Sarasota by the Colorado border in Medicine Bow National forest.
I am back in forest land there is no looking back. Yesterday should be my last paid camp site.
My day started with some left over burgers. Steve had pulled up about 20 mins after I set my camp up.
We both came from Rawlins. He is a faster cyclist than me. So after we talked a bit. Found out he is from MLPS yahoo. He is doing the Trans tour by ACA.
The next morning.
He then went to the Library and I went to the hot springs or hobo pool. Which is right off the North Platte river. So you can swim in ice cold water and then go sit in 115 degree water. Talk about awesome and free. I met people from the Rainbow gathering sounds hippy, gay, or hobo never figured that part out. The mineral water made my skin foliage. It looked like a wading pool with a sandy bottom. There were bubbles comming up from the sandy part. Just small little vent bubbles. The source was encased in rocks and you swam in the collection. Then go dip yourself in the fast flowing water of the ice cold river. I finished up and headed to the closed library.
Upon leaving town I was headed to the closed Museum when steve comes rolling out. Hay!
There was a small hill as Sarasota sits on the 100 year flood plain. Or 500?
At any rate they put the airport on higher ground next to the museum.
I could live in this town just for the springs. I over heard there was a fire on BLM land. Near Pinedale.
More stupids starting camp fires.

After keeping up for 8 miles I settled into my Ben pace. We were headed to Riverside pop 50. A vister center greeted Steve and then me. Joy quickly had me pin a pin on the map where I am from. She even had a world map. This was the most novel thing I seen at the visitor center. We located the library at Encampment. Which is what it is as the miners would stage here and then go into the mines in them hills. The c store still had the original frame work and storage areas from the olden days.
I found a new route to Boulder and then a Denverite gave me the route into Denver. I am about 225 miles away when I get into Walden CO. I am so excited things are going smoothly. I have my forest land again till Boulder.
The new route avoids Rocky National Park and a 10700 foot MT. This also just looks easier.
I head down to I 70 take the frontage road I found at the library and then come back up. Awesome. Wyoming Route 70 which I had the chance to take still has snow and lots of it at 11000 feet. I am glad I stuck out the Interstate route.
So I filled my water, batteries, and stomach (green beans, 5 PB tortillas, gronola bars).
I left ahead of the speed Demon. I timed it about right and he met (visibility) me at the Skyline. Then mesequtios had found me so I had to dart off. He stated "I can see you a mile away a little orange dot."
Then the head wind and masking my scent also. I reached my forest access road (492) and we talked a bit. His handle bars were to low so he should be getting a riser since he is very tall.
After he pulled out his awesome Map from ACA it told to contact the Sheriff and he could sleep in Walden's city park. I wish Saratoga's sheriff felt the same way. With no map I visited the National forest station before I left town and found a lovely place to bed down for the night. One more night in Wyoming. After a quick two miles I found a nice level (unlike yesterday) slanted site. No flag poles which harvest a flag all night. No lights and no cars driving in and out. Just the birds and peace.
All in all it was a great day. I am seeing so many tourist out there this is great.
I can hear the mosquitoes.
Hear them in my tent thank you!
The 45 miles was rather easy broken up into two rides.
The second had a 1000 foot hill. Still rather easy. Steve is going for the 68. Good luck I hate driving in the dark. Since I like to see things and take pictures. I always can see voids in my trip because I traveled at night.
The wildlife has been amazing. Swans, more deer things, badger /wolverines, and gophers. The rivers swift with melted snow pack.

6 mile camp ground to Walden.
So started early to avoid the skeeters with my warm clothes on now.
I head a strong head wind, then I crossed the Platter river again and walked up the MT pass. After getting through I had a incline into Crowdley CO. I mey some fellow tourist. This was like the interstate of touring with ACA maps uising this route.
I cycled my 22 miles stopped in a food store for some grocceries. A lady offered me her yogurt and some really awesome bug spray. After spending money on the inflated (gas) prices I managed to eek out a couplke days worth of food. I am back up to 7 days.
I will get some water in Rand.
I went to the library wher two females were using the men's bathroom to look at some pressed flowers. Talk about weird.
Next up lunch and then onto Rand another 20 miles. Then onto the national forest. Come out monday to Granby
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So I made into Saratoga, I messed up and missed my BLM land now in the zone I paid for camping seven dollars. For a field with pit toilets. The sheriff runs the campground. All night long I her cling clack cling cling with the wind. A personal fuck you for paying to camp. When I could have just found a place to sleep along side the road for free and dug my own pit toilet with out a light beaming down on me.
I had better sleep just off an interstate exit.
My next camp site will be a forest road 516.
Then I will be in CO where I will spend 10 days in a forest. Waiting for August. My tour is winding down. Which spending time in the forest was the original idea since that was better than paying rent. I think they call it the Apheraio national forest. Then Rocky MT, Boulder then Denver considering I will be at Rand CO on the 9th I will have plenty of time to sit on my ass.
This just maybe a great way to end my tour. I am headed down to the hot springs tomorrow in Saratoga.
Then onto my forest road at Medicine Bow national forest.
Then onto Rand only 80 miles away from here.
I met a fellow touring guy who is also camping.
The ride was ok the North Platte river hosts a lot of Mosquitoes. Which is how I over shot my BLM land. I saw a fellow cyclist along side the road. I want to check out the hot springs so here I am cling clack all night long. Rabbit is rich is on next. After the blood suckers then came the Nats, after that I got the head winds. FT Steele is just a bunch of buildings. Named after a General in the army.

So I made into Rawlins in about five min. They seem to go out of their way! Screw the cyclist!
They just added a new concrete road even on the shoulder and yet that manage to screw the cyclist on the only road possible for the to take. They put a huge rumble strip all the way cross the shoulder and about a foot wide. So every five feet vibrations. Screw the cyclist screw the cyclist.
So I am headed into Rawlins, I get my laundry down timed that just right as they were opening, went to the library look for my pics on the other foto site. This us union cell carrier won't allow me to post.
I get some burgers and chill.
Stomach to much protein owe. I head out for 10 mile and now at Fort Steele. Where the were protecting the railroad.
I then get off the interstate and head on 130 to Saratoga will see how far I want to go.
I am sitting under a shade tree wonder if this will be another day of thunderstorms. Things are much cooler and I might be saved from the week long system.
I talked to Sean whose from MD on a trans continental. Supported tour. Which means he don't haul anything. We talked shop and he gave some great route descriptions. I saw the rest of the gang as I was headed out.
Nice to see so many people on tour!
I have only around 300 to 400 miles left and still have 31 days. I just found out I am going to climb a 10000 foot Mt near Boulder o joy.
If everything goes to plan I should hit CO around the 11th. We will see.
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So I was talking to mom when "I gotta go I see the storm breaking." I waited two hours.
I bought some liquids and split.
Still going at a good clip I made 786 and kept going. I had some sprinkles, but nothing to bad. For 7000 feet overnight temps have been warm. More important it doesn't take long to warm up in the morning.
I crossed the Continental Divide again higher this time at 7000 feet. So two times in one day.
I should have found a spot further back from Rawlins. I went down Rhiner road perfect a BLM sign stating 3023 road. Only trouble is I have to get a special permit to access the private land to get to BLM land which means I have to the farmer's house fill out paper work then go back and get on BLM land. I talk to Jay after understanding I wanted to camp he explained I can't do that on his land. Considering I wanted to access BLM he then shoved me down the road 13 miles. I did find BLM land though. More of a fancy parking lot than anything, yet no state patrol had kicked me out. (Yet) mostly because I will just go down the road where BLM has started if not all already. Which I just would ask the trooper considering the local Jay told where to look for it. I even have his phone number.

My solution eminent domain his fuckin land so that a right of way can be established to get to the BLM. After all what good does it do if the public can't use it unless they jump through all the hoops or please the farmer enough to be allowed access.

After seeing nothing for miles and miles it is rather disappointing I am lower than a cow that shits, eats his grass, and tramples all over his land. Nice.
So at any rate I got some sleep and then patiently waited till someone either kicked me back further or I wanted to get up.
I don't think there is a thing called stealth camping unless your on private land in Wyoming.
Just camp already. Like I said I see nothing for miles and miles. I am sure they don't talk about land fills becoming full out here. I might do a reposition sits I became so sore from doing 70 miles. Maybe do some day camping or go farther back to BLM land not sure at this point.
It had been a tough day with me wasting all my time finding alternate routes which were never there. Just a paved road where they let go so they don't have to spend the money.

In WY screw the cyclist screw the cyclist. Even shoulder decayed while cars drove on fresh asphalt. They make laws so emergency vehicles and parked cars, make all the right lane traffic move to the left give them some space. For the cyclist who has no alternative other than I 80 you can plow right next to him. So my cycling theme screw the cyclist screw the cyclist.
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My pics still broken or reached some quote.

After a day of rest as you read I was eager to get going.
I was going to go through CO yet after seeing a restriction on route I 70 for cyclist I went north to I 80. I love it after spending days and days of climbing I am on flat ground. I did 40 miles in a half day. With rolling hills and a tailwind I am ready for more. My arse is still way sore, but my body is saying.
The only bad part is the thunderstorm. I have been holed up here for two hours waiting for them to ask me to leave. Looking at the rain out my window I am not budging just yet.
As I said rolling hills only sagebrush in my view. I passed the continental divide today. Now seen it in two states. It was rather tame. I will be spending my night out side Rawlings WY and then head to 130 WY route to Medicine Bow. Things will get interesting after that.
I used I 80 after Point Of Rocks. No more roads, in fact I got screwed and was stuck a dirt road or an extra 6 miles of travel I never had a choice after that and I was glad. I am more than happy to point my bike and go, then try to navigate roads with wonderment as to what I am going to encounter or try to navigate.
I 80 has been ok the shoulder is wide and crappy. Some parts the road is to so I guess that's fair in some spots.
Moving at an average speed of 10 mph has made me happy. If this storm would just quit.

I don't think my pics will ever post need to find something else.

Halfway through Rabbit is Rich.
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