This will copy post before I can add the details.
We will start with the difference between a Basin and a Valley.
A valley is a lower area of land surr by hills or Mountains and usually has one main river/stream running through it.
A Basin is usually a depression in geology that has water drain into it but not out of it.
I am in Basin and Range country now.
Awoke late I did. 5:50, it was cool, and there was condensation on the fly. My bag was fine, but the sun was just about to come over the rim ready to do its part in drying things out. I wanted to do real breakfast in Cody, but that was 35 miles away at least, so I did coffee and a first breakfast of ramen noodles. Yes, ramen noodles. This time I didn’t “cook” them, but I poured hot waterer into an empty dehydrated food bag and dropped the broken noodles and the spice packet in, sealed it, and then put that in my bubble wrap mailer, and let that sit for 10 minutes. It’s better to cook them, but this is less clean-up.
On my way out I met the other “cyclists” in the campground. The two Scotts, as in Scott 1 and Scott 2. They were Eastbound traveling the TransAmerica Route which is meant to be a rail trail across the US when it’s completed, but here in rail-trail-less Wyoming they are on Route 20. Scott 2 he’d 3 flats yesterday and figured out there was a tiny sliver of metal that pierced his rear tire. Couldn’t remove it so he put something in the tire to cover it and fingers crossed. Their day today was short to Cody to take in the rodeo, and maybe hit a bike shop Monday.
I was still in the Shoshone River canyon which was opening up more and more and would eventually dump into the Buffalo Bill Reservoir, the first major reclamation project created to hold water for irrigation in the basins that I would soon be riding through. It was cool, and there were some dodgy sections with rock in the should from the canyon walls, but at least the shoulder was 6’ wide. The road was twisty curvy as the river was also twisty curvy. Eventually I was directed off 20 onto Stagecoach. I stopped and gave it some thought. I didn’t really need to leave 20, but I decided to take it and get a different perspective on the valley that opened before me.
Apparently Buffalo Bill Cody was instrumental in lobbying for the reclamation act and getting the Shoshone Riverr Project funded. Irrigationtion changed the basin, and it changed the lives of the people that lived and farmed there. They started to make a living.
There are 3 tunnels after the Dam, and I was set to go through them. There was no alternative mentioned in the Route descriptions. Until I stopped at the Dam visitor center that is. You can ask and they will open a gate that gives you access to the service road outside of the tunnels. It’s a very steep drop, so I am not sure West Bounders would like it, but it does beat the tunnel. Anyhow, the river gorge was beautiful and there is access to it at the other end, and I saw many, including one unicycle, out for nice Sunday morning stroll along the Shoshone River.
By the time I got into downtown Cody it was 10:45 and the place I picked for breakfast wouldn’t serve off the breakfast menu any longer. So, other the breakfast buffet for 15 minutes, or wait and order lunch. I should have gone elsewhere but I was in need so I loaded up a plate at the buffet and that was that.