Day 40 – Monday, June 29, 2009
Start: Rock Springs, WY
End: Limon, CO
Trip Miles Today: 497
Total Trip Miles: 10254
I feel really good about today and the route I took. By getting off Interstate 80 near Rawlings and heading south into Colorado, I was able to entirely change the character of the ride. My route took me off of the Interstate by 8:30 in the morning (yea!). Near the small town of Wamsutter I turned south on Wyoming Route 789 toward the Colorado border and the small town of Craig, CO. This portion took me through high desert and across the Continental Divide for the first of 4 times today. By the time I entered Craig, the terrain had transformed from the Wyoming High desert browns and reds to the Colorado lush greens. A VERY refreshing change. In Craig I turned East on US 40. Next location of note was the ski town of Steamboat Springs, CO. Steamboat is a little bit artsy and touristy but still with a taste of the old west. From Steamboat the Route 40 goes seriously uphill and into the Routt National Forest. The segment from Steamboat to Kremmling was the surprise and delight of the day for scenery. Forested mountainsides, alpine lakes and more. Then it was on to Granby, Grand Lake and Route 34 through the Rocky Mountain National Park. Pictures do not do these places justice, you must visit! Aside from about 15 miles of construction, near the West entrance, the Park was just about perfect. I also had my closest ever encounter with Elk. They were actually grazing in the roadway. After leaving the park I passed through Estes Park then continued on through Bolder, Denver and (sadly) out of the mountains and into the prairie. After Denver I joined I-70 and proceeded to Limon, CO, my overnight digs. I say sadly because there is a lot of flat and seeming featureless country before me as I proceed across Eastern Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri. I will be on Interstate 70 for well over 1000 miles before I exit in Pennsylvania some 4 days hence. The trip total miles is now over 10,000 and that seems like a real trek. Someday it will make me tired just thinking about it. But not yet. I’m beginning to get amped up to just pound out miles and get home. Thanks again for letting me share this little adventure with you. Jack
You can see lots more pictures from my trip at http://jackb1.smugmug.com
The 2009 Ride to Alaska for The Austin Hatcher Foundation is supported by RevZilla.com , Philly's Premier Destination Motorcycle Gear and Apparel store and by Hermy's Cycles of Port Clinton, PA.
1 comments:
We weren't too far from each other Monday Jack. I almost rode up to Estes Park Monday but a friend and I decided to ride up to Breckenridge instead. From Breckenridge we went south to Fairplay, east to Woodland Park, north to Conifer and back to Denver. We were further south than you.
--Clyde
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