Sunday, August 20, 2017

Wyoming - Snowy Mountains


These were my rides from Ryan Park National Forest Campground in the Medicine Bow National Forest.  The red section was over the Pass, done Tuesday afternoon after I arrived in camp.  The green was the following day, first on Forest Roads, then on pavement to Encampment and Saratoga. 








This marker documents the United Airlines Flight 409 crash on Medicine Bow Peak in October, 1955.  It is located right at the Snowy Range Pass.  66 lives were lost, at that point in time, the most deadly commercial aviation accident in the history of American aviation.  The DC-4 was assigned a cruising altitude of 10,000 feet.  Because that plane was not pressurized, 10000 feet was the limit to prevent discomfort for the passengers and crew at higher altitudes.  Medicine Bow Peak is 12,005 ft high.





The sign says "Snowy Range Pass, 10847 ft"


Libby Flats.....I remember camping at Sugar Loaf campground with mom and dad.





 These pretty girls were being followed ...


..by these two guys....just as I was coming down in to Centennial for fuel and a burger.  They crossed Hwy 130 right in front of me, a lot more concerned about those in their sights than any of us on the pavement.


Tuesday evening I had just got back to camp when it started raining.  It wasn't just a shower, it rained on into the early morning hours and at times rained quite hard.  I was confined to the van and read, napped, listened to audio books, music, read and napped some more.

Wednesday morning I ventured south on Road 225





 




Much of the gravel that I wanted to ride looked like this after the rain and I noted (and mentioned to friends) that it wasn't like the wet gravel I was used to at home.  This was more like mud with little rocks on top and it made some of the gravel roads a bit more challenging than I was ready for.  There was no way that I was going to attempt some of the Forest Roads that were even less graveled. 



 Almost back up to 130 that morning before heading west....


Wednesday afternoon I headed west, out of the National Forest on 130 to 230, down to Riverside and Encampment and then north up to Saratoga for a very late breakfast.  Not long after I got back to camp, the rain started once again and continued almost long enough to completely douse my campfire but not quite.  With the afternoon's rain, I decided that Wednesday evening was going to be my last.  I would use Thursday and Friday to work my back to Minnesota, allowing time and the opportunity to stop at some of the historic sites of interest.

The Zumo total miles on the KLR was 1643 miles.  I loaded the bike on the trailer and was ready to leave Ryan Park early the next morning, the end of my 2 wheeling in Wyoming for 2017.


14 comments:

  1. A great adventure! Good for you.

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  2. Nice area to ride. I've always enjoyed the higher elevations in the Rockies...

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    1. Richard, I'd have to agree and other than a bit of nostalgia, what drove me SE to the Snowy's. There's just something about Treeline....

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    1. Thanks Dom, they get bold and impressive on their own.

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  4. The 'gravel' looks pretty nasty. Smart of you not to take any chances. Thanks für letting us tag a long for the journey.

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    1. Sonja, it was surprisingly difficult to ride through and I consider myself to have had enough practice. It was easy to determine that either waiting or avoiding the best practice.

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  5. Nice report.... great adventure

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  6. Really enjoyed reading about your adventures, Doug!

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    1. Scott, you, Steve and Chris were on my mind a lot out there; the parts we did together and the parts carried forth after I left for home.

      Thanks!

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  7. Even more pretty views. Probably a good idea not to venture some of those muddy roads, nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution. No quicksand that way. :-)

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    1. Brandy, quicksand not so far off. It just didn't look that bad to me but when I felt it and looked behind at my track....no wonder it didn't feel solid.

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