Day 8 – Golden, CO – Landers, WY

Day 8 – Golden, CO – Landers, WY     08/28/10     Mileage: 389 

After getting home from Kristi and Dave’s at 4am, an early start was just not in the cards!  

Hung over in helmets...

So, at the crack of 10am, Paul and I set off down Coal Creek Canyon heading for I-70 west and Winter Park to visit an old high school friend. After loading a spare tire onto the back of my bike, it now handles like a piano. The high altitude and extra weight means I have to push the KLR hard to get over the mountain passes. Once in Winter Park, I met up with Patty who is an old friend from high school….it was great to see her after all these years!  

Patty and I...

After a quick visit with Patty, it was due north to Wyoming.  

Welcome to Wyoming...

Yee haww....Wyoming!

Steel horses....

On the road in Wyoming...

Once out of the mountains of Colorado and onto the rolling desolate plains of central Wyoming, the wind came on with a furry. What made this so bad was it was hitting us broadside making it a struggle to keep the bikes upright and on the road! This went on for over 100 miles across the most deserted and desolate terrain I have ever crossed. In nearly 130 miles, we passed exactly 1 gas station, 10 deserted buildings and 12 cows…who cleary must have been lost. The next town was Lander’s, WY and was a welcome sight. Given the lack of sleep and the fatigue of battling the cross winds on the open plains, we quickly decided on a hotel room…a two bedroom deluxe suite to be exact, because that’s what a roughneck Wyoming cowboy would do….not.