Last day in Wyoming and she doesn't seem to want us to leave. First she spoils us with tailwinds and beautiful landscapes then she unleashes her wrath of wind and rain. We will press on early tomorrow in hopes of getting out of Wyoming before she fully awakens. The first 10 miles to Lusk with tailwind were wonderful then we turned north on 18/20 toward Newcastle and the wind slammed us from the north and the west. The wind in Wyoming is a bit too aggressive to be refreshing. We thought we'd likely end our day in Mule Creek Junction - 34 miles south of Newcastle - which we thought was a small town but, in fact, was no more than a rest area that was under construction. The idea of 34 more miles with the wind thrashing us around was not as appealing as an early start tomorrow. As the winds picked up in force, we tried to figure out where we could stay at this rest area. I introduced myself to Harold and Chris, 2 guys finishing the construction of the rest area. Harold offered us a ride to Edgemont to an apartment with a fridge full of beer but we explained our need to pedal each mile. Chris then offered shelter in their break trailer. So tonight, we have shelter from the wind in a cozy box with air-conditioning and junk food at our disposal. Seemed like the Ritz to us.

Today's ride brought us away from the Laramie mountains and in view of the Southern Black Hills of South Dakota. Meg worked her cutie fairy magic on some construction guys and we got to stay in their trailer for the night. It was nice to get some solid shelter after all of Wyoming's wily ways.

Along the road today we saw a violently torn body of a deer. Its image seared upon the surface of my brain. We approached the scene carefully navigating the carcass of the animal. It was hit with such force that the animal literally exploded. Its hind quarter was strewn about the road and the front half of its body, languid and limp was left staring at the safety of the fields just across the pavement.

The car has transformed society. I can only think of it as a corrosive and debilitating force that permeates our American culture. Every thing about the automobile and the internal combustion engine is violent. From the fossil fuels it consumes - bleeding the earth of its reserve, to its isolationist practice it instills in those that navigate them. This is not a diatribe against cars and engines but a note to myself on the merits of alternative transportation.