Day 9 - BIG HORN

I start this blog with a seemingly random thought... I am here in Cody WY at a small motel. I can hear a horse whinnying outside, but every time I look out the window, I don't see it... I suppose it is not an unusual thing for Cody WY to have horse noises outside one's motel room. :)

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I spent last night in the Pines Motel in Newcastle WY. It was one of the cutest motels I have ever stayed at... neat and cozy. I would recommend it!

Today dawned bright and warm. I did not have a long itinerary, only 325 miles, so I had a poky start around 9AM. It was looking to be a hot day. This morning, the rolling hills alongside the highway were lush and green with long grasses. It was beautiful, like watching a calm ocean ripple in the sun. The winds were blowing the blades of grass in the same sort of waves, changing the hues of greens as the wave moved. I was taken in by it because it felt so much like water.

At one point, I looked up and saw the puffy clouds in the sky and then realized that not all the white that I saw were clouds. It dawned on me that I was looking at snow capped mountains! And then the next thought was, "am I going to be riding through that?"

The answer is probably yes, I don't know what these mountains are, but they are in my path!

The road took me up into Big Horn National Forest and what a ride! Beautiful tall rocks on my sides and the road clung to the side of the hills and wound through the openings. I felt like I was in another land, this is unlike anything I have ever experienced...

Apparently the west has decided to repave parts of every road I am riding. And they don't just pave a little section at a time... they pave miles! I have spent some time with flag-men who are standing guard at the ends. I pull up and I usually get, "it's going to be 10 minutes or so". So that means, shutting down the bike and chatting.

Today's ride was more than just repaving one section, up in the Big Horn, a new road was being forged...so the ride was soft dirt. I keep saying I want to ride a dirt bike...I just didn't realize it would be my own bike!

Down the other side of the Big Horn, into the heat again. Temps ran up into the high 90s today as I pulled into Cody WY. I love to ride, but am always thrilled to stop for the day and rest.

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Well, I couldn't stand it, I went outside and walked around a bit....
I found this handsome fella about 20 yards from my room.
I showed him my new boots and he approves. :)

I end the entry tonight with the feeling like I am getting a cold. Yuck.
Time for bed.