Day 12: Cheyenne to Burley, ID

Today was one of “those days”.  Bear had planned a route for today that was longer than usual but all on Interstates so we were hoping that since the storm was passed us the roads would be clear and we would be able to drive it in not much more than our usual 8 hours (75 mph speed limits makes traveling much faster).  We woke up to no more snow than we had gone to bed with.  Bug found us a Starbucks in Cheyenne, always a good beginning to a day, and we were off.  We were taking I-80 West across southern Wyoming to connect with I-84 outside Salt Lake City.  It was very cold and the highway was wet from the melting snow so Bear was a little anxious.

Bear at the wheel.  Note the white knuckles, furrowed brow, turning stomach

 As we headed west the sky started to clear and the scenery was beautiful.  The roads dried up and things were looking really good. 

 

We stopped in Laramie for gas and as we pulled back onto I-80 noticed that west of us we could see truckers all the way to the horizon and that they were not moving!  Apparently 20 miles out of Laramie 7 or 8 rigs had left the road and they had it closed in order to get them cleaned up.  It took us 6 hours to go the 60 miles from Cheyenne to the accident site.  This put a definite crimp in our style. 

Wyoming is very interesting.  The geology changes every couple of hours (after the first six) and the snow highlighted everything.  Bug got to add antelope and ravens to her running list of animals seen on this trip.  We got to cross the Continental Divide twice.  At the Great Divide Basin it splits and encircles the basin before joining back up at the bottom.  

It only took Bear 11 ½ days and over 3800 miles to finally give up the steering wheel.  Bug got to drive across SW Wyoming.  Sew Diva’s segment was through Utah.  We definitely want to come back and drive this segment in the daytime.  What we could see in the dark was beautiful but a little on the harrowing side.  Utah DOT seems to be out of reflective paint so visualize driving a chicane downhill at 75 mph without being able to see very far down the road.  The reflective paint is not just missing from the road, there is none on the little markers indicating the sides of the road or on the highway signs – such as speed limit, exits, etc.

As soon as we crossed into Utah we noticed the “no services” signs on the exits.  Bug is convinced that is Utah’s state motto.   She thought “pass with care” epitomized New Mexico and “picnic area, handicap accessible” worked for Texas.  (In Texas rest areas have bathrooms, picnic areas do not- and there were no rest areas).

Tonight is in Yakima and then into Seattle mid-day to be there in time for the evening Husky game.