Day 35 - ending at Haxtun, CO - Tri-points on the Tri-speed

June 17, 2013

Day 35 - ending at Haxtun, CO

Posted via email Tue Jun 18 07:49:02 2013 PDT

Woke up at 3:30am (MDT) and started writing yesterday's report. Waited until later to send it, since the cell signal inside my motel room was cutting in and out.

Packed the bike and was on my way at 7:42am. Went looking for a place to eat other than Subway or a convenience store. Found the Wray Cafe open. I'd talked briefly with a fellow walking his dog as I'd left the motel this morning. He came in the Wray Cafe with his wife when I was there. I told him I didn't get very far. He said, "You need to fuel up!" I did, with three eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, hash browns, sour dough toast, orange juice, and coffee.

Left the restaurant at 8:50am, after taking a second look at my GPS routing. It had me going west, then north to get to Haxtun. I'd figured, looking at the map, that I'd go north, then west. Decided to trust my pre-trip routing, and headed west on US-34. This took me past the place at Rainbow Park where I was going to camp last night. I could tell by how wet the picnic table was, that even the shelter wasn't spared the sprinklers. I organized my maps while there. Colorado never sent me my requested highway map, so I had brought with me pages cut out from my Colorado DeLorme Atlas.

It was a sunny morning with a northeast breeze. I made good time, going west on a great shoulder. Arrived in Eckley at 10:46am, hoping to get a chocolate milk from a gas station. Eckley doesn't have a gas station. There was a soda machine at the fire station, but it didn't work. Found the city's park, and there they had a water faucet. So I had fresh cold water, and ate the cookies I had with me. I noticed the safety flag Bill gave me back in Springfield has taken a beating. I guess I'll have to go back to using the other one I have (and give Bell Sports some free advertising).

Left Eckley at 11:12am, going north on CR-T, through what my map has labeled as "Sand Hills". This road is in great shape also, and the now-east wind wasn't slowing me down any. Went a mile west on CR-45, then north some more on CR-S. At 12:40pm - at the intersection with CR-48 - the pavement ended. Progress was a little slower after that. I turned west on CR-54 at 1:48pm, after a snack break. A few more turns north and west brought me to Clarkville - a town of six buildings.

Took another break, anticipating getting back on pavement (US-59 to Haxtum). Left at 3:10pm with seventeen miles to go. Wind was now strong from the east. Looked like this afternoon's storm was going to be to the south of me. US-59 is in very good shape, and I was making good time. My hope was to get to Haxtum before 5:00pm, so I could check-in at city hall for camping at their city park. My GPS indicated I might make it, and I did, arriving in town at 4:40pm.

Found city hall, but they were closed. Went next to the police station. The officer there said camping at the park would be fine. She asked me if I knew where the park was. I said I had it marked in my GPS and pointed northeast. She said no, the park was over there, pointing southwest.

I rode all over the southwest side of town, but was having no luck finding the place. A pick-up truck slowed down and the driver asked which way I was heading. He said severe storm warnings had just been issued, and I'd better find some shelter. It was getting dark to the west. He said I probably had an hour before the storm got here.

I went back downtown to Grainland Convenience Store for a soda, and to ask for directions to the park. A customer there drew a map, indicating the park was on the south side of the grain elevators, near the highway. I found the place this time - at 5:25pm. No shelter here, so I decided to go to the [northeast] park indicated on my GPS, to wait-out the storm. I knew that park had a pavilion. Arrived there at 5:35pm. There was a game being played at the ballpark next to this park. They didn't seem too bothered by the approaching storm, though they did stop for a fifteen minute lightning delay. I worked on the report, waiting on the storm that didn't arrive until 7:20pm. And it was mostly just a cold wind, with a little rain. The ballgame played on right through it.

A chunk of one of my wisdom teeth broke off yesterday, and another piece just came off today. (I shouldn't have bought those jaw breakers back in Tribune.) So far the tooth isn't hurting, but it feels like quite a gap in my mouth.

I left this park at 8:03pm, and went back to Grainland C-Store for on-the-road snacks and stuff to eat for supper. Arrived back at the [southwest] park at 8:30pm. Had the tent set up by 9:00pm. Ate the potato skins, cherry pie, and chocolate milk I'd bought for supper, then called it a day.

Jeff

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Spent: $12.12 plus $2.50 (breakfast) + $1.05 (soda) + $7.83 (snacks, supper) = $23.50.

Day 35 - Wray, CO to Haxtun, CO

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