…isn’t this where, a few years ago, they roped a man to a fence in a field after beating him and left him to die. Because he was gay??

**When it is pouring rain, do you get less wet if you ride faster?

**A UPS truck pulled out directly in front of Mark. The driver was talking on the cell phone and didn’t look to the right. Mark yelled loudly, “#??#**@#” which caught the driver’s attention. He slammed on the brakes, Mark swerved, and life continues. They would have been deep pockets, had he struck Mark. However, I own stock in UPS. Would that be considered a “conflict of interest”???

**While riding up a steep pass with a minimal-if-any shoulder, a white van pulled up directly next to me, without slowing down, and the side extended mirror nearly brushing my shoulder. In the brief second it took to pass me, I noticed the writing on the side of the van: Save a Life – Donate Blood. Is that a new method they have of getting donations? And if I needed a transfusion due to multiple injuries, wouldn’t that auto-transfusion negate the donation they took from me??

**Mark and I are driving in the Van to catch up with Ken. We are on a typical flat stretch of freeway: 2 lanes each way with the standard meridian between the two. On each side is a Rest Area with the typical flag poles, each with the National and the State flag flying high. The left side rest area flags are extended out, flapping, at 90 degree angles from the flag pole. This side, however, the flags hang totally down along the pole, without a ruffle. Do they heavily starch some flags and not the others???? Does the wind skip over certain roadways and not others????

**Certain city roads have “Bicycle Lanes” that parallel the car lanes. Yes, you’ve probably all seen them. Why do they taper and suddenly just disappear?? When you are riding on one of these, how do you also taper and disapapear???

**If a large animal, say, an elk or buffalo, jumped out in front of me (yes, it is possible. We are in Yellowstone), would it be a higher or lower resistance of impact than, say, driving into the side of a moving SUV???