DRIVE (Day 1)

Debris

The Colorado-Wyoming border

Oil pumps ... and wind turbines

The usual animals, such as horses and prongorn...

... to less common ones, such as a large herd of bison and even several camels (ok, technically dromedaries)!

Evidence this part of the country gets heavy winter snow, with gates that can close off the road and massive rows of snow fences

Just outside of Cheyenne is the F.E. Warren Air Force Base, known as "Home of the Peacekeepers." Outside one of the entrances stood a Peacemaker missile, a Minuteman III, and a Minuteman I.

The rock formations at Vedauwoo .... and the Lincoln visitor center (off Highway I-80)

There was a substantial number of these kinds of signs!

A refinery in the town of Sinclair.

Very Road Warrior-esque!

Evaporated ponds were crusted with salts and minerals.

Hmmm, not NEARLY as spectacular as when on the top of the Rocky Mountains

The Great Divide Basin is located in Wyoming's Red Desert, where none of the water falling as rain to the ground drains into any ocean or river, directly or indirectly. This is known as an endorheic basin, or a limited drainage (or closed or terminal) basin that retains all the water it collects in the form or lakes or swamps, which then evaporate. Although the Great Divide Basin provided a relatively low and easy crossing of the Continental Divide, its extreme dryness was still an formidable obstacle to pioneers. It was often called the Saline Plain.

Pronghorn seemed to enjoy it though.

(right) The Green River tunnel (or I-80 Twin Tunnels)

(left) The Hampton Inn in Green Riverand the impressive surrounding scenery

More such signs

Leaving one state ... and into another

Salt Lake City

We spent a lovely evening with my friend Rebecca, her family, and Sophia... their friendly but odd-looking hairless cat.

A face only a mother could love?? .... Cali, their outdoor cat, served as a fuzzy comparisson.

return • continue