14 September 2013 Rawlins

Yesterday, Friday the 13th of September, we traveled 225 miles in rain and fog to Cheyenne, Wyoming, elevation 6,200 feet. Patrice fixed a great dinner using the smoked pork chops we bought in the Amana Colonies. We had a few major thunderstorms with heavy rainfall from about 7 to 11 p.m. Very tough day driving and scary night with weather alerts of flash flooding in our area. I-29 south of Cheyenne was closed completely.

Today we woke to clear skies and headed to Rawlins, Wyoming. Our first rest stop was at a newly remodeled information center on I-80 just east of Laramie, elevation 8,640. This center looked new, and had bright displays about the history, wildlife, farmlands, and mountain sports and outdoor recreation opportunities in Wyoming. This is the land of Butch Cassady and the Sundance Kid, as well as Tom Horn (remember the Steve McQueen movie?). A section of the exhibits commemorated the United States's first transcontinental highway, the Lincoln Highway. It was dedicated in 1913 and ran from New York to San Francisco. I-80 follows much of the old Lincoln Highway.

In 1958 a project to erect a memorial honoring Lincoln on top of Sherman Hill, the highest point on the highway was begun. A 13.5 foot high bronze bust was designed and created by Robert I. Russin, a University of Wyoming professor. The sculpture was to be done by the sesqui-centennial of Abraham Lincols's birth. The bust took 11 months and 10 tons of clay to complete. The 4,500 pound bust was formed and cast in Mexico City, transported to Wyoming by rail, and placed atop a 35-foot tall granite stone base.

It was placed at the building on the old summit. After Interstate-80 was completed, the memorial was moved to the new summit visitor center, actually at a lower elevation than the old summit, about a mile west. It is an impressive sight, and the blue sky with clouds made a grand backdrop.

Patrice found these flowers near the memorial and found me and Carlos chilling out on a nearby bench.

The rest of the drive to Rawlins was through the beautiful great basin. The recent rains greened the landscape with tasty grass for the many pronghorn antelope we sighted--there must have been over 300 that we saw, in groups of 20 to 50. We passed through several valleys bounded by rock outcroppings and through road cuts exposing interesting geology.

There was no rain on the way, thank goodness, and thunderheads danced around us. Patrice is fascinated with clouds, and after we set up in Rawlins, she took some photos from the lot.

We were able to enjoy a "happy hour" with Jerry and Marge; it got cold after our popcorn, so we went in. Then the deluge began--thunder and lightning, and we watched some new arrivals trying to set up their fifth wheels in the downpour.

Patrice and I drove into town for a terrific dinner at a Thai restaurant. We were surprised--we haven't seen any Thai restaurants for ages. Our routine 8:00 ice cream social with Marge and Jerry ended our day in Rawlins.

On westward tomorrow to Coalville, Utah.