| Author | Message | ||
     Red_chili |
Thoughts on an interesting route from Denver to Lame Deer MT? One that won't take forever? I have one day to get there. Googlemaps has some options. If you force it, it goes through Laramie, the back way to Casper, then through Midwest, Gillette, and on up, avoiding the slab. Thoughts? I will be riding alone. The group I am going with will be in a van, no doubt superslabbing it. 8 hours of superslab is not my first choice. There is a Zen in it though. | ||
| Skrobe |
Use care with your fuel stops. In several places on Wyoming back routes it is 150+ miles between fuel stations that are open at all hours of the day. I regularly travel between Colorado and Montana. You could take the turnoff for Torrington on I25 north of Cheyenne divert towards the Black Hills. Nicer scenery than I25. You could then take Highway 212 west from the Black Hills area. Otherwise, the trip through Wyoming will be pretty bland. Too bad your Montana destination isn't towards the west. There are many roads there with Buell written all over them. | ||
| Khelton |
get a couple of fuel bottles from a backpack store.... | ||
| Red_chili |
You could then take Highway 212 west from the Black Hills... That route is almost exactly what Googlemaps proposes if you check the 'Avoid Highways' checkbox. What do you think of this route below? Familiar with it, with gas stops, etc.? [Hmmm. Can't embed the full link. Won't work.]  OK, the route is from Denver -> Ft. Collins -> Laramie (via US 287) -> Rawlins (via I-80, yech) -> Riverton (via WY 135) -> Thermopolis (past Boysen Reservoir & Boysen Peak, looks interesting) -> Worland -> Buffalo (via Cloud Peak Skyway, looks to be the nicest leg) -> Sheridan (via I-90, yech, but I do recall it's pretty) -> Lame Deer (via WY 338 & MT 314 & US 212). 12 hrs. 34 minutes per Googlemaps. A Uly should make better time.  | ||
| Skrobe |
Whew, you're going quite a ways west to wind up in Lame Deer. I think you will be very hard pressed to make that loop in less than 12 hours. I80 from Laramie to Rawlins is a VERY windy stretch of road. Worland to Buffalo is not as scenic as you may think until you get to Ten Sleep, closer to Buffalo. Route 16 into Buffalo is quite the BUELL road. Believe the signs you will see warning cage drivers to not tow a trailer! You will probably need to pull over and cool the bike brakes! It is a very nice twisty turn ride though. You should have adequate fuel stops on your proposed route. | ||
| Red_chili |
Yeah, I went to pick up a puppy in Idaho this last February. Not only windy, but ground blizzards blowing semi's around on glare ice. Winter is serious business on I-80. Yeah, I know Worland is pretty plain. The price one pays for 16, it looks like! Yummy. Sounds like that will be worth the trip. Well, I might just start out at sunrise or maybe even earlier. Maybe even the night before, and motel it somewhere, pick up local color and not push hard. Maybe throw a sleeping bag and tube tent on and call it good (assuming the coyotes ain't hungry!). |
