The rundown -- Pinedale, WY
The wind in Wyoming did not disappoint, although I managed to push through. Today is day 3 in the wind, and I'm sick of it.
As promised, I took off from Rawlins around 6 AM and headed out on my highway detour around the basin. Almost as soon as I got out it started blowing, mostly a crosswind out of the southwest. My goal was a place called Jeffrey City, an old mining town about 70 miles out. The first 50 miles weren't bad, but by 3 the wind was blowing so hard I saw a tour bus almost fishtail when it changed direction. Sometimes I was down in my granny gear spinning through the biggest gusts.
Yesterday actually wasn't bad in the morning. I was out at 6 again, and this time the wind didn't pick up right away. I stopped for a snack at Sweetwater, where there was a Mormon mission having to do with a bunch of folks who died trying to get to Salt Lake City late in the season. I had 50 miles by 11:30, was feeling good, and turned the corner toward South Pass thinking I'd be into South Pass City for second lunch. But I was off the Adventure Cycling maps, and it turned out the road I was on had what had to have been a 3000 foot climb. That hurt. By the time I got over the top it was blowing 30 miles an hour right in my face. So I ended up just hunkered down at a wayside listening to the Wyoming flag snapping in the wind.
I got up this morning and the first thing I heard was that flag -- still snapping. But, miracles do happen. The wind had switched direction and was pushing straight east! So I got about 45 miles today before it switched to a crosswind and started blowing hard again. And now I'm holed up in Pinedale, with only one more wind day to go I think. A hot shower, a hot meal, and the internet in the nicest library I've been in yet. All is well in the world.
As promised, I took off from Rawlins around 6 AM and headed out on my highway detour around the basin. Almost as soon as I got out it started blowing, mostly a crosswind out of the southwest. My goal was a place called Jeffrey City, an old mining town about 70 miles out. The first 50 miles weren't bad, but by 3 the wind was blowing so hard I saw a tour bus almost fishtail when it changed direction. Sometimes I was down in my granny gear spinning through the biggest gusts.
Yesterday actually wasn't bad in the morning. I was out at 6 again, and this time the wind didn't pick up right away. I stopped for a snack at Sweetwater, where there was a Mormon mission having to do with a bunch of folks who died trying to get to Salt Lake City late in the season. I had 50 miles by 11:30, was feeling good, and turned the corner toward South Pass thinking I'd be into South Pass City for second lunch. But I was off the Adventure Cycling maps, and it turned out the road I was on had what had to have been a 3000 foot climb. That hurt. By the time I got over the top it was blowing 30 miles an hour right in my face. So I ended up just hunkered down at a wayside listening to the Wyoming flag snapping in the wind.
I got up this morning and the first thing I heard was that flag -- still snapping. But, miracles do happen. The wind had switched direction and was pushing straight east! So I got about 45 miles today before it switched to a crosswind and started blowing hard again. And now I'm holed up in Pinedale, with only one more wind day to go I think. A hot shower, a hot meal, and the internet in the nicest library I've been in yet. All is well in the world.
posted by Mike at 3:19 PM
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