Getting to Know Our New Friends

We started out the day with the goal of covering half of the remaining 130 miles to Rawlins across the barren High Plains of Wyoming. Early in the day we passed the site of Willie’s Handcart Disaster and the point at which the Oregon Trail, The Pony Express, Mormon Trail and the California Trail all cross. About 30 miles into the days ride the wind began to pick up. It felt as if we had a headwind no matter which direction we turned. We pushed on for another 15 miles as the wind got stronger and stronger until, no matter how hard we pushed we barely moved. It was getting close to sunset so we decided to stop for a rest, wait for the wind to die down after sunset, and ride under the full moon to our planned stopping point – the only place with water along the whole stretch. We set up Daniel’s 4 season expedition tent and all crammed into it while waiting out the wind. We figured we’d take a little nap while we waited and next thing we knew, all five of us had slept a full night packed into a two person tent.