Casper, Wyoming

Bike path along North Platte west end of Casper

Smallest town I have ever heard of

Register Cliff - signatures of travellers

Entering Wyoming (camera on timer on bike)

Dear All
Here I am in the heart of Cowboy Country. It was Johnson county, first county to the north, that had a war in the 1880's between large spread free-range cattlemen and homesteaders who came in and fenced off the water. The cattlemen hired a group called "The Regulators" to terrorize the farmers, and the army had to be called in to impose peace. Movies have been made.

The city of Casper was Fort Casper during the trail days and all four trails - Oregon, California, Mormon, and Pony Express went through here. This was a roaring place until the trails closed with the advent of the railroad, and the army moved their fort 50 miles east to Fort Fetterman. Then they found oil just north of here and things got even hotter. Today the town is a lot quieter - specially on this long week-end when everything and I do mean everything was closed including any access to the internet. Luckily I got here Saturday in time to do a little grocery and beverage shopping. I have been doing little since, waiting for Neil to arrive tonight at 1:30 AM. Yay!

Monday (holiday) I packed a picnic lunch for one and biked to the old Fort. Very nice bikepath along the Platte. I will lose the river a few miles west of town after following it all the way from the town of North platte. The settlers must have felt nervous, first watching the good grass fade out for the animals, and now their source of water stop until almost Idaho when we hit the Sweetwater.

To bring you up to date, when I left Guernsey, I was in a quandary. The short route bordering Interstate 25 seemed to be partly unpaved and I decided that could turn out to be a very bad idea. So I took the way less travelled. I started north on 270 through Hartville, the oldest incorporated town in Wyoming and along a lovely, lonely winding 40 mile road. The first 10 miles were mostly climbing, and I struggled, but after that I ran north in a valley between ranges of the Black Hills and the scenery was great. This is really an arid country. The soil is fine gravel and even the grass grows in tufts with space between as if there isn't enough nourishment otherwise. There are way more cows than trees. At Manville I had lunch and turned west onto Hwy 18 and decided to go all the way to Douglas. This would be about 88 miles for the day. On the way I found Lost Spring which had a town sign that said - Pop 1, Elev. 4200 (the towns are beginning to put their elevations on their signs) - I don't know if he was home.

That night I stayed in a small motel in Douglas and cooked fettucine alfredo (instant) on the front sidewalk while watching a massive lightening storm discharge across the north sky - fearsome. I was suffering from a crescent sunburn on my lower back below my camel (water pack) which I guess I didn't notice developing over the strain of pedalling. It was right through my shirt which gives you an idea of the sun. I have been using sunblock SPF70 since I toasted my nose a while back so this was an unpleasant surprise.

Next day brought the usual aches and stiffness but I wanted to get to Casper before the long week-end. I went through Glenrock (as did Kit Carson according to the sign), and visited some cart ruts which were in a small neighbourhood park. Half the day I biked Interstate 25, which Wyoming allows, and although it had two drawbacks - it goes over rather than around hills and the cars stink - the shoulder was wide and safe. The last half of the day I took the old highway which was a joy of solitude.

At four I coasted into the Royal Motel of Casper, and got four nights for $200. It's a friendly place with a bunch of Latino workers and their families staying here and sitting outside eating and drinking a lot. The truck in front of my unit has a green garbage bag for a side window and for the first time, I am not the only bike parked outside. Great water pressure though.

Neil and I leave on Wed. morning for Independence Rock and then on 100 miles to South Pass which straddles the continental divide and marks the half-way point of my journey. I can't believe how time has flown.

The western horizon has resolved from a dark blue shadow into a formidable range of big, big hills and everyone relishes telling me of the steep climb ahead. I guess like the settlers, we'll take it a step at a time and rest as much as required. It does look pretty intimidating, but the scenery promises to be beyond memorable.

love Laurence
ps Thanks Lee - great job on the map
ps John, the miracles are in the small stuff.
ps Laura - you are a most faithful friend
ps Col - I love you from Independence to Sacramento and back again (kidding about the back again)
ps Les - some must work, some must play
Scott - the food sucks - luckily my eating standards are very low - they match my cooking.
ps Clarkes - hi, no smart remarks?
ps Samsons - hi, there are more antelopes than people in Wyoming