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Borrego Springs, CA
Showing posts with label Rawlins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rawlins. Show all posts

Friday, October 15, 2010

The warning signs were correct!

Have you ever noticed how out West the road caution signs may say ‘Possible High Winds Next 5 Miles', and then when you get to the end of the 5 miles, another similar sign is posted?  Why don’t they just say Possible High Winds Next 100 Miles?  I always feel a sense of relief after having made it through the first five miles, but then a feeling of dread as another sign appears.  I’d rather know right off how many miles I need to be on guard!  That’s how the last 25 or so miles of my 200+ mile journey went today.  At least the winds were mostly a tail wind, for a change, and I stopped before they really got out of control.
IMG_6219I ended up in Rawlins, WY, at the Western Hills Campground.  This place is one huge gravel parking lot, but there is a dog run, it’s very level, and it’s an only slightly difficult approach because of construction from I-80.  By the time I got to this exit, I was ready to pack it in!  :)

RICK, has commented that he would like to see a lot of pictures of Wyoming since he and Paulette haven’t been to this area.  Well, I have to tell you that I didn’t have many photo opportunities today.  I’m not one of those people who can drive this big rig and take photos at the same time.  The places that I did stop to refresh weren’t exactly scenic.  :)  The first 100 miles heading East from Evanston kind of reminded me of the Badlands of South Dakota.  Not as spectacular, but austere in their own way.  After that is was a rolling terrain of sage brush and buttes.  Quite a few of those buttes had me chugging along with my warning flashers going as I slowly made it up to the summits.  I think I crossed the continental divide three times today, and am presently at an elevation that is close to 7000’.  I’m guessing that it will get a little nippy tonight.
IMG_6216This is the view across the street from the campground and looking to the West along I-80.
IMG_6217And to the East, pretty much more of the same.  The dried grasses all appear golden in the setting sun, and the hills (or mountains) retain that soft look from afar even though it is a rather harsh environment.  I don’t know if this is considered the high plains or the high desert.
IMG_6222Whatever it is, it makes for some long shadows of this woman and her dog.  :)  (we kind of look like pin heads, don’t we?)

Since we’re less than 150 miles from Cheyenne, I’m thinking of maybe pressing on to the Denver area tomorrow.  You know how fulltimer’s plans are though…wiggly like Jell-O!  The winds have calmed some as the sun has gone down, so maybe I won’t pull in my big slide tonight as I thought I might.  We’ll see.

Thanks for stopping by….talk to you later,  Judy