Day 30: To Afton

August 30, 2013

I got up at 8 and on the road at 9:10. Today should be an easy day. Just 35 miles, gently upstream. To go farther I would have to pedal another 32 miles with a 1400 foot climb to the next lodging. So today will be an easy 35 mile day, not a difficult 67 mile day.

The day started sunny but by late morning the sky was cloudy. After a couple miles I stopped to put on tights and add a Woolie thermal layer. Temperature was 60F. Chilly with a perpetual headwind and no sun.

I took a rest up against false storefronts next to a closed restaurant. It was the only shelter from the relentless cold wind.

False storefronts for tourists. The only good shelter from wind. The restaurant was closed.

US 89 has a good shoulder but traffic is heavy. The area is relatively populated with farms and rural subdivisions. The area is called the Star Valley. I stayed in Wyoming all day but was very close to the Idaho state line.

I had lunch at the only cafe in the little farm town of Thayne.

I had frequent views of the Salt river. It wasn't unusual to see fishing boats drifting in the river. The valley is fairly wide and flat, so there are many farms.

At about noon the clouds suddenly broke up and the temperature rose dramatically. The high temperature was 84F. It's getting slightly warmer as I travel south.

After an easy day's ride I arrived in Afton, Wyoming (6420 feet elevation) at 2:15 PM. I got a room for $78 at the Lazy B motel. In the middle of town, with a fridge and microwave. I washed all my clothes at a laundromat for the second time this tour.

The world's largest "elk horn arch" is made with 3000 elk antlers. Elk don't have horns.

A big sign says that Afton's municipal water supply is the world's largest cold geyser, just a few miles out of town. The most visible attraction is the World's Largest Elkhorn Arch. Afton is an attractive low key tourist town. A nice place to spend the night.

Today had a few sprinkles during the cloudy morning. But no real rain, thunder, or lightning.

Today was a fairly easy day. 35 miles, gently upstream, with a headwind. Finishing the ride early allows me to take a nap for a couple hours before dinner. That helps me be more rested for tomorrow when I have to climb Salt River pass.

Distance: 35.5 miles (57 km)
Climbing: 977 feet (296 m)
Average Speed: 10.7 mph (17 km/h)

Today's ride: 36 miles (58 km)
Total: 1,491 miles (2,400 km)

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