Day 38 - ending near Keota, CO - Tri-points on the Tri-speed

June 20, 2013

Day 38 - ending near Keota, CO

Posted via email Fri Jun 21 07:26:02 2013 PDT

Alarm set for 5:00am, woke up at 4:22am, after a good night's sleep. The wind this morning was gentle and from the northeast. Packed up and dried out the tent. Ate breakfast: Beanee Weenees and twelve cream-filled cookies. Ready to go at 7:54am.

I was heading to Pawnee National Grassland, where they allow "Dispersed Camping" (anywhere in the park just off the road). I couldn't decide whether to follow my pre-trip plan going straight west, or head south to CO-14. The route west would save miles, but was on mostly dirt roads. On the other hand, I might find a place to eat in one of the small towns along CO-14, if I went that way. My extra day at North Sterling State Park used up some of the food I planned to eat at Pawnee National Grassland. I decided to go the longer route, and worked my way south and west to CO-14, arriving at the highway at 9:54am. Took a break there until 10:04am. Had another break at 10:40am, to eat a snack. CO-14 has a few hills, the most notable one near Pawnee Pass, but this highway also has a great shoulder.

Crossed into Weld County at 11:57am. Pawnee National Grassland was now to my north. Arrived in Stoneham at 12:40pm. Sadly, the Prairie Cafe was closed. Continued on. At 1:19pm, I got blown into the driving lane (a little), as the wind changed direction from north-northeast to east. It was very sudden, and created a dust swirl that tracked southwest across a field. Since I was going west, this wind change was welcomed.

At 1:45pm, I arrived at New Raymer. To my great relief, they had a restaurant open - the Pawnee Station. I had their chicken fried steak dinner and a Dr Pepper (actually three Dr Peppers). Followed that with apple crisp pie. I was full.

Finally back on the bike at 3:08pm. New Raymer is where I turned north on CR-129 (which turns into CR-127) to get to the Pawnee Buttes. I could already see the buttes - some fifteen straight-line miles away. There was major road re-construction going on, so I had lots of construction equipment to make my way around. The traffic on this road surprised me. It was almost all trucks, but not semi-trucks. They were special trucks for road work and oil field work. Lots of them. This dirt/gravel road had, for the most part, one or two areas where the bike tires didn't get bogged down by gravel. With all these trucks, I kept having to move over and stop, so it was slow-going.

At 5:38pm, I turned west, onto CR-110. Even this road was busy with truck traffic. At 7:07pm, I turned onto Grassland Road 807 (CR-113). It is steep in places, and I ended up walking the bike some. Got up over a hill and was able to see the buttes. Continued on until I came across a picnic area with covered tables and a restroom. I'm not sure I'm supposed to camp here, but there is nothing posted saying not to.

I set the tent up under one of the shelters, even though I don't think it will rain tonight. No broken spokes today, and not too many thorns in the tires, either. A cow is mooing at me on the other side of the fence, so I moved behind the tent where I can't be seen. That helped.

This would be a great spot for star gazing, but the moon is too bright tonight. The whole northern horizon is filled with red blinking lights on top of wind generators. I have the soft clanking sound of a nearby windmill turning to help me fall asleep tonight.

Jeff

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Spent: $16.16 plus $3 (lunch) = $19.16.

Day 38 - Sterling, CO to Keota, CO

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