TABLE MT, RANCH - ROCKY MOUNTAINS CAN BE ROCKY
VIRGINIA-DALE, COLORADO MEMORIAL
VIRGINIA-DALE, COLORADO - STAGECOACH STOP
COLORADO WELCOME
STEVE & CYNTHAS FIREWORKS BUSINESS - NEAR LARAMIE, WYOMINGSitting in my Motel Room in Ft. Collins, it is an awesome feeling I have only tomorrow to complete Phase II of my walk to Key West.
This morning, drove out of Laramie to the FIREWORKS Business of Steve & Cynthia. Steve drove me the 13 miles to the Colorado border. I walked back to Steve's & the Van. I was prepared for a down-hill stroll...Wow, how wrong I was...
The Colorado border is 5 miles on THE OTHER SIDE of the 8,200 foot Pass...5 miles of steep climbing all the way. Actually, the climb was not so bad...have done more many times before...
This time was quite different.
Highway signs say Strong Winds Possible next 5 miles....What an understatement.
I am a Sailor and know something about wind.
Stepping out of Steve's Pickup, hardly a breeze moved the mountain grasses. The State Line is in the Lee of the mountain top (Lee = the side opposite from where the wind comes from). So, there was NO wind at that spot.
500 meters up the mountain from the State Line, the mountain gave way to a ravine to windward...Holy Moly...a full Gale hit at 11:00 nearly knocking me over - Gale = 45 mph; 11:00 = nearly head on my left cheek (the upper one).
For 5 miles, that Gale tore at me. I had to stop, back to the wind at least 10 times to catch my breath before stepping into it again. For the first time on my walk, my lungs were tested to their fullest...I really hurt. The wind screamed into my nostrils and down my throat. I covered my face with my "towel" neck cloth I wear to keep the incessant bugs and flies from biting me. I dared not to take a drink of water as that cleans away any throat mucus which protects the throat membranes from the biting wind.
The 5 mile climb should have taken 75 minutes. I finally reached the top -. I could see Laramie off to the NORTH - after nearly 2 hours...and it did not stop there...the wind kept at me all the way to Steve's. By far, this was my most difficult walk session yet.
I was fighting the wind so much that I did not drink, did not eat, and did not take any photos during this walk.
Steve told me of another walker who, a couple months ago, experienced the same or perhaps stronger winds coming over that pass.
After recovering at Steve's for nearly an hour - I was really beat up -, I drove the Van on to Ft, Collins, where I have again taken a room.
I intended to walk 10 miles or so back up the pass, but after a half mile, I turned back...I was simply in no condition to walk further...Total Today: 13 miles.
Tomorrow IS Another Day (from: Gone With The Wind).
This morning, drove out of Laramie to the FIREWORKS Business of Steve & Cynthia. Steve drove me the 13 miles to the Colorado border. I walked back to Steve's & the Van. I was prepared for a down-hill stroll...Wow, how wrong I was...
The Colorado border is 5 miles on THE OTHER SIDE of the 8,200 foot Pass...5 miles of steep climbing all the way. Actually, the climb was not so bad...have done more many times before...
This time was quite different.
Highway signs say Strong Winds Possible next 5 miles....What an understatement.
I am a Sailor and know something about wind.
Stepping out of Steve's Pickup, hardly a breeze moved the mountain grasses. The State Line is in the Lee of the mountain top (Lee = the side opposite from where the wind comes from). So, there was NO wind at that spot.
500 meters up the mountain from the State Line, the mountain gave way to a ravine to windward...Holy Moly...a full Gale hit at 11:00 nearly knocking me over - Gale = 45 mph; 11:00 = nearly head on my left cheek (the upper one).
For 5 miles, that Gale tore at me. I had to stop, back to the wind at least 10 times to catch my breath before stepping into it again. For the first time on my walk, my lungs were tested to their fullest...I really hurt. The wind screamed into my nostrils and down my throat. I covered my face with my "towel" neck cloth I wear to keep the incessant bugs and flies from biting me. I dared not to take a drink of water as that cleans away any throat mucus which protects the throat membranes from the biting wind.
The 5 mile climb should have taken 75 minutes. I finally reached the top -. I could see Laramie off to the NORTH - after nearly 2 hours...and it did not stop there...the wind kept at me all the way to Steve's. By far, this was my most difficult walk session yet.
I was fighting the wind so much that I did not drink, did not eat, and did not take any photos during this walk.
Steve told me of another walker who, a couple months ago, experienced the same or perhaps stronger winds coming over that pass.
After recovering at Steve's for nearly an hour - I was really beat up -, I drove the Van on to Ft, Collins, where I have again taken a room.
I intended to walk 10 miles or so back up the pass, but after a half mile, I turned back...I was simply in no condition to walk further...Total Today: 13 miles.
Tomorrow IS Another Day (from: Gone With The Wind).
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