Day 7 Friday 7/14/17
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| Happy Birthday Marybeth |
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| You just keep getting better and better. |
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| I'm on site B01 |
What a beautiful ride. What an incredible country. What few courses in geology I had, it was all laid out there for me to see today. The results of millennia of mountain building, tectonics, erosion, and formation of the plains or flat lands were some of the indescribable views I enjoyed. When descending long, curvy hills I looked out upon what looked like the bottom of a huge bowl with a rim of mountains surrounding; like a giant thumb pressing down to mold a clay bowl. The layers of sedimentary rock most certainly tell of an age when the entire area was under water. The hills that came up close to the highway that had to be blasted through seemed to be soapstone or sandstone and continuing to erode from the forces of wind and rain.
The early morning dense fog afforded no more than 200' of visibility and was gone by 8:30 am. I started out at my usual time, 10 am, and arrived in Rawlins, WY at 3 pm with one stop for fuel. I-80 continued to be the straight-as-an-arrow highway into the horizon. The welcome change, as you would imagine, was the landscape. Flat green cornfields gave rise to dry, barren, brown/straw colored grasslands, splotched with rocks and boulders that gave the impression that farming in these parts was a losing proposition. Farmhouses dotting the distance were few and far between. The mystery of the trip today was how in the world herds of black Angus cattle find their way back to wherever. From where they were grazing, I saw no signs of ranches, barns or roads. The land is flat with very few trees and yet, there they were grazing; sometimes just grouped together 20-30 at a time huddled in the middle of nowhere.
My ears begin clicking around Cheyenne as the undulating hills rose and fell before me all the while gradually increasing in elevation. The grades were not steep. It was through this area that not only road signs warned but both my GPS's announced "high wind warning." Yes, the crosswinds were quite prevalent. More than ever, it was time to keep both hands on the wheel. I could no long just set cruise control to 70 and go back for a cup of coffee or go to the bathroom. It was through this stretch of highway where I played leapfrog with the truckers. They'd slow down while climbing and I'd pass. On the downhill side it was the reverse. The high winds explained the miles of wooden fence/barriers set in rows that ran parallel to the highway only on the west side. They were there to reduce the effect of snow drifting onto the highway, no doubt. I can imagine what this place must be like during snow season. Now in the Mountain Daylight Time zone, I passed the highest point on I-80 ten miles east of Rawlins. Coming up one of the long inclines in Laramie, there's a rest stop with a bust of Abraham Lincoln commemorating the 8,640 foot location. They say, "from this point it's all downhill from here." Here in Rawlins the elevation is already down to 6,779'.
Enough chatter about the drive. The photos below should help tell the tale although, for me, it's a "seen one, you've seen them all." The KOA campground was practically empty when I arrived at three. By 7 pm it was packed. Obviously an excellent location adjacent to I-80 for the overnight stop. Wi-Fi is not so hot so I'll stick to emails and blog writing and not enjoy my music. Oh well. A Minnie-Winnie backed in beside me and had a family of five. They flew in to Denver from the Netherlands, rented the loaded RV and plan to see the national parks on their four week holiday. Hubby and I lamented the Yankee loss to Boston last night. Two runs in the bottom of the ninth...it's usually what the Yanks do.
I'll devote the rest of this blog to photos taken along the way. The day was less than perfect for picture-taking as you'll see. I hope you enjoy them. Next stop, Salt Lake City KOA.
A spectacular 6 hour drive today that included a leisurely lunch at a Denny's west of Rawlins, WY. With a Flyin J next door, I topped off the fuel tank and went on my merry way. What sights! At mile 160 west of Rawlins, I crossed the Continental Divide. I saw no lines across the road, so I researched and found that a "continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not connected to the open sea." Well, I was impressed as I zoomed by the sign at 70 mph. Mysteries of the day included. small brick buildings standing alone in the middle of nowhere with no roads leading to them; on the flat plains where you see for miles around, there are exit ramps that lead to...nowhere; roads going north and south but with no visible civilization in either direction; with no trees on this barren wasteland, where did they get the wood for the hundreds and hundreds of miles of fencing that marked the boundary on either side of the highway. Well, being built in 1956 and completed in 1986, I guess there were a lot of resources brought in to do the job. By the way, when these folks repair or repave their highways, they close them for 10-15 miles at a time with a single lane of traffic going each way. No passing and no turn-offs. Speed limit is reduced to 65 mph. I experienced this at least once or twice in each state traveled so far. In Utah, on the way down from the higher elevations (6,000+ ft), driving became a challenge. At the beginning there were warnings that downhill curves were to be taken 50 mph; grades of 5% were frequent; so I took it nice and easy as I meandered around and down through passages between incredible mountains hugging either side of I-80.
As I continued westward, the landscape changed again. What I saw in the western portion of Wyoming was what I pictured Utah would look like. I couldn't help myself, my camera was clicking left and right as well as straight ahead. I had no idea what I was aiming at because I didn't view...I wasn't going to take any chances taking my eyes off the road; just a matter of pointing and shooting. My geology lessons were continuing with real life exhibits and examples. My wonderful photo editing program, Picasa 3 (which is no longer available or supported) helps straighten, crop and enhance each shot for the final shots that I include in the blog. I hope I can reduce the number to please my audience. A reminder that if you observe any 'strange' objects in the sky, know that they're bug-splats on the windshield.
Parting shots leaving Wyoming:
Seeing this 1,776 mile railroad meander through the mountains got me to thinking about how it all happened back when it started in 1863. It was completed in 1869 with the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad driving the ceremonial last spike into a rail in Promontory, Utah. I found a quote by Stephen Ambrose, who stated: "Next to winning the Civil War and abolishing slavery, building the first transcontinental railroad, from Omaha, Nebraska, to Sacramento, California, was the greatest achievement of the American people in the nineteenth century. The geological perspective of determining the route is described in a fascinating blog entry written by Mike, a university professor and administrator entitled, "The Gangplank and the Transcontinental Railroad". Click here to read the blog. Don't forget to use the back arrow to return to this blog.
The early morning dense fog afforded no more than 200' of visibility and was gone by 8:30 am. I started out at my usual time, 10 am, and arrived in Rawlins, WY at 3 pm with one stop for fuel. I-80 continued to be the straight-as-an-arrow highway into the horizon. The welcome change, as you would imagine, was the landscape. Flat green cornfields gave rise to dry, barren, brown/straw colored grasslands, splotched with rocks and boulders that gave the impression that farming in these parts was a losing proposition. Farmhouses dotting the distance were few and far between. The mystery of the trip today was how in the world herds of black Angus cattle find their way back to wherever. From where they were grazing, I saw no signs of ranches, barns or roads. The land is flat with very few trees and yet, there they were grazing; sometimes just grouped together 20-30 at a time huddled in the middle of nowhere.
My ears begin clicking around Cheyenne as the undulating hills rose and fell before me all the while gradually increasing in elevation. The grades were not steep. It was through this area that not only road signs warned but both my GPS's announced "high wind warning." Yes, the crosswinds were quite prevalent. More than ever, it was time to keep both hands on the wheel. I could no long just set cruise control to 70 and go back for a cup of coffee or go to the bathroom. It was through this stretch of highway where I played leapfrog with the truckers. They'd slow down while climbing and I'd pass. On the downhill side it was the reverse. The high winds explained the miles of wooden fence/barriers set in rows that ran parallel to the highway only on the west side. They were there to reduce the effect of snow drifting onto the highway, no doubt. I can imagine what this place must be like during snow season. Now in the Mountain Daylight Time zone, I passed the highest point on I-80 ten miles east of Rawlins. Coming up one of the long inclines in Laramie, there's a rest stop with a bust of Abraham Lincoln commemorating the 8,640 foot location. They say, "from this point it's all downhill from here." Here in Rawlins the elevation is already down to 6,779'.
Enough chatter about the drive. The photos below should help tell the tale although, for me, it's a "seen one, you've seen them all." The KOA campground was practically empty when I arrived at three. By 7 pm it was packed. Obviously an excellent location adjacent to I-80 for the overnight stop. Wi-Fi is not so hot so I'll stick to emails and blog writing and not enjoy my music. Oh well. A Minnie-Winnie backed in beside me and had a family of five. They flew in to Denver from the Netherlands, rented the loaded RV and plan to see the national parks on their four week holiday. Hubby and I lamented the Yankee loss to Boston last night. Two runs in the bottom of the ninth...it's usually what the Yanks do.
I'll devote the rest of this blog to photos taken along the way. The day was less than perfect for picture-taking as you'll see. I hope you enjoy them. Next stop, Salt Lake City KOA.
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| A change of scenery |
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| To the horizon |
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| Yup, 80 mph. Winnie purred at 70, maybe 75 when passing. |
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| Snow fences |
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| No more corn |
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| Reminded me of a rare piece of filet mignon ready to be sliced |
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| Down into the flat lands |
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| Right off I-80. Very convenient |
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| At 3 pm |
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| 7 pm |
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| Sunrise in Wyoming |
Day 8 Saturday 7/15/17
A spectacular 6 hour drive today that included a leisurely lunch at a Denny's west of Rawlins, WY. With a Flyin J next door, I topped off the fuel tank and went on my merry way. What sights! At mile 160 west of Rawlins, I crossed the Continental Divide. I saw no lines across the road, so I researched and found that a "continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not connected to the open sea." Well, I was impressed as I zoomed by the sign at 70 mph. Mysteries of the day included. small brick buildings standing alone in the middle of nowhere with no roads leading to them; on the flat plains where you see for miles around, there are exit ramps that lead to...nowhere; roads going north and south but with no visible civilization in either direction; with no trees on this barren wasteland, where did they get the wood for the hundreds and hundreds of miles of fencing that marked the boundary on either side of the highway. Well, being built in 1956 and completed in 1986, I guess there were a lot of resources brought in to do the job. By the way, when these folks repair or repave their highways, they close them for 10-15 miles at a time with a single lane of traffic going each way. No passing and no turn-offs. Speed limit is reduced to 65 mph. I experienced this at least once or twice in each state traveled so far. In Utah, on the way down from the higher elevations (6,000+ ft), driving became a challenge. At the beginning there were warnings that downhill curves were to be taken 50 mph; grades of 5% were frequent; so I took it nice and easy as I meandered around and down through passages between incredible mountains hugging either side of I-80.As I continued westward, the landscape changed again. What I saw in the western portion of Wyoming was what I pictured Utah would look like. I couldn't help myself, my camera was clicking left and right as well as straight ahead. I had no idea what I was aiming at because I didn't view...I wasn't going to take any chances taking my eyes off the road; just a matter of pointing and shooting. My geology lessons were continuing with real life exhibits and examples. My wonderful photo editing program, Picasa 3 (which is no longer available or supported) helps straighten, crop and enhance each shot for the final shots that I include in the blog. I hope I can reduce the number to please my audience. A reminder that if you observe any 'strange' objects in the sky, know that they're bug-splats on the windshield.
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| Rock outcrop in WY |
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| Rock outcrop in UT |
Parting shots leaving Wyoming:
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| Seeing these powerful locomotives pulling a mile or more of freight always struck me as an awesome sight. Except for Salt Lake City, I-80 follows the original route of the Transcontinental Railroad. Geology dictated the route. |
Seeing this 1,776 mile railroad meander through the mountains got me to thinking about how it all happened back when it started in 1863. It was completed in 1869 with the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad driving the ceremonial last spike into a rail in Promontory, Utah. I found a quote by Stephen Ambrose, who stated: "Next to winning the Civil War and abolishing slavery, building the first transcontinental railroad, from Omaha, Nebraska, to Sacramento, California, was the greatest achievement of the American people in the nineteenth century. The geological perspective of determining the route is described in a fascinating blog entry written by Mike, a university professor and administrator entitled, "The Gangplank and the Transcontinental Railroad". Click here to read the blog. Don't forget to use the back arrow to return to this blog.
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| I just love trains. |
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| A major excavating/mining operation going on here. I don't know if the surrounding "hills" are natural deposits at this location or the results of man's intervention. |
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| Another outcrop illustrating the sedimentary rock that's layered upon layer. |
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| A nice view of erosion at work. |
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| How many millions of years to produce this layering? |
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| Erosion at work |
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| During the layering process, sediment of a different composition is evident. |
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| This outcrop caught my eye and I decided that what's left is giving its best shot at avoiding the erosion process. I think it's going to lose. |
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| The Green River Tunnels. One of three on I-80 between the origin of I-80 at I-95 in Teaneck, New Jersey and its terminus at US 101 in San Francisco. |
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| That must be the light at the end of the tunnel. |
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| The descent into Utah |
A look at Utah
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| I was immediately impressed with the landscape changing from the barren drab grey/brown color of the extruded outcrops to the green of plants that have taken hold in this extreme environment. |
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| Wonder what could be inside that cave. |
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| The beginning of the earthen dam constructed in 1931 holding the Echo Reservoir. |
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| I-80 hugs the western bank of this beautiful recreational area and runs about 3 miles to Coalville at the western tip. 110' deep and is kept well stocked with game fish. |
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| Next I came upon the ski area marked by the scarred mountain landscape which now was grown over with its summer vegetation |
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| And in the surrounding area, hundreds of resort buildings that accommodate the seasonal throng. |
And so, off I go tomorrow morning to a privately owned campground in Nevada, The Iron Horse RV Resort. It will be a 3+ hour, 226 mile drive. On my way, twelve miles west of this KOA, I'll come upon the southern tip of the Great Salt Lake.
See you in Nevada.
Loved the pictures and the commentary. Reminds me of my trip across the country. Unfortunately, I had to use 35mm film and I kept running out. I was facinated by the rocks and their formations too. My car became very heavy with all my samples. I still have some of them even after my downsizing. What a great and facinating country we have. M
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you were such the writer! Utah looks beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Unbelievable landscapes along the way. I probably will never get to these states myself, so I find it all so interesting. Really enjoying your well written blog and the pictures and descriptions make me feel I've already traveled this route. You are well on your way.....travel safe....Kathy
ReplyDeleteAloha....and WOW !!! What a remarkable journey, so far ! Thanks for taking us along !...Keep that smile, laters, love Barbara
ReplyDelete