Overall the Little Bear motel was a good value, but the mattress was absolutely brutal. I woke up during the night because my back was hurting and I couldn't get comfortable. Then once I was awake my brain turned on and I laid there on the painful rock of a bed for more than an hour.
Eventually I fell back asleep and was finally sleeping well when the alarm sounded at 6:30 AM. I've heard it said that alarms are a reminder for us to stop doing the thing we enjoy the most.
I forced myself out of bed. I had 480 miles ahead of me, so I wanted to be on the road as early as possible. The All Star baseball game was this evening, and I thought it would be nice to be at my hotel in Chadron, NE by the time the game started.
I threw the curtains open and was greeted with a sunny day, but a not-so-scenic view from my hotel room window.
I got dressed, packed everything and loaded up the motorcycle. I had planned to fast from yesterday's breakfast until lunch today. I blew it the previous evening by eating a gas station sub sandwich. But I figured I could still at least skip breakfast this morning as planned. Not only would it help with my weight, but it also would get me on the road that much sooner.
I had big plans to eat lunch at Alibi Wood Fired Pizza in Laramie, WY. I had seen this restaurant on TV on the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show, and it looked tasty. So the anticipation of having that feast made it easier to ignore my rumbling tummy.
With the motorcycle loaded and ready to go, I walked over to the office to check out of the motel. Unfortunately, once again the door was locked and there was a "closed" sign on the window. Not knowing what else to do, I left the key in the room and locked the door.
I got on the motorcycle and started to leave. As I rode through the parking lot, I noticed the office door was now open. I must have just missed them when I was there a few minutes earlier. I parked the motorcycle and went in to tell them that I had locked the key in the room. The lady in the office was fine with that. Then we chatted for a few minutes about motorcycles and riding.
I love these candid shots my time lapse camera would occasionally capture. Here I am returning to the motorcycle after stopping in the office.
As mentioned, my route today had me riding to Laramie, WY, for lunch, then making my way to Chadron, NE. I also planned to ride through the Snowy Range area just to the west of Laramie, which I had heard was very pretty and worth the detour.
I stopped back at the same Loaf 'N Jug I had visited the previous evening, and filled up the gas tank. It was a quick stop, and I was on the road a little before 8 AM.
I rode through Green River, then got on interstate 80 heading east.
The temperature this morning was 58°F, which was a little cool. I was wearing my sweatshirt under my mesh jacket, but didn't have my chaps or heavy jacket on.
The temps were forecasted to rise quickly, and once again top out in the triple digits. I decided to not bother putting my cold weather gear on, as it would soon be too warm to wear them.
There wasn't a whole lot to see this morning. Occasional hills and rock formations, but also a lot of open space full of nothing. My goal on this first stretch was just to hammer down and get through it.
120 miles and two hours down the road I reached the town of Rawlins, WY. I took the off ramp to make a gas stop.
I filled up the tank and then went inside to use the restroom. My butt was already hurting, so I walked around in the store area for a few minutes. They had a lot of touristy type items for sale. My stomach was longing for some of the food they were selling, but I resisted the urge. I reminded myself I would be gorging on pizza in a couple of hours.
I went back outside and got on the bike. My body immediately complained, but there wasn't much I could do about it at this point other than grin and bear it. At least the temp was starting to rise so I was no longer chilly.
The next section of the day was to ride about 20 miles further on the interstate, then exit and go south down to the Snowy Range.
At the Walcott exit, I got off I-80 and started riding south on highway 130.
The route had me going about 35 miles south on this highway before turning east.
I rode through the small town of Saratoga, WY.
I had gotten off the interstate so I could see some nice scenery. So far this little detour didn't have much of that. Although I did get to see real cowboys on horses working cattle. So that was pretty cool.
Highway 130 branched off to the east, and I followed it. The scenery gradually started to get more interesting as I got closer to the mountains.
Like I had experienced the previous afternoon, there were places in the road that were full of tar snakes, so I needed to stay diligent.
Before I started ascending into the mountains, the temperature had risen well into the 80s. Now I could feel the temp dropping as the elevation increased.
Sugarloaf mountain became more and more visible in the distance.
The road passed the timberline.
In this area I rode through the highest point of elevation on the entire trip, at a little more than 11,000 feet.
When I reached the peak of the mountain road, the temperature bottomed out at about 55°F, but then started to climb back up once I descended on the east side. I wasn't cold enough to want to take the time to pull over and put on warmer clothes, so I just pushed through it.
I crossed the peak and the road started to descend. On curvy mountain roads I actually prefer the uphill portion. Riding against the slope makes it easier to keep my speed in check. If I come into a corner too hot, I have gravity working in my favor to help slow the motorcycle down.
I passed a family on bicycles coasting down the mountain. I remember thinking how that looked like it would be a fun ride, especially if you had someone in a car to haul you up to the top first.
Overall it was a very scenic detour off of the interstate, and I'm glad I took the time to ride this highway.
On the east side of the mountains, I was back down into the flatter and less interesting portion of Wyoming. This state has a lot of that.
There were still lots of bluffs, so this area wasn't quite as dull as some of the completely flat and barren portions of Wyoming. Still, after the spectacular mountains I had just ridden through it was a little depressing.
The road was curvy enough to warrant most of the road as "no passing." I got behind an RV that wasn't moving very fast, so I needed to exercise patience and wait for a safe place to go around them.
As I was just saying, a lot of Wyoming is flat and barren. The bluffs disappeared and the road became less interesting.
I wanted to make it to Laramie, WY in time for lunch. I reached the outskirts of the town about 11:50 AM. My stomach was really growling and I was looking forward to chowing down on pizza at Alibi.
In addition to lunch, Laramie was also a scheduled fuel stop. I decided to take care of that task first, so once I was done eating I could just hit the road. There was a gas station right as I got into town, so I pulled in and filled up. I left my helmet and all my gear on, and I made the stop as quick as I could. While I wanted a break, I knew I would get one in just a few minutes.
I then rode into town and found Alibi pizza. I parked across the street, and my time lapse camera caught me walking towards the restaurant.
When I looked at the menu online, in addition to pizza they also featured pastry. My tummy was really rumbling, and I decided I was hungry enough to indulge in some pizza and some pastry.
Unfortunately, when I got to the door of the restaurant, I found this sign. I have no idea why they were closed on this day. The website said they were normally open on Tuesdays.
I was very disappointed. I stood there for a minute hoping someone inside would see me, have pity and offer to make me a sympathy pie. It didn't happen.
I walked back to the motorcycle and pulled out my phone. On the way here I had ridden by several fast food restaurants, but I was in the mood for something a little more special than just a fast food chain burger.
I did a quick google search and saw that the 2nd Street Deli was only a few blocks away and got 4.9 stars. That sounded good enough, so I rode the motorcycle over there.
I parked across the street. This time I could see people actually inside the restaurant so I knew my chances were good that I too would be eating soon.
I walked in, waited in line, then ordered the green chile blackberry turkey sandwich, a side of mac and cheese, and a glass of water. I found a seat at the bar by the window and waited.
And waited. And waited. I was starting to wonder if they had lost my order when they finally brought it out to me.
Although I was enjoying the break from the motorcycle seat, the chair I had selected wasn't very comfortable. I also still had a long way to go to get to Chadron, NE, so I quickly ate my lunch. Although I was very hungry, my eyes were bigger than my stomach when I ordered. I probably should have gone with a less-filling side dish.
After I ate, I went back out to the motorcycle and slathered myself with a layer of sunscreen. Then I headed north out of Laramie on highway 30.
The 20 miles between Laramie and the highway 34 intersection were extremely dull. Absolutely flat, and no scenery. Plus, with nothing to block it, a strong headwind out of the north started blowing.
On this bit of highway I did see a small Antelope on the side of the road. I passed by without incident, and was glad it didn't dart out in front of me. I had hoped that my time lapse camera had coincidentally taken a picture of it, but it didn't snap a photo at that moment.
After I turned northeast onto highway 34, I was blessed with about 20 miles of interesting riding. The road started to curve between the bluffs. It was a nice contrast to the flat expanse of nothingness I had just ridden through.
As I rode this section, I was watching the clouds up ahead. I could see a rainstorm. With the curvy road it was difficult to determine whether I was riding towards it, or if I would pass to the north.
As I got closer to interstate 25 the roads became wet. However, at this point I could clearly see that the storm had already passed through, and I would avoid having to ride through any actual rainfall.
I remembered sitting back at the restaurant stewing about how long it took to get my food. Now I realized that had it come quickly, I probably would have been on the road soon enough to ride straight into this storm. The delay prevented me from having to deal with rain.
One would think that instances such as this would give me perspective the next time I'm delayed. Perhaps in those situations I'm trading a minor inconvenience in order to avoid a larger problem? But I don't think that way. The very next time things don't go the way I want them to I find myself grumbling again.
I made it to the junction of interstate 25. From here I would take the interstate north for about 50 miles, then start heading east again.
By now the headwind was really blowing hard. In addition to being annoying, it was killing my gas mileage.
Despite the wind, the temp was still very hot. I watched as my thermometer clicked closer and closer to triple digits.
As I was riding, my left ear started itching really bad. To the point where it completely consumed me. I can't remember any part of my body ever itching as bad as my ear did at that moment.
Unfortunately, I was wearing a full face helmet. I couldn't just reach up and rub my ear and be done with it. I did try to jam my hand up inside to reach my ear, but my helmet was too tight. I tried wiggling my helmet around on my head, but didn't have enough movement to make any difference.
I began looking for an off-ramp where I could pull over and remove my helmet just long enough to scratch my ear. There were no off ramps in this area. I seriously considered just pulling over right on the side of the interstate, but my better judgment won out. So I just pushed through it.
To try and take my mind off my ear, and all the other body parts that were hurting, I started to search for missile silos. I know this portion of the country has quite a few, as the control center for them is located in Cheyenne, WY. Scanning the fields around the interstate gave me something different to think about other than the agitated nerves firing inside my ear.
Eventually I did manage to find a missile silo, or at least find what I think was one. And also eventually the itching in my ear subsided.
At the highway 18 junction, I got off the interstate. There was a rest area right at the intersection, so I pulled in and got off the bike for a few minutes. I didn't really need the bathroom, I just needed to get off the bike for a spell.
The temp now reached the triple digits, and the heat was really getting to me. I took off my jacket and my gloves and stashed them in my saddlebag for the remainder of the day. I then went inside the rest area for a couple of minutes. The building wasn't air conditioned, or at least not to a degree where it brought me any relief.
As happens so often, heat, pain and fatigue tend to shorten my fuse. I was getting very irritable, but thankfully there wasn't anyone around who had to put up with my rotten disposition.
As I was getting ready to get back on the motorcycle, a gust of scorching hot wind blew my AirHawk pad off the seat and across the parking lot. I ran after it, and upon picking it up I had a temper tantrum that would rival any preschooler. Then I realized there was a family in a car watching this whole meltdown, and I felt like an idiot. I sheepishly put the AirHawk back on the bike and rode out of the rest area.
I have been on this stretch of highway 18 between I-25 and Lusk, WY. There isn't a whole lot to see on this stretch. It's pretty barren. One of the "highlights" is the town of Lost Springs, WY. As I went by I noticed that the population is now up to six. Good for them for increasing the size of the town by 50% since the last time I visited.
I made it to the town of Lusk, which has the only gas stop for at least 50 miles in any direction. The wind had reduced my gas mileage by about 5 mpg, and emptied my tank faster than expected. I pulled in and filled up. This would give me plenty of fuel to reach my hotel in Chadron, NE.
I went inside and forced myself to use the bathroom. Mostly I just needed a couple minutes in the A/C. I went ahead and bought two bottles of Gatorade Zero. I chugged one of them, then put the other in my saddlebag for later.
I only had 80 more miles to get to Chadron. I was on the home stretch now.
Overall, this last stretch of the day's ride went pretty quick considering how I felt. One thing that helped greatly was that the temperature dropped more than ten degrees and got down into the upper 80s. That was hot, but felt like a huge relief compared to what I had been riding through just an hour before.
Although it would have been the safe and responsible thing to do, now that the temp had cooled I didn't bother to pull over and put my jacket and gloves back on. I was enjoying the cooler air and just wanted to make time and get to the hotel.
I kind of felt all alone out here in the panhandle of Nebraska.
The area around Fort Robinson State Park got a little more scenic. That helped make the time pass a little quicker.
I passed through Crawford, NE. Next stop, Chadron.
When I got to Chadron, my hotel was right on the west side of town. It was tucked back behind some stores and restaurants.
I pulled into the parking lot right at 5 PM. Overall, I made very good time considering I traveled almost 500 miles, took the time to ride through the mountains and stopped for an hour long lunch break.
I parked the motorcycle in front of the hotel and grabbed all my gear.
I decided to take a few seconds and get a better picture of the motorcycle in front of the hotel.
I checked in at the front desk. The receptionist told me they were having happy hour in the lobby and encouraged me to enjoy the hors d'oeuvres and drinks. I decided I would first drop my stuff off in my room before I tried to balance a plate full of food on top of it all.
I got in my room and cranked up the A/C. Then I turned on the All-Star baseball pregame on TV.
I ran back down to the lobby to the happy hour. There were a lot of people hanging out and talking as they ate and drank. I loaded up a plate full of goodies. I was still planning on grabbing some supper later, but this would be a good warm up. They also had free beer, but being a non-drinker I chose not to have any.
I almost felt guilty for not mingling with anyone in the lobby, but I didn't know anyone. For the most part I'm kind of a quiet, shy person, which is probably why solo motorcycle travel appeals to me. Even when I know people, I'm not very comfortable in large groups.
Unless of course, I'm on stage. Then I'm very comfortable in large groups. Perhaps too comfortable. I often tell people that in groups I'm either the guy hiding alone in the corner, or the guy in front of everyone with a lampshade on his head. There's very little in between for me.
I decided that even though it was a little antisocial, I would rather take my plate full of food back up to the room and not be around trying to pretend strangers are my friends.
I grabbed a bunch of food, but I was more thirsty than anything. The heat had zapped my appetite, at least temporarily. Given the way I felt, I didn't need the plate of food I had just filled in the lobby. But I'm a pig.
I did decide to go ahead and shower off and change clothes before I went anywhere. The shower and clean duds made me feel a little more human.
After I got out of the shower I attempted to shave, but realized my razor was dead. It must have gotten turned on inside my bag and run the battery down. Oh well, I wasn't planning on seeing anyone, so it didn't really matter if I had a stubbly face.
Which actually wasn't the original intention when I booked a hotel in Chadron. Over the years I had conversed with a guy online via the D2 Football forum. He happened to live in Chadron, NE. I thought maybe we could meet for supper and so we could put a face to a name (or at least a screen name.) Unfortunately, he was out of town at the same time I was going to be passing through, so a meet-up wasn't going to happen.
While I would have liked it to work out, at this point in the trip I was pretty well spent. It didn't really bother me that I had an excuse to have a nice quiet evening in my hotel room watching a baseball game rather than getting back on the motorcycle and going to a restaurant somewhere.
I finished up my plate of goodies from the happy hour. I was tempted to go down and get another plateful, but decided instead to go grab some actual supper and bring it back to the room to eat. I wanted to get that done before the game started. As I've already mentioned, I really didn't need the food, I'm just a pig.
I looked at what food options were nearby that were in easy walking distance.
There was a McDonalds a few blocks away. Nah. There also was a Taco Johns nearby. That was tempting. Taco Johns is my comfort food. When life is falling apart, for some reason Taco Johns helps make things feel a little better, at least until the Potato Oles are gone.
There also was a Runza right in front of the hotel. While TJs sounded a little better to my mouth, the Runza was closer. I also reasoned I could get TJs any time I wanted at home, but we don't have a Runza. I walked across the parking lot to the Runza.
On the way there I realized I had neglected to put my belt on. My pants kept wanting to fall down. I hoped once I had food in my hands I could make it back to my room without having an indecent exposure incident.
I ordered a mushroom and swiss Runza sandwich and fries. I noticed they had shakes, and cold ice cream sounded good. I ordered a strawberry shake.
I waddled back to the hotel with one hand carrying my supper and the other holding up my pants. Once in my room I ate. The Runza turned out to be very heavy and didn't sit well. The shake didn't taste like strawberries, more like cheap vanilla soft serve with some pink dye in it. To be fair, the fries were pretty good.
I ate, watched the All Star Game and vegged out. The hotel did have a small pool, and I debated going for a swim, but my laziness outweighed my motivation. I just sat there like a lump.
Back in Sioux Falls the Tundra Girl was leading a vacation Bible school for kids at our church, so once she got home from that I gave her a brief call. After that I crawled into bed and tried to get a good night's sleep despite eating way too much food.
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This page last updated on 12/10/2024