b'Day 31JUNE 28We leave Sheridan at 5:20 AM to get a good chunk of riding out of the way before the heat becomes unbearable. After a long climb past the town of Clearmont, the road follows the tracks of the Burlington Northern railroad. There is nothing here. Nothing. The empty roads are a good place for me to practice getting used to my splint and aero bars. A bandana shields my neck from the midday sun. I check the thermometer in my handlebar bag and it reads 100 degrees. There are antelope grazing in fields that appear to be filled with nothing but rocks. After 70 miles of riding the gentle climbs and descents on this ribbon of pavement called Highway 14-16, we see an iconic Standard Oil sign atop a hill in the distance. We hope and pray that there is some sign of life. Anything. It is the Spotted Horse Bar! And inside is the equivalent of our personal Holy Trinityair conditioning, food, and water. The place doubles as a museum of collectibles an antique bike, a clock, a mailbox, and dozens of vintage road signs enhance the decor. We take our time playing billiards and rehydrating with ice water, and are in no rush to brave the suffocating heat outside. The barkeep seems to be more of a caretaker, since anybody who comes into the joint walks right around the bar to help himself. Around lunchtime, a couple of locals arrive (local being a relative term) and we are told that the closest hotel or place to camp is in Gillette, 37 miles away. A rancher who stops in for a Coke offers to give us a ride. We have already biked over 70 miles on this day and its 100 degrees outside. We take him up on his offer. BEGIN: Sheridan, WYI check the thermometer and it readsEND: Gillette, WY DISTANCE: 74.11 miles100 degrees. Off in the distance,TRIP TOTAL: 1,533 milesantelope graze in fields that appear to be filled with nothing but rocks.27'