Tour de Wyoming begins Sunday

Starting on July 16, 350 people from across and outside the U.S. will take a 400-mile journey across Wyoming in the 21st annual Tour de Wyoming. Among those riding in the event are Ron Philips and Kevin Mahoney.

Philips said this will be the 19th tour he’s done. He missed the first one, and had to bow out of the 2015 ride due to having shoulder surgery. Philips noted his son, Gavin, rode with him on the tour beginning at age 14, and continued to participate in it until he was well into college.

To train for the event, Philips bikes about 90 minutes a day, hitting every hill in town, and to Worland and back on the weekends.

Philips was also a member of the tour planning committee for about 10-12 years, and so is guaranteed a spot on the tour. He explained registration for the event opened in March, and likely closed within an hour due to the number of entries. The choices for those who get to go on the tour is then done by random lottery, except for those guaranteed spots.

Philips noted everyone wants a spot on the ride in Wyoming, and many have commented on the beautiful scenery they see in the state, though there are a lot of uphill climbs. The tour is something of a “rolling Boy Scout camp,” he joked, as there are people riding that may only see each other that one time. Those people come from as far as California or Florida in the States, but also from Great Britain, Canada, Russia or even Australia.

The tour lasts six days, beginning in Cheyenne, and this year’s route will see riders doing: 73 miles to Wheatland the first day, 80 miles to Rock River the second, 76 miles to Saratoga the third, 62 miles up Battle Pass and back to Saratoga the fourth, 83 miles to Laramie the fifth and 49 miles back to Cheyenne the final day.

Philips said they try to plan for a century day on the tour, doing at least 100 miles in on day, but this year didn’t allow for it.

Of course, the riders aren’t out there on their own, as a support known as a “sag vehicle” comes along to transport riders’ bags and offer rides if bikes happen to break down, riders encounter bad weather or they are simply not able to make the entire day’s ride. Philips noted some do choose to ride on, even in adverse weather.

Break areas manned by volunteers are also set up every 15 miles, providing food, drink, shade, porta-potties and hand washing stations.

Stops each evening are done at town schools, utilizing the gymnasium or football field for camping. Philips said people can make hotel reservations if they choose, but the sag vehicle is scheduled to be at the school, those with hotel rooms are required to lug their own bags from the vehicle to wherever they’re staying. Also, the official start time for each day is 6 a.m. and all riders are responsible to have their bags on the vehicle no later than 8 a.m.

For those looking to take on the Tour de Wyoming, or do any long distance biking across the state, Philips advises taking food and water, riding on the shoulder, using a rearview mirror to see traffic and being as visible as possible to drivers. Riders should also have with them equipment to fix flat tires or other bike issues.