Wyoming Bound!- Tuesday

Pony Express Oregon Trail windmill thing

I was awaked this morning around 5:15am because God decided that was the perfect time to lay down a torrential rain in Gothenburg. Also, because of this glorious downpour of rain the temperature dropped like thirty degrees and I had to get my sleeping bag and unroll it, because it had not be necessary when I was camping on the surface of the sun, but now it was suddenly a freaking igloo in my tent. It rained until 7am. I was awake for all of it, too. It was raining so hard that I was concerned about flash flooding from the river that was less than two of my car lengths away. I kept checking the river level out of my little window flap. I would almost fall back to sleep and then jerk awake to check the river and my car which was closer to the river than my tent was. So, when my alarm went off at 7:30 I was strongly tempted to throw my phone across the tent. I managed to resist, it was however a battle. I got up, later than I planned because instead of throwing the phone this morning, I turned the alarm off. Oops. Oh, well. No harm no foul. I left the KOA after showering because after camping in the Sahara, it was necessary. I went to the sod house museum in Gothenburg as well as the Pony Express on the Oregon Trail.

Giant plow thing

Sod house with my pals out front

The Pony Express was really just a wind thing. I have a pretty sweet picture of what I can only assume is a giant plow and then sod house with some strangers in my pictures. You know we’re pals; we bonded over our mutual desire to see a house made of dirt. Not really. We didn’t speak.

Lake McConaughy

So finally, I got underway. When I got onto I-80 this morning my GPS told me that I had 570 miles until my exit. That was a little depressing. Come on Susan, break that up for me. How about 200 miles until Cheyenne and a mere 300ish after that? So I’m working my way through this stupid 570 mi. when I reach Ogallala, NE. What a name right? Anyway there is this big lake near by, so I decided to drive out and have a look. Who knew Nebraska was so beautiful?

I definitely did not and after that second day I would not have guessed. It was spectacular. While in Ogallala I discovered that I had gained an hour. That was cool and disconcerting at the same time. I got back on the road after my nice little detour. Nebraska is long. I thought I was never getting out of that state. The scenery did improve though the closer I got to Wyoming. What a beautiful state. I stopped for gas in Cheyenne because I’m paranoid about gas. You’ll be driving along and pass and exit and a sign will say no services for the next 130 miles. So, I stopped when I saw places, fearing that sign would hit me at an inopportune time. Not a lot of people in Wyoming. I saw a significant drop in the car volume after Cheyenne. Wyoming reminds me a little of the Badlands in South Dakota. The way the land is formed seems similar to me. I can’t imagine driving by such amazing surroundings everyday. I just wanted to stop all the time. I did stop at a state park west of Cheyenne, Medicine Bow National Forest. It was so beautiful. The rocks were green and amazing.

Medicine Bow

After that, other than stopping to eat lunch and gas up I pretty much drove straight to Lyman. I rented a cabin tonight. I spaced it out so it was tent, cabin, tent, cabin and then ferry. The KOA here s nice, but the site is not as cool as Gothenburg was. There are no cute little trails to explore. Also, when I got here this 15 year old kid gave me my key and escorted me, by golf cart to my cabin which was maybe, MAYBE, 100 feet away from the office. He could have looked out the window and pointed and I would have gotten it. However, because I am Eileen nothing is ever that easy. I could not figure out how to get the door unlocked. I stood out there for like twenty minutes trying to get in. Finally, I decided to go back to the office and tell the child that I couldn’t unlock the door. So, he, again by golf cart, came back with me and unlocked it in maybe 15 seconds. There is an extra little lever that you have to pull on. He’s all, yeah sometimes they stick. Pssh. Whatever. Stupid city girl doesn’t know how to work the KOA’s doors. I felt like a moron, but I think that I should have been told on the outset about the stupid pull cord thing. Anyway, after recovering my dignity I set up my stuff. I had to unpack my tent and lay it out to dry because of the monsoon in Gothenburg, as well as some clothes that had gotten wet. After that I went for a somewhat lame walk around the campgrounds and went back to read on my little porch. It was a lovely way to spend the evening. Now I am inside my cute little cabin writing this. Tomorrow- Oregon!

Cabin in Lyman with my tent out drying after
 the crazy rainfall the night before

View from my car while driving.  Wyoming is beautiful!