Rawlins Wyoming to Denver Colorado

Today we started in Rawlins, Wyoming and ended the day east of Denver, Colorado.  There were several different twists to the day.

Snow fences are everywhere in Wyoming along the Interstate Highway.  In most cases they are wooden but in some cases the barrier is made up of trees planted in rows.  Some are the familiar picket fence style while others are high wooden partitions appearing to be newly built.  The latter are built with openings that accommodate the movement of cattle or wildlife and set in long, staggered segments.  These fences hint at what weather the region expects in the near future and we are grateful to be crossing this terrain now rather than later!

Cattle roundups appear to be in progress.  We saw three cattle carriers along a frontage road as we passed by one area.  It begs the question, “How do they find all of the cows across such a large range?”  The cattle seem to be wandering everywhere, mostly in small groups and without fences to constrain them. 

Migrating birds are also evident.  Grouping together, they are flying in small groups contrasted against the sky in black ribbons of flight.  In other places we saw them gathering around small ponds in an otherwise golden grass covered rangeland.

Wind turbines visible several times today during our journey hint at winds that are predominant along the ridges bordering the highway.  At one point today a gust blew the RV halfway into the oncoming lane.  Luckily, we were not close to any oncoming vehicles and Jim was able to get back into our lane rapidly.  Others were not so fortunate.  We saw no less than four accidents today.  Two involved tractor-trailers, one included two cars and a pickup with a horse trailer, and the last was the cleanup of the contents of a truck headed to Wal-Mart that lost all of its cargo on the side of the road from produce to house wears.  This more in one day than we have seen all year on the road.

Yesterday we saw what appeared to be the production of natural gas across the landscape for miles in Wyoming.  Today that gave way to oil production with the bobbing of pumping machines you’d only expect to see in Texas.

Pronghorn antelope were everywhere today.  I made it my goal to capture a better photograph of one.  You would think it would be easy, but it is not even with herds of them from an RV traveling 60 mph.  But here is my best…

Amazing geology exists in Colorado.  There are rocky mesa formations, ridges that have pushed up out of the landscape like the earth has been sliced and soil that looks like it has been dyed a rich red.

Smoke hid the mountains for the better part of the day and the sky was overcast all day.  It is a constant reminder of the wildfires.  We are glad to be on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains just east of the Denver Airport this evening.  We passed its famous white teepee style terminal roof today seeing it from a distance-the first time I have seen it in years, starkly white against the smokey sky.