Day 75 (July 28). Eastern Wyoming

From: Laramie, WY

To: Bill, WY

Miles today: 173

Total miles: 15302

I left Laramie on US 287 north, and after about 25 miles branched off onto the much smaller WY 34.  This route turned out to be great for two reasons.  The first was that it was quite scenic; it twisted its way through a range of low hills (not really mountains), which look quite different than most of the high plains in this region.  The second is that those hills provided some protection against the wind.  It was very empty, and I cruised along at a relaxed speed and enjoyed the ride.

Panorama shot of WY 34 roadside

All good things must end, and WY 34 dumped me into I-25, which I took north to the town of Douglas.  The speed limit here was 80 mph, and while the road itself was pretty straight, those crosswinds kept me well below that limit.  Fortunately it was divided highway, so the big trucks could easily get around me.  At Douglas, I turned north on WY 59, a route that runs through Thunder Basin National Grassland (TBNG), one of the reasons I am in Wyoming.  As the afternoon wore on, the winds got even fiercer, and traffic was a lot heavier on this two-lane road than it was on WY 34 this morning.  A lot of vehicles passed me (all with four or more wheels). I did see, on this road, an 18-wheeler in a ditch being tended to by some large tow trucks.  No curves on that stretch; I really think it was the wind that did it.  It was that strong.

Windy!

Mentally as well as physically fatigued by this battle, I pulled off into the town of Bill, Wyoming, at the south end of the TBNG.  Bill is composed of a very nice truck stop and nothing else.  (My room is a lot better than the one I had in Laramie, and the diner is open 24 hours!)  I am hoping that the winds will be calmer in the morning, which will give me a better chance of enjoying TBNG.  From there I will head east to the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Big Sky.  What much of eastern Wyoming looks like.