to Lovell: Over the Big Horn Mountains

September 18, 2017

Pearl has offered to give us a ride up the Big Horn Mountains today and we accepted. We feel just a little bad about skipping the climb, but we quickly get over that once we start driving the 30 kilometer unrelenting uphill. The road gains about 1200 meters to get onto the plateau. Another good reason is the weather forecast.

Today is supposed to be nice with sun and temperatures in the upper sixties, but tomorrow another storm is predicted with colder temps and rain. Our original plan would have had us camping up high tonight before descending down the other side of the mountains the next day. Neither of those activities would be much fun in a cold rain. On the way up we see a woman cycling with loaded bike. We stop to talk with her; she looks cold and is “waiting for the downhill”. A little ways on, we see her partner, Patrick rolls down the window and gives an encouraging “you’re doing great”. They are headed for Lovell and plan on camping, so maybe we’ll have a beer together later.

Another benefit of taking the ride is that we get to see the Medicine Wheel Monument. At the highest point of the road we take a smaller side road for a couple of miles to a parking area. By then we are way above the snowline. From the parking lot we hike about two kilometers to the monument. This place is used by several tribes for their ceremonies. A large stone circle with radiating spokes from a central rock pile is laid out on the hill top. The area is fenced off, but you can easily walk around and see the wheel, even when it is mostly covered in snow like now. We feel lucky to have seen this before winter covers it up completely.

Pearl drops us off at the main road. We bundle up in a lot of clothes, our windproof raingear and waterproof socks to keep out the biting wind. What a great chance meeting with Pearl a first re-encounter with our friend at home. Downhill we go! For about 10 miles we have 10% grades or steeper, dropping ever further down to a wide plain below. It gets warmer quickly; we stop for lunch and shed our windproof layers. After crossing a large reservoir we can look back on the Big Horn Mountains and the impressive Big Horn Canyon. Someday we’d like to come back here to camp and maybe see the wild mustangs and big horn sheep.

Lovell has a nice city park set-up for campers. There are mostly gravel RV sites and a few tent sites, but no grass. We pick the picnic shelter, move the table and pitch our tent under cover. Rain is forecast for tonight. The park also offers a nice restroom building and hot showers, all for free, asking for donations. While we were driving up the mountain this morning we passed a couple cycling. We briefly spoke with them and were told they were headed here, but we do not see them. We assumed they have decided to get a motel room to get out of the wind. It is much warmer down here though so we decide to save our motel dollars for another day. After tying off our tent to the picnic table so it will still be there when we return we walk to the town center and find a bar for some nice brews and a burger. After that it is early into the tent to read our books.

Great view looking east over the Big Horn Mountains.

Saying "Goodbye" to Pearl. We'll see her again soon in Boise.

Big downhill out of the Big Horn Mountains.

The plains of Wyoming ahead of us as we roll down the mountain.

Amazing how the Big Horn Mountains just rise up from the plains of both sides.

Back on the flat, fighting the wind towards Lovell.

Today's ride: 53 km (33 miles)
Total: 39,708 km (24,659 miles)

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