Stage 30 - Rawlins WY, 109mi (175km)

First of all I would like to thank all of my followers and those sending me encouraging messages on my blog or by email. I am thrilled that my journey has kept your attention and I am very grateful about it. It has been four intensive and hard weeks, which I could not have achieved with persistence and my determination to reach the Pacific. Riding the bike has never been so adventurous and challenging, but I can tell, that even riding my bike every day between 6 -10 hours, I still like it – sometimes more, sometimes less;-)

I got up this morning at 6AM, prepared all my gears, ate breakfast in my room and left the Motel at 7AM. 

It was a beautiful morning, with a slight wind in my favor coming from SSW. After 20 minutes of riding, I got a flat tire due to a tiny little piece of glass. I have been fortunate so far as this was only my second flat tire so far.

I rode to the end of North Park and over the hill to the new country beyond. After a while, I entered my seventh state, Wyoming. 

Here the land is vast and empty. Big skies, deserted roads, just me and my bike. My route through Wyoming falls into two parts. In the South, where I am now, the dominating factor is the wind. Its strength and direction determine whether the riding is quick and easy or protracted and painful. Today, for example, the wind was from the SSW. I was riding mainly north, with a tail wind, which was a blast today, even with two segments heading west, which was less fine. 

It took 30min to climb this hill

Salt Basin

In the second, northern part of Wyoming, beyond Togwotee Pass (9’656 feet or 2,943m above sea level), lie the great national parks of Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Here I can expect spectacular scenery, high prices, and hordes of holidaymakers. The roads in Wyoming will be worse than any previously experienced on this trip. Up to and including Kansas they were nearly always first class. Colorado's were marked by cracks running the full width of the road every few meters which acted like isolated rumble strips. Bike and cyclist were constantly being jolted up and down. Wyoming's roads were fine today but I know from other cyclists that it will not last. Services in this state are generally far apart and on many days I will need to carry enough food and water to last until my destination. Not today though. After crossing Canadian River, North Platte River, and Encampment River, I paused for a blueberry pie in the village of Riverside. The terrain was rolling with one long hill. The feasibility to reach Rawlins depended on the wind today, which was in favor of me until Walcott. There the route turned west for 21mi (33km) into Rawlins. Most of this westerly section is on interstate highway 80, the only one on the TransAm Trail and one of the few in the country where cycling is allowed. Even there is a good wide shoulder I did not feel comfortable and safe riding it today. The wind blew with 25-35mph and traffic was very heavy, mostly with trucks. Therefore, I stopped at the gas station for a cool coke and Ice cream before entering the Interstate highway.

Keith from California

There I met Keith, I Truck driver from California and he was very interested in my bike and my journey. The wind started to increase and he offered me a ride in his truck into Rawlins. I always wanted to experience a ride in an American Truck. It was a great experience and will remain as a special moment for my journey.

This finally saved me 20mi of riding against a ferocious and dangerous wind – thanks Keith! I may need the power for tomorrow as the weather forecast announces strong W-winds between 25-35mph L.