Day 58: Rawlins, WY to Jeffrey City, WY (72 miles, 2777 total)

We all slept fairly well last night even though the wind did gust on and off and trains were fairly constant. It is so nice to camp on grass instead of gravel again. Our alarms went off early and we were all moving around by 5:45. Camp was packed and we rolled out by 6:45. Unfortunately, the place where we wanted to eat breakfast did not open until a few minutes after 7. What a waste of sleeping time! Shawn rolled ahead to the grocery store for breakfast but Dale, Jeff, and I decided to have a hearty breakfast since there weren't supposed to be many stops today.

We met Shawn outside the grocery (we had to backtrack a few miles since there is only 1 grocery in town) and we all stocked up on extra water, meals, and snacks. After that, we shoved off to begin our 70 mile day. The wind was not blowing too hard and sometimes even gave us a push from behind. We all rocked through the first 36 miles. Even I was laying on the cranks to hit 18 and 19 mph consistently. It was awesome. We reached the "town" of Lamont with healthy appetites and pulled in to eat and the only place that marked Lamont as a place. The owner of the café was interesting and I'll leave it at that.

With full bellies, we turned our bikes into the wind for the remaining miles of the day. The land out here can only be described as rugged beauty. The soil is sandy with various shades of green drying out to brown. Wide plains lead up to rocky mountains that jut out of the land. Some look like one giant rectangle of rock cracked into "smaller" pieces that are still larger than any 18-wheelers that pass us. Others look like they are eroding away leaving cliff-like tops above gentle slops. Pronghorn antelope and some kind of deer made several appearances today.

About 15 or so miles before arriving in Jeffrey City, we turned into the entrance for the Split Rock Historic Site. This huge rock mountain with a large V in the top served as a navigation point for those on the Oregon Trail as well as the Pony Express riders. They could see it in front of them for at least one day, and then behind them for another two. I definitely prefer to just follow the road. I'm not sure I would have made a very good pioneer, actually, I know I wouldn't have.

Clouds were darkening and lightening was flashing on the mountains ahead of us as we high-tailed it into the ghost town of Jeffrey City. Uranium mines caused a sudden explosion in the population here. Roads were formed (not paved for the most part), a school and motel were built, businesses went up, and then everything crashed. From a peak of around 5000, the population has dwindled to around 100. The streets are deserted and grass is well established in the pavement cracks of the streets that were roughly paved. It is eerie and sad to see the downfall. Before we leave tomorrow I have requested that we ride around a little more just to really see it since we are only on the edge right now.

We are staying in the Baptist Church tonight. We heard it might be a possibilty from an eastbound rider a few days ago. Otherwise, the only option is a city park with no water or restrooms.

Turns out Dale had a broken spoke today. He and Jeff are working on it while Shawn reads a day old paper he bought in Rawlins and I write the journal. We'll be sleeping on concrete tonight but at least it is inside and away from any mosquito's reach. Tomorrow is our last day before another week off for a wedding. I hope it isn't as tough to get back in the groove of things as it was after the first week off!

AKB

From Jeff: By yhe way, we crossed the Continental Divide twice more today.