What a great day..... I don't mean to rub it in.... but life is wonderful..... today was great. We had a few (very minor) setbacks - but overall - we got to see some beautiful country, meet some great people, and just enjoy being an American.... so here's today's "route"
But before we get to today's route - we had a "surprise" drive. You see, we were kind of tired when we got in yesterday afternoon - and Jeanette REALLY wanted to go do a "drive" around Guernsey Lake. I think you all know that I can't say "no" to my girl - so this morning, we woke up and took the approximately 20 mile drive around Guernsey Lake - before breakfast.... it was so quiet and peaceful.... the road is so narrow in places that you can barely keep the bike upright (the speed limit said 10 mph - strictly enforced - but I probably would have run off the road if I would have gone that fast.....) As we took the drive, we saw deer, (almost hit a couple) - beautiful hills and buttes, (or whatever you call them) and an absolutely gorgeous lake.
Okay, I am going to show you some photos - and even as I re-look at these - it was just an awesome, quiet drive.... and it started out the day right....even though there were a lot of clouds in the sky - and rain threatened for most of the day....
Okay, so after this WONDERFUL start - we went back to the "Bunkhouse Motel" where they advertised a "Continental Breakfast"....unfortunately, I think they meant to say it was cooked on the hood of a Lincoln Continental....it was bad. First, there wasn't much left (we were there by about 7:30 - but all of the construction workers had come and gone....) - there were two miserly biscuits and the bottom of the gravy.... they did not have eggs - other than some deviled eggs that they put out after they ran out of scrambled eggs.... I was trying to get some protein - so I had one of those. Jeanette found some cereal and got half of a corn muffin (which we later threw away)....all in all, that was very disappointing.
So we packed up and got "on the road again" - even with the bad taste of breakfast in our mouths, we were happy to get moving....the wind started picking up - and it looked like we were going to get SOAKED.....I almost pulled off before we turned north towards Douglas - but decided against it - and we never got a drop....
Oh...a funny thing happened....we stopped in Douglas to get gas - I pulled into the station - and inserted the key into the gas tank cap...and it wouldn't open. I mean, I jammed and pulled and pushed and turned - every way I could think of - and that little sucker wouldn't unlock. Jeanette came back from getting a water - and I went in to go potty and she jammed and pulled and yelled, etc. etc. No luck. That sucker was not opening.... I was also afraid I was going to break the key off.
So I got on our phone and called Kawasaki - to find the nearest dealer - (as this was a "warranty item" as far as I was concerned).....and they told me the nearest guy was in Casper (about 50 miles away) - well luckily, I was filling up the tank when it was only about half empty - so I told the Kawasaki person that I would head to Casper and find that dealer.
Jeanette and I hop on the bike and take off. We were a little concerned - but the gauge said we had plenty in reserve (the tank holds about 5.5 gallons and we have been getting a little over 40 mpg - so it seemed like we had plenty to spare.) We drive into Casper and right as we are pulling up to the dealer, the "FUEL" system warning lights up like a Christmas Tree - I mean there were 40 lights flashing and the LED screen was reading something like...."MORON...FILL UP!" So I pulled into the dealer and tell them the problem I am having..... they send out Beetle Bailey (with a goatee) and he starts jamming and pulling and swearing and cussing and then - the cap pops open! WHAAAAATT? How did you do that?
"I dunno....I think the tumblers are locked or stuffed or sumpin..."
So I shut the cap and tell him "do it again".....he repeats the jamming and stuffing and cussing - and it opens again.....I reach over and press the cap down again - and eventually it opens up....
"I think ya just need to wiggle it really hard and it will work".....
Okay, this didn't make sense to me - so I pulled the key from his hand.....I wiggled it and eventually it opened (I swear I wiggled it that much when we were in Douglas....) But this bothered me.....because it shouldn't be that way.
So I started fumbling with it - I wanted to make sure that if I pulled into a gas station again, I could get it open.... what I saw was....you insert the key - turn it a touch counterclockwise - and then turning it clockwise it opens easy as pie.
Triumphantly, I said "ah-hah!" And showed him...... of course, this is a Kawasaki certified mechanic that has gone through classes and studies and computer courses to get where he is....and he replies...
"Huh..."
.......
......
"HUH?!?" That is the best you can do? HUH?!? You would have thought ONE of those classes or books or courses would have told him about this. Anyrate, it was not his fault that he didn't know this.... so we kind of laughed about it.... I thanked him and asked him where the closest gas station was. We immediately fueled up and we were back on the road again - with maybe a 30 minute delay....so all turned out good.
The weather "broke" right after Casper - and the skies became cloudless - and we could see the snow topped mountains in the distance. The roads were very sparse with cars or trucks - so we could go our own speed and see antelope, deer, horses, cows, goats, llama, squirrels, basically anything that moved.
Which also led to a spirited conversation between my girl and I.....exactly WHERE DO..the deer and the antelope play? Do they play with cows and buffaloes? My question is that "Home on the Range" is the Kansas State song.... so is it a copyright infringement if the deer and the antelope play in other states? What if certain portions of Kansas are closed for construction? Could Wyoming be an "alternate play location?" The fact that we carried on this conversation for over an hour (and we both thoroughly enjoyed it) means two things....one - we have spent WAY too much time together and two - we really were meant for each other....but I digress....
So we had a 100 mile drive between Casper and Shoshoni, Wyoming - where there were no gas stations....or restaurants - we didn't know it at the time, but about 50 miles in, there was a rest stop - so when we saw the rest stop, we pulled off and took a break. Another couple on a Harley came and parked next to us - they were heading the opposite direction. So we talked for a few minutes and also struck up a conversation with one of the car drivers. It was a nice few minutes to just sit and chat....
So we drove the rest of the way to Shoshoni - it was about 1:00 pm local time - and because of the miserly breakfast, we were getting hungry.... so we drove through the town - and no real place to eat. Well, Riverton was only about twenty miles away - and it is much bigger than Shoshoni - so we drove there. Boy are we glad we did!
We found this little restaurant called "Family Traditions." Jeanette ordered the bowl of chili and I ordered the cheeseburger.
I don't know what it is about Wyoming - but between yesterday and today - I have had two of the best cheeseburgers (not counting homemade ones) - that I have ever had. MAN, they were good. Jeanette's chili was excellent as well. The chili was like $5 and the burger was $6 - and that included a ton of fries - that I couldn't eat....
So we made the last 30 minute drive to Lander, Wyoming - where we are safely tucked into the Holiday Inn Express. Jeanette and I went and hit the pool and the whirlpool - so we are nice and relaxed. Because of the late lunch, we are just going to have some light snacks and take it easy. Tomorrow, we are going to do our last "westward" drive. We will be driving to Montpelier, Idaho to see my mother, my brother, and his family. We will be there until Tuesday morning.
Not sure what kind of email/internet access I will have tomorrow - but I will try and get something out (we will be staying at relatives for the weekend - and I don't know if they have wireless or other internet access...) - but we will try to post something.
We will be "on the road again" next Tuesday when we will be heading north to West Yellowstone, Montana - and then start the slow trek back towards home....
Hope you are enjoying the adventures!
Wade and Jeanette
GNTYCGTBN LY <3
 |
| Guernsey, WY to Lander, WY - 265 miles of a good time..... |
But before we get to today's route - we had a "surprise" drive. You see, we were kind of tired when we got in yesterday afternoon - and Jeanette REALLY wanted to go do a "drive" around Guernsey Lake. I think you all know that I can't say "no" to my girl - so this morning, we woke up and took the approximately 20 mile drive around Guernsey Lake - before breakfast.... it was so quiet and peaceful.... the road is so narrow in places that you can barely keep the bike upright (the speed limit said 10 mph - strictly enforced - but I probably would have run off the road if I would have gone that fast.....) As we took the drive, we saw deer, (almost hit a couple) - beautiful hills and buttes, (or whatever you call them) and an absolutely gorgeous lake.
 |
| The blue line is the route we took - we started from point B and headed towards point C (I had to do this so I could do a "loop" in google maps.... there is probably a quicker/better way to do it - but it works for me...) and then we returned to point B for breakfast and to start today's journey |
 |
| As we headed out - the clouds looked bad.... |
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| The entry to the park across the lake and dam (so this is the dam road....) |
 |
| For the next couple of photos - I am going to let you "ooh" and "ahh" ....and yes, it was that beautiful.... |
 |
| That bridge you see - we made a 180 turn about 20 feet further down the road and we crossed over the bridge.... |
 |
| And yes, we caught a few deer having breakfast as well... |
So we packed up and got "on the road again" - even with the bad taste of breakfast in our mouths, we were happy to get moving....the wind started picking up - and it looked like we were going to get SOAKED.....I almost pulled off before we turned north towards Douglas - but decided against it - and we never got a drop....
Oh...a funny thing happened....we stopped in Douglas to get gas - I pulled into the station - and inserted the key into the gas tank cap...and it wouldn't open. I mean, I jammed and pulled and pushed and turned - every way I could think of - and that little sucker wouldn't unlock. Jeanette came back from getting a water - and I went in to go potty and she jammed and pulled and yelled, etc. etc. No luck. That sucker was not opening.... I was also afraid I was going to break the key off.
So I got on our phone and called Kawasaki - to find the nearest dealer - (as this was a "warranty item" as far as I was concerned).....and they told me the nearest guy was in Casper (about 50 miles away) - well luckily, I was filling up the tank when it was only about half empty - so I told the Kawasaki person that I would head to Casper and find that dealer.
Jeanette and I hop on the bike and take off. We were a little concerned - but the gauge said we had plenty in reserve (the tank holds about 5.5 gallons and we have been getting a little over 40 mpg - so it seemed like we had plenty to spare.) We drive into Casper and right as we are pulling up to the dealer, the "FUEL" system warning lights up like a Christmas Tree - I mean there were 40 lights flashing and the LED screen was reading something like...."MORON...FILL UP!" So I pulled into the dealer and tell them the problem I am having..... they send out Beetle Bailey (with a goatee) and he starts jamming and pulling and swearing and cussing and then - the cap pops open! WHAAAAATT? How did you do that?
"I dunno....I think the tumblers are locked or stuffed or sumpin..."
So I shut the cap and tell him "do it again".....he repeats the jamming and stuffing and cussing - and it opens again.....I reach over and press the cap down again - and eventually it opens up....
"I think ya just need to wiggle it really hard and it will work".....
Okay, this didn't make sense to me - so I pulled the key from his hand.....I wiggled it and eventually it opened (I swear I wiggled it that much when we were in Douglas....) But this bothered me.....because it shouldn't be that way.
So I started fumbling with it - I wanted to make sure that if I pulled into a gas station again, I could get it open.... what I saw was....you insert the key - turn it a touch counterclockwise - and then turning it clockwise it opens easy as pie.
Triumphantly, I said "ah-hah!" And showed him...... of course, this is a Kawasaki certified mechanic that has gone through classes and studies and computer courses to get where he is....and he replies...
"Huh..."
.......
......
"HUH?!?" That is the best you can do? HUH?!? You would have thought ONE of those classes or books or courses would have told him about this. Anyrate, it was not his fault that he didn't know this.... so we kind of laughed about it.... I thanked him and asked him where the closest gas station was. We immediately fueled up and we were back on the road again - with maybe a 30 minute delay....so all turned out good.
The weather "broke" right after Casper - and the skies became cloudless - and we could see the snow topped mountains in the distance. The roads were very sparse with cars or trucks - so we could go our own speed and see antelope, deer, horses, cows, goats, llama, squirrels, basically anything that moved.
Which also led to a spirited conversation between my girl and I.....exactly WHERE DO..the deer and the antelope play? Do they play with cows and buffaloes? My question is that "Home on the Range" is the Kansas State song.... so is it a copyright infringement if the deer and the antelope play in other states? What if certain portions of Kansas are closed for construction? Could Wyoming be an "alternate play location?" The fact that we carried on this conversation for over an hour (and we both thoroughly enjoyed it) means two things....one - we have spent WAY too much time together and two - we really were meant for each other....but I digress....
So we had a 100 mile drive between Casper and Shoshoni, Wyoming - where there were no gas stations....or restaurants - we didn't know it at the time, but about 50 miles in, there was a rest stop - so when we saw the rest stop, we pulled off and took a break. Another couple on a Harley came and parked next to us - they were heading the opposite direction. So we talked for a few minutes and also struck up a conversation with one of the car drivers. It was a nice few minutes to just sit and chat....
 |
| Getting friendly with folks at the rest stop |
We found this little restaurant called "Family Traditions." Jeanette ordered the bowl of chili and I ordered the cheeseburger.
I don't know what it is about Wyoming - but between yesterday and today - I have had two of the best cheeseburgers (not counting homemade ones) - that I have ever had. MAN, they were good. Jeanette's chili was excellent as well. The chili was like $5 and the burger was $6 - and that included a ton of fries - that I couldn't eat....
 |
| And in case I haven't told you..... it is not a pretty sight, but it is part of the food chain (you have never heard that before, right?) |
Not sure what kind of email/internet access I will have tomorrow - but I will try and get something out (we will be staying at relatives for the weekend - and I don't know if they have wireless or other internet access...) - but we will try to post something.
We will be "on the road again" next Tuesday when we will be heading north to West Yellowstone, Montana - and then start the slow trek back towards home....
Hope you are enjoying the adventures!
Wade and Jeanette
GNTYCGTBN LY <3
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