Monday, May 16, 2011

May 16 – To Rawlins, Wyoming


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Compared to the broad range of road conditions in Newfoundland, Interstate 80 is quite decent. Our annoyances have more to do with the weather, like the buffeting, whistling winds (like a kettle boiling) tossing us around on the road, compounded by the draft of tractor trailers passing us, drowning out the usual rattle of unsecured things in the cupboards and fridge. Today though the wind was from the south so Stuart’s other arm got a workout.

When did the farms become ranches as we headed into Wyoming? The highway now has more ups and downs but it is much more interesting with the view of miles and miles of prairie from the hill tops.

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All morning Stuart been noticing that the gas mileage was even worse than usual. When we got to our lunch stop at a rest stop just west of Laramie, we found out why. We had been gradually climbing all morning. We should have clued in when we started seeing snow on the ground.

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In the information booth we learned that Wyoming produces 14% of the energy requirements of the US, through the oil wells and wind turbines; having experienced the strength and duration of the winds, I am not surprised.

We strolled around the rest area to stomp on mounds of snow, stretch the legs,  get a bit of fresh air and look at the 35’ high Lincoln monument (this is called the Lincoln highway).

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The afternoon’s drive was mostly on the high plateau.

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There are not a lot of campgrounds to choose from on this part of the highway. The ones in Rawlins were the only ones for about 60 miles in either direction and we got there when we were ready to quit.

The Western Hills RV site is just a wide open gravel parking lot with hookups and looks barren. The other campgrounds in Rawlins were much the same.  We don’t like these but they are OK for a night.

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The only “good” things is unlike other sites we stayed at where the sites were so crowded there are trees to contend with, low hanging branches the swat the slide-outs, obstructions for the satellite dish and lots of neighbours. We’ll keep looking for the happy medium, some foliage but enough space that we and the beast fit.

The site was very exposed and the wind was still blowing quite hard so we didn’t put the dish out or extend the slides as they have awning over them that could rip.

After dinner we noticed that the thumping of the winds had stopped; not tapered to a breeze but stopped; it was quiet inside at last. Dish and slides go out, we watched some TV and and had a quiet night’s sleep. That is until the early morning rain that tapped danced on the top of the RV.  Ahhh, the symphony of nature and the blessing of having all my senses to experience it all.

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