GDT - Day 18 A&M to Rawlins

Mon. Aug. 08, 2016

Start - 7250'
High pt  approx 7174'
Lo pt 6500'?
End Elv 6750'
Climbing  1000'?

Miles 58
Total time 6:15 hrs
Ride time 5:21
Day with BOB 17

Crossed Continental divide 1 time to escape the Great Divide Basin 

The emptiness and headwinds continued, at least for the first 15 miles bearing south. Gravel county road was in good condition fortunately. A turn east onto Mineral X Rd was much better wind wise, helping a bit on the 25 miles of empty pavement; I saw but one vehicle in the first 20ish miles ( a UPS truck no less) and no dwellings. Played leap frog with James from Milwaukee along the way. My quiet musing in solitude were quickly replaced by the roar of 18 wheelers and leviathon sized RVs as the route rejoined US 287 for a 6 mile climb to my next divide crosing, followed by a 11 mile windy ride down to Rawlins to meet Dennis and Karen.

After scouting the RV campgrounds (all along I80) and seeing the weather forecast of sustained 30+ mph winds, they decided it was a hotel night to shower, laundry up, resupply, enjoy a restaurant,  and hide from Wyoming's persistent blowing.

Not many pictures today, I could easily recycle earlier ones. Looks like another day or two before regaining both mountains and trees, and what I hope is more mentally entertaining  terrain, winds, and views.

Day 16 Plus - Sweetwater Respite

Given the long milage planned for the next day, and after 2 50 plus mile days with a healthy dose of WY wind, I decided to take a day off at our bucolic Sweetwater Oasis. After traveling slong the Mormon, Oregon, and California trails, I muse that I am appeciating the Sweetwater much like those migrants of long ago.

We also stopped by the Mormon Handcart disaster memorial, where 13 members of the Willy Company perished in a blizzard after starting too late across the great plains pulling hand carts. A faith filled Mormon elder docent added much color (and a little prothelytizing)  to our visit, as did the 150 Mormon youth i. Period gaeb on a pilgrimage to the sacred place. They pull handcart for several days, with limited supplies to relive what those faithful immigrants experienced during that fateful migration.

 
We took a day trip to the Lander area, going through Atlantic City again. There are number of interesting buildings there as well a neighborly political squabble we got to experience via signs and posters (attached below). The first is typical political yard sign, on the left side of the road to boot.
The next 2 are more, errr,  custom signs, on the right side of the road, and political spectrum.
After getting lunch, food and bike parts in Lander, we drove up to Sinks Canyon State Park. Here the Popo Agie river disappears into the mountain side and reappears as a large spring a quarter mile down canyon and 2 hours later, with more water than went in. A very nice canyon overall, should head back there and camp and explore more someday.

GDT Day 17 - Sweetwater to A&M Reservoir

Sun Aug. 08, 2016

Start - 7500?
High pt  
Lo pt
End Elv 7500
Climbing 500'?

Miles 69.3
Total time 8:45
Ride time 7:20
Day with BOB 16
Another divide crossing today

Empty

Empty

Empty Country

that I passed through today. I am like the many others over the decades and centuries that have passed through, though very few stay as there is little hold one here.
No water, no trees, little food, few resources to make a go of it. It is a region to get through, a barrier to overcome, a penance to be done, to reach a better place.

Only saw a few vehicles today; I saw but one dwelling, and even it is only used part time as it is a cow camp. There are no old buildings, sheltering forgone dreams as they decay back into the earth, unlike the other formally populated vales with vast expanses previously seen along the route.

Water - there was but one place to get water today, at Diagnus well, 12 miles into the 69 miles route. Fortunately for me, Dennis and Karen caught up with me right about noon for a refill, food and conversation.

I got an early start (for me) today and glad I did, as the weather called for a chance of t-strorms. I was worried about road conditions if wet as we had stories about gripper clay in parts of the Grest Divide Basin. I dodged a huge and ominous storm, though at first I was not sure if it was heading along my route or more tangentially. It did give me motivation a boost to try to avoid. I thought I had  dodged all of the smaller cells, but got hit less than a mile from camp. Karen said I missed the hail - I think that I took a break in order to not to ride onto that cell.

There are 4 other riders camping at A&M tonight, straggling in after dealing with stprma or dodging them. We fall into the easy conversations of comrades in our adventures. Dennis feeds some while we catch up on today's ride and storms, routes, other days rides, and our personal stories. Meeting folks from all over; tonight have Andrew and James from Milwaukee, Rob from Cleveland, and Alfonso from Mexico City.

After crossing the divide today, I entered the Great Divide Basin. I now have the Continental Divide west, east, north and south of me. While I hope tomorrow I will escape the Basin, no sutface water can (not that it seems to get much, today's storms not withstanding).

Today ride set a some high water marks for me.

Longest mileage day on a mtn bike - ever

Longest mileage and duration day with the BOB