Month: June 2022

I set my alarm for 5:00 AM for an early start to beat the wind. It seems that in Wyoming as the day heats up the wind picks up. Yesterday was a struggle pedaling into the wind, today the wind will be stronger. After a motel breakfast I began my journey to Jeffery City.

The only place for food and water would be a gas station convenience store in Muddy Gap at the 3 Forks. A cyclist stopped as I was eating, a Canadian from Montreal racing this route. He leaves and as I ready to set off I see Nancy with the Tea Pot parked at the intersection. I start to text but she drives away. She gets the text and waits up the road for me to catch up.

We visit before Nancy heads to her campground near Lander, I head to my sleeping spot, a cycling hostel in Jeffery City.

The wind picks up with eight miles to go. I arrive tired from another day of battling wind. It’s now 3 PM as I open the door to the host, I see two bicycles against the wall and I add mine making three. TJ and John had arrived for the night, they are both riding east separately.

After settling in and cleaning up we walk to the cafe/bar for dinner. We chat while eating and head back for an early bedtime. It will be another early start trying to get ahead of tomorrow’s wind.

I left Saratoga Lake behind with Nancy and the doggies this morning to ride the 42 miles to Rawlins, WY. The terrain looked easy enough with no large climbs so a 10  AM start should get me there around 2 PM leaving me with a relaxing afternoon for setting up camp and seeing the town.

It wasn’t far into the ride that I began pushing into the building headwind. The forty mile per hour wind never let up, I struggled to stay on the road as the traffic buzzed by. Halfway to Rawlins I stopped at a convenience store to fuel up my tired hungry body. I watched as a motorcyclist mounted his Indian touring bike to drive away from the pump, a gust of wind tipped the motorcycle on its side. It took four of us to set it back on its wheels. I then followed the route up the on ramp of Interstate 80 to finish my ride to Rawlins.

On the Interstate I still battled the wind but I now had an 8 foot shoulder, plenty of room for the wind to push me around without coming close to the fast moving traffic. Riding up to the crest of one of the rolling hills a strong gust blew me off the shoulder onto the grass. There was a pickup pulling a large camper that also was in the path of the blast of wind, the camper almost flipped. The driver was able to get control and continue without damage.

I finally arrived in Rawlins exhausted, too tired to find a campsite and setup for the night. I rolled into a motel and got a room.

Today I feel better and so I will ride to Saratoga, WY., 70 miles away..Nancy will also get a campsite at the Saratoga Lake Campground. She now has come down with the cold I am getting over so she plans to stay two days there before heading out.

Leaving Walden is mostly dropping in elevation before climbing into Wyoming. The scenery is also changing, the hills and plants are a nice visual change.

The crossing into Wyoming was not photo worthy.

Eleven miles before Riverside, WY. was under major construction. The road was scarified and single lane, I was riding a bike so I was allowed to go ahead while dozens of cars were waiting for the pilot car to lead them through.

Once in the small town of Riverside I was hot, hungry, and thirsty. The grocery store had a porch swing so I sat and devoured a pint of ice cream and two bottles of ice tea. I also got to visit with the townspeople.

The last twenty miles to Saratoga Lake Campground was a bit windy and rolling. These miles went by quickly before riding down Main Street on the last two miles of today. I am now at camp enjoying the breezy blowing across the lake.

I decided to stay another day in Walden to rest up, visit the Arapaho Wildlife Reserve, and to go over my bike to replace worn components. I also took a nap to help with the cold.

I felt like my cold was not getting better so I decided to stay an extra day in Hot Sulphur Springs so I could sleep, hoping to feel better on the 62 miles ride to Walden. Nancy left her campsite a day early, brought cold remedies and food to the motel and stayed with me. We also needed to update and change our next campsites. Today I woke up still not feeling good but decided to try riding to Walden. The first 25 mile are climbing up and over Willow Creek Pass, 9,683 feet elevation. Along this route I pass through an area that was burned in the wildfires two years ago.

Once crossing the Divide back to the Atlantic slope I began the drop into Rand, Co. Still not feeling well, I’ve been struggling all day, stopped at a small gift shop and bought a Dr. Pepper and snack food. I have 30 miles to Walden. Five miles later I begin to feel better and have more energy, my coughing is now productive.

I begin to see the town off in the distance, 5 miles away, it is now 6 PM. I get into town and connect with Nancy at the Granite Corner RV campground. I put my bike away and unload the gear. Then we go into town for a nice dinner.

Yesterday I was hanging around camp so we hiked, laid our next sleeping site, and just relaxed.

I woke up today feeling like I have a chest cold. I will ride to Hot Sulphur Springs and sleep in a motel that I reserved. I’m riding an easy short day because a thunderstorm is coming through late afternoon and being inside a room while it’s raining will be warm and comfortable. After breakfast and packing  I headed out across the dam while Nancy and Moe drove to the parking area below the dam to climb down into the gorge to hike along the Colorado River.

While heading into Kremling I got caught in a short passing rain and hail shower. Once in town I ordered a pizza slice and pint of ice cream, my can of spinach. Four very young men from Delaware walked over to ask about my trip. A young woman, also from Delaware, stopped to listen before coming over to announce that she also was from there. We talked as I finished off the pint before we all went our ways with smiles on our faces.

A few miles out I met a couple riding and doing a short tour of Colorado, they live in Denver. Then maybe five miles later I met another loaded cyclist heading toward me. This cyclist is from Arkansas and is riding to Silver Springs to connect with a friend and then they will head to Montana.

Close to Sulphur Spring I begin to hear thunder in the distance followed by rain. I got wet the last few miles riding to the Ute Trail Motel. This is a very nice and friendly place within a few hundred feet of a small local dairy bar.

I left Breckinridge behind after another lengthy and pleasant conversation with Tim Paynter, the WarmShower host I stayed last night with. I fell asleep after a fabulous home cooked clam chowder bread bowl dinner. Thank you again, Tim.

I rode the bike path out of town to Frisco and then to Silverthorne, a nice alternative to the busy route 9.

Back on route 9 heading to Heeney to a campground Elliot Creek on the Green Mountain Reservoir where I will spend the night with Nancy.

A nice quiet place to be in the Rocky Mountains.

Leaving Guffey was leaving the past.

This early start was cool and wind free so the miles were comfortable and went by quickly. I was beginning the see the mountains in the distance that would be under my wheels later in the day.

The passing rain shower passed right over and dropped rain, I got wet.

I stopped and had breakfast in Hartsel, CO. at a wonderful small town cafe/bar. Dave and D came in and sat next to my table, D is one of a five group of over seventy rider on the TransAM. This is. His rest day so he is in the crew car with Dave bring the gear to their sleep stop in FairPlay.

I am riding to Breckinridge to stay at a Warmshowers hosted by Tim so the next miles would be slow as I climb to 11,542 feet elevation over Hoosier Pass.

Nancy drove me to where I got off route, she brought her propane tank to be topped off. I forgot my cap and coffee cup, so she went back to the campsite with the tank to bring me my items left behind. Upon her return we had breakfast at My Sister’s Place.

Once back on route I dropped into the valley to pick up route 9 that will bring me to the small town of Guffey, CO. This will be where I sleep tonight.

Today is a short mile day, 24 miles. Climbing back out of the valley was most of this day’s ride, but the sun was out, I had no headwind, and the views were wonderful.

Once in Guffey I met Bill, the host and Ken, his assistant on the roadside working on a large carved sign. Bill pointed to the building I would be sleeping in. This is an old gold rush town and I am staying in the building prospectors brought their gold to sell.

Main Street is a museum of the old buildings.

Today Nancy and I took a four hour rafting tour of the Royal Gorge on the Arkansas River. The water was high from all the snow melt off the mountains so we enjoyed class 4 rapids.

Back at our campsite we had visitors, twelve Mule Deer.