R3A2 Rolff's Radical Ride Across America

Cody WY to Creekside Lodge WY 42 miles (2,756) It is impossible to put into words the amazing tapestry that God wove in my life today. Nevertheless, I hope this feeble post communicates to some degree the myriad hues that colored my life between sunrise and sunset. One of three major persons that made today's experience memorable, Chris, the owner of Joywagen Bicycle Shop in Cody: Today began innocently enough with a climb out of Cody toward Buffalo Bill Dam and Reservoir: Then, I got a flat tire - only my second flat in over 2,700 miles. Little did I know that this was but a portent of bad things to come. But, it could have been worse - at least I had a good staging area with a beautiful view in the background: Little did I know that this was but a portent of good things to come. After a couple more hours of riding, when I was about 8 miles from my overnight destination, the left arm on my bicycles crank set b...

Rest Day   0 miles (2,714) Today I spent all of the morning and a bit of the afternoon at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. This is an impressive facility with five separate but attached museums focusing on Natural History of the West, Plains Indians of the West, Buffalo Bill Cody, Western Art, and Western Rifles and Pistols.  While soaking in the paintings, sculptures, and displays in the Western Art Museum, I came across the artist in residence, Jeffrey Rudolph. We started talking about his work and when he noticed my rear view mirror the topic changed to cycling. He was once commissioned by the city of Golden Colorado to create a life sized sculpture of Levi Leipheimer - a famous cyclist against whom one of my sons raced years ago in Nevada City, California. Here is a picture of Jeffrey Rudolph holding a sculpture he made of a cyclist: He said that should I decide to purchase it, he would give me a discount and happily ship it to my home so I wouldn't ha...

Burlington WY to Cody WY 34 miles (2,714) Today I rode 34 miles to stay with this lovely couple - my warm showers hosts - Phil and Linda Cardinal - in Cody, Wyoming: My ride today started with a 5 mile, loose gravel, not-too-easy, road with some hills: (Above) Looking back at what I came up. The rest of my ride included some interesting markers and views: Stretches of lonely highway for as far as I could see: The Absaroka mountains of Yellowstone National Park looming ahead and becoming increasingly intimidating: Signs in Cody: After Phil and Linda got home from work, we joined a friend of theirs - Ryan - for an enjoyable dinner at one of their favorite restaurants:

Worland WY to Burlington WY 47 miles (2,680) This is Tom. He came into Sue's Cafe in Burlington, Wyoming, while I was having a late breakfast. He had just ridden through Yellowstone and enthusiastically told me about the cool weather, beautiful scenery, and wildlife. He also provided me with some pointers about where to camp while inside the park. Then he gave me his bear spray and showed me how to use it. I told him that I hoped I woudn't need it and that I would pass it on to another cyclist when I leave Yellowstone out the north entrance in a few days. On second thought, given the recent news regarding grizzly attacks, I better hold on to it until I leave Montana. So, now I am not going to fly home from Cody - something I was seriously considering.  This morning's view from Steve and Sue's driveway: and a few miles into my ride: I have seen numerous pronghorn antelope over the last few days, but they are dif...