Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Wyoming BWPig*
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:13 pm
So I left off with having to beat a retreat from the snow-stopped summit of US Rt 212 and hit the border on Wy 310. Turns out that US Alt 14 was a magnificent drive in its own right. The Bighorn Basin was an ancient ancient landscape, an old seabed back when we had that big sea coming right through the north American continent just before the time of dinosaurs. Unfortunately that inclement weatherof the morning had also dumped a lot of moisture into the atmosphere:
The pass on Alt 14 was steep and sliced right through geology that showed millions of years of sedimentary layers with occasional outbreaks of ferrous deposits that left a deep red hue, absolutely beautiful and absolutely unphotographed. But here is the incline with just a trace of the red:
Well inside of the mountains I took this shot of the valley floor:
This next shot is what I was looking at when I got out of the car from the last shot inside the car. The colors of the land have not been captured half enough here, but the feeling of Time in this place was remarkable:
So this was the second 10,000 foot climb undertaken in the span of a morning. My plucky little bus rewarded my idiocy by deciding to loosen up #1 main bearing which is now thumping under acceleration and vibrating the gearshift like it did 11,300 miles ago when I pulled into VWBusrepairman's garage to replace the camshaft gear. Red Loctite did a decent job of holding things until this morning of 4,600 rpm shifts.
I did not take pictures or a video even of that most beautiful descent to Burgess Junction. Way up in the mountains where trees do not dare stick up too high, and sky that shows up below you (!) it was vast simple land with quick clean streams. The first view of the land below on the eastern side of these mountains was breathtaking. I'm pissed that I didn't take any pictures now, but at the time, I was totally into the driving. Alt 14 is a red road, that's right, all natural red with handsome white lines framing the lanes. With beige/yellow late-summer grasses to each side, it was a handsome experience. But. . . I had to blow off that Expedition on the downhill. He had been annoying some time back as I trundled up the mountain. Come on! I used the slow lanes when they showed up, he was sightseeing or something and did not avail himself of the opportunity to pass me then, and now he wants to get by? Guess his phone call was done now. Anyways, I played the old slow VW game on the downhill as I imperceptably speeded up to the point where I can see he is now struggling to keep that pig in line. Then I started using the lanes to full advantage and he just kept turning in too soon and therefore was a mess by the exit of the turn and damn there's another turn and he is on the wrong side of the road and finally Midge or whoever must have told him to cool it. These cars have great brakes.
ANYWAYS, the eastern side of the Bighorn National Forest was so beautiful too! Classic Wyoming cowboy vistas:
I pulled off at an old abandoned ranch and took in the impending sunset.
The light was gorgeous:
Who takes pictures of clouds because they are nicely lit?
Tourists from small closets? Next post.
Colin
The pass on Alt 14 was steep and sliced right through geology that showed millions of years of sedimentary layers with occasional outbreaks of ferrous deposits that left a deep red hue, absolutely beautiful and absolutely unphotographed. But here is the incline with just a trace of the red:
Well inside of the mountains I took this shot of the valley floor:
This next shot is what I was looking at when I got out of the car from the last shot inside the car. The colors of the land have not been captured half enough here, but the feeling of Time in this place was remarkable:
So this was the second 10,000 foot climb undertaken in the span of a morning. My plucky little bus rewarded my idiocy by deciding to loosen up #1 main bearing which is now thumping under acceleration and vibrating the gearshift like it did 11,300 miles ago when I pulled into VWBusrepairman's garage to replace the camshaft gear. Red Loctite did a decent job of holding things until this morning of 4,600 rpm shifts.
I did not take pictures or a video even of that most beautiful descent to Burgess Junction. Way up in the mountains where trees do not dare stick up too high, and sky that shows up below you (!) it was vast simple land with quick clean streams. The first view of the land below on the eastern side of these mountains was breathtaking. I'm pissed that I didn't take any pictures now, but at the time, I was totally into the driving. Alt 14 is a red road, that's right, all natural red with handsome white lines framing the lanes. With beige/yellow late-summer grasses to each side, it was a handsome experience. But. . . I had to blow off that Expedition on the downhill. He had been annoying some time back as I trundled up the mountain. Come on! I used the slow lanes when they showed up, he was sightseeing or something and did not avail himself of the opportunity to pass me then, and now he wants to get by? Guess his phone call was done now. Anyways, I played the old slow VW game on the downhill as I imperceptably speeded up to the point where I can see he is now struggling to keep that pig in line. Then I started using the lanes to full advantage and he just kept turning in too soon and therefore was a mess by the exit of the turn and damn there's another turn and he is on the wrong side of the road and finally Midge or whoever must have told him to cool it. These cars have great brakes.
ANYWAYS, the eastern side of the Bighorn National Forest was so beautiful too! Classic Wyoming cowboy vistas:
I pulled off at an old abandoned ranch and took in the impending sunset.
The light was gorgeous:
Who takes pictures of clouds because they are nicely lit?
Tourists from small closets? Next post.
Colin
before this incredible privilege is revoked by the lack of affordable fuel.