Day 52 - June 24 - Rawlins, WY to Jeffrey City, WY - Two Old Guys Take On A Continent

June 24, 2023

Day 52 - June 24 - Rawlins, WY to Jeffrey City, WY

Everyone Knows It’s Windy!

John’s Story

Today’s theme songs:

47 degrees with a 40 mph wind does not make for a fun wake up and get out of the sleeping bag event. We gathered ourselves together, went to the only restaurant in Rawlings open before 7:00 AM for a hot breakfast, and hit the road. The best riding of the day was the 4 miles from camp to the diner with the wind at our backs.

The worst riding of the day was the first hour after breakfast. The wind was ferocious, a quartering headwind. The truck traffic was heavy. We were riding uphill. Each time a semi passed us there was a threefold punch. First, the bow wave of the truck tried to push us off the road to the right. Second, as the truck body passed we were sucked to the left in the truck’s wind shadow. Third, as the truck cleared us it’s tailwind pushed us every which way. It was a white knuckle experience.

After a few hours the wind started to calm down some. I kept hoping for the route to turn from northwest to a more northerly course to get away from the west wind. It finally did, but the wind turn out of the north, too. We just couldn’t win! At last, after 48 miles, we turned back to the northwest and then west at Muddy Gap, and the wind had died down and shifted more northeast. The last 22 miles were the best riding of the day.

Not all the rocks were flat lying as we left Rawlins. Things started looking more like the Rocky Mountain West.

See all those triangular shapes in the mountains in the distance. Those are called flatirons and show that the rock layers are dipping toward the viewer.

We crossed the Continental Divide north of Rawlins, but just into the closed Great Divide Basin, not into a drainage to the Pacific.

We met two bikers from the Netherlands. Ryk and Stijn started at Cannon Beach, Oregon and are headed to Washington, DC.

Rest break. That winding road in the distance comes down from the Continental Divide.

Our luncheon stop. None of the controls for the road closure equipment were locked. Anyone could come and close the highway if they wished. The buildings that aren’t there are downtown Lamont. I knew that this spelled higher elevations ahead.

From Lamont we climbed back up to the Continental Divide on the north side of the Great Divide Basin. The climb was followed by a many miles long downhill, but the headwind meant we still had to pedal.

This and the following picture are of Split Rock, a famous landmark on the Oregon Trail. It was also the site of a Pony Express station.

This storm was building up as we approached Jeffrey City, but it quickly fell apart.

I found numerous new (I think) flowers today.

A two-fer. We’ve seen the plant with the yellow flowers for days but I finally got a picture of one.

When I reached Jeffrey City I was a bit confused about where to turn to the bicycle hostel. The GPS directed me to turn down a sandy doubletrack. As I stood there pondering I saw four people walking toward me on the track. I had heard from both Ryk and Stijn and a motorcyclist at Muddy Gap that there were four cyclists about an hour ahead of us. I figured it was them, and it was. I turned in and introduced myself. They pointed behind them to the church at the end of the track and told me the entrance to the hostel was around back. About that time Ed caught up with me, and we went to the church.

The Jeffrey City Community Church, our home for the night.

I checked. There is a church upstairs. I like their furnace.

Many of the walls in the basement of the church are covered with graffiti from bikers past.

We dropped off our bikes and walked back out the track and up the road to the Split Rock Bar and Cafe, where we found the other four bikers. We are all headed to the same destination, so we will probably be seeing more of them in the days to come.

Michael, Paul, Jay and Dan are headed to Astoria, Oregon.

Tonight will be in my sleeping bag on an air mattress in a room in the basement of the church. Luxury!

Ed’s Story

It was very windy overnight and that really cooled the temperature down. I delayed getting out of the tent for as long as possible in the night due to the wind.

We decided that we would not be able to cook in the wind and went to a 24 hour restaurant in Rawlins, Penny’s. I had pancakes and sausage, well, gave John the sausage, and coffee.

When we left the fun began. For the next 70 miles it was hills and wind and wind and hills. For me, there’s really not much more to say.

We stopped for lunch at the 36 mile point in Lamont, Wyoming. Lamont is just a name. There is nothing there. The only thing I saw was a restaurant that no longer existed. We ate our lunch on the side of the road.

There were no services for the first 48 miles, until we reached the convenience store at the Muddy Gap Junction. Refreshed ourselves with an OJ and a snack. 22 miles to go from Muddy Gap.

We rode on and stopped at the Split Rock historical site. I’m sure John has already put in the pictures and discussed it.

Fifteen miles later, with a head wind, climbing most of the time, we reached Jeffrey City. We are staying at a church whose basement has been converted into a bike hostel. Although not as fancy as the house in Saratoga, there is a kitchen, a shower, and bedrooms with air mattresses.

We unloaded our bikes in the room and walked to the bar and grill located about half a mile away. I had a beer or two and a green salad. I will eat when I get back to the church. I have food I bought previously that I can eat.

Tomorrow is 59 miles to Lander, Wyoming. We will be staying at an RV park there. Initial review shows that the wind will not be as severe as it was today.

I did not take any pictures today. I was too busy trying to keep my bike upright in the wind. Hopefully tomorrow will be different.

Until then happy biking!

Today's ride: 70 miles (113 km)
Total: 1,627 miles (2,618 km)

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Kelly IniguezThat is a long ride in tough conditions! You will sleep well tonight. Great job.
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