First Jedediah Smith Trail 1822 — 1824

Day 20: September 4th, 2009 Gillette — Sheridan

Map Gillette to Sheridan

Thanks to my ear plugs, I sleep in a little bit. Just past eight I get up and get myself ready. During the night, they already pushed my receipt under the door like I know it from the Holiday Inn Express Quick Checkout. However, the amount looks a bit too high for me, around 10% more than expected. I check the prices on the Internet and assume, they have forgotten to give me the AAA discount. So I put my stuff into the car and check at the reception. But the amount is correct. There are again better prices on the Internet!

Well, then I will leave for breakfast. In the meantime it is almost 10am and I have to get moving. I drive again to Granny’s Kitchen like in 2006. There they are busy like hell and the servers are totally overstrained. Indeed, I receive a table. But the coffee almost takes a quarter of an hour. Then another server jumps in and from then on things work out. The coffee comes in a can over here. So you don’t have to wait for a refill.

Somehow I have the impression, that the server I currently have is the same as back then. But unfortunately, there is now no opportunity to ask her. Around a quarter to eleven I pay. The cashier is absolutely thrilled when I tell her the breakfast was as good as in 2006 when I was here for the last time.

Then I drive on to Walmart. I desperately need some bottled water. My supplies are almost dry. Then I pass the CD area and eventually get the one from the Zac Brown Band. This one I already wanted to buy last year because of the song “Chicken Fries”. But now I must have it because of the song “Whatever It Is“. I rummage further on and check for some low priced CDs. There they have a sale for $5 per CD. These are simply some, which are left over. There are a couple of very interesting ones and when paying $5 you cannot do much wrong — well, you need to add 5% tax and 1% exchange rate. But even then…

As usual, I get bogged down totally and leave Walmart not before half past eleven. Now I have to quickly set everything up in my truck and store my bottles. Then I drive over to the next gas station. There is an Exxon directly at the Interstate, which is not more expensive than the other ones around in town. So I drive to this place — and I am totally flashed how busy they are. No pump is free. And when one pump is finally released, exactly the nozzle for my gas is out of order.

That was the last straw and I drive on. All in all, there are plenty of gas stations in town. So I drive on to the Conoco, which is only a little bit down the road. The price is the same and there is almost no one around. I can gas up and clean my windshield relaxed.

When I am eventually able to leave it is already noon. When driving through the city I plan to take the first picture. But my camera does not trigger. Well, maybe it has once again issues with the autofocus. But I also have no luck with my next attempts. Then I take a look at the display and there is a flashing F—. It looks like something is wrong with the aperture. Great, is this camera now already broken or what?

I look for a spot where I can stop. Then I try to reanimate the aperture by switching between different programs. Finally I do the well know Windows act of desperation: Turn everything off, also take the battery out, wait, insert the battery — and lo and behold, the camera works again! Is there maybe running Windows CE on this camera or what?!

Echeta Rd, WY

Pronghorn, Echeta Rd, WY

Echeta Rd, WY

Now I can start my trip, first on pavement, then on gravel. This part I have been already driven a couple of years ago.

Echeta Rd, WY

S Prong Wildhorse Rd/CR 293, WY

Wildhorse Rd/CR 38, WY

The landscape is this typical semi–arid landscape with small bushes and this thin dry grass which you can also find in New Mexico and Texas. The landscape has again little hills, where the road is meandering over.

Wildhorse Rd/CR 38, WY

Wildhorse Rd/CR 38, Powder River, WY

Highway 341, WY

At Arvada I continue again on pavement and the Highway 341.

Highway 341, WY

Highway 14/16, WY

Finally I reach Highway 14/16.

Highway 14/16, Clearmont, WY

On this one I continue for roughly 15 miles. Then I turn onto the next gravel road again, which is County Road 42, also called Ulm Road.

Ulm Rd/CR 42, WY

On this one I continue many miles along the railroad.

Highway 336/Wyarno Rd, WY

Finally I arrive at Highway 336 and with this on pavement.

Highway 330/336/5th St, Sheridan, WY

Now I continue to Sheridan and the Trail End SHS.

Trail End SHS, Sheridan, WY

This is an old mansion from the turn of the century. The former owner was even a governor once. I arrive pretty late. But I am still able to see everything and take pictures reasonably. Then I have a brief chat with the employee. Her ancestors are from Essen. Then I take a couple of pictures from the outside before I go back to my car.

I have been already passing the Motel 6. Now I drive back and exactly when I arrive at the railroad crossing also the train arrives. And these ones are a bit longer around here…

Eventually, the railway crossing gate opens and I continue my drive to the motel. When I enter the reception area, the employee gives me a sorrowful look. But when I say that I have a reservation, her face clears up. Seems I had luck! I receive a room on third floor. But they have elevators. Unfortunately, there is still one story above me. Let’s see how this will work out. All in all, this is one of the more classy Motel 6, which are really nice.

I pack my stuff together and take the elevator. When I arrive at my room door, it is not fully closed and the light is turned on. That is weird. But it is the correct door and also my room card works. So I put my stuff into the room and freshen myself up a bit. Then I realize that I have left my CDs in the car. Therefore I go downstairs again, this time taking the stairs to the side exit. There I realize that I have parked at the other end of the motel. Well, let’s see where I will park tonight. As they are completely booked, it might be getting tight around here.

I get my CD player out and feed it with my rechargables. But the first set are already almost empty. Okay, considering that I haven’t really used them much, they are pretty much done. Seems like I will check them for capacity when I am back in my company. That will probably not be too much. Oddly enough, they still charge an eternity before they are fully charged.

While I am now listening to my CDs, I write my diary and do my bookkeeping. Also I am looking for a nice restaurant for tonight. This time I haven’t received a real recommendation. It was more like: Go down to the main road and there are plenty of restaurants. The only real recommendation was the Country Kitchen. But that is a place for breakfast. I would only go for dinner there, if there is absolutely nothing else around.

The Sanford’s Pub & Grub was also named when asking for steaks. I check in my software where this restaurant is located and also look up an alternative from the phone book. Unfortunately, they are exactly at the opposite end of town. But I decide to take a look at the Sanford first.

Then I continue with my videos and photos. Around a quarter past eight I get myself ready for departure. I have also checked again on the Internet about the Sanford and it seems to be very interesting. So I will give it a try. I find it without any searching around, even when they have no illuminated advertising on the outside. It is more like a little pub with an entry at the corner and the name is only written on the sunshade.

Inside it has a pretty funny interior, decorated with all kind of old and new utilities. The guests are all younger. It is a real nice place, which I will remember. The menu is overwhelming and beside that it looks like everything else is also huge. The glass with my Pepsi almost takes one liter as it looks like. And the fork remembers more on a fork for the salad bowl. The food size is also big and so I leave the restaurant at a quarter past nine completely full.

Now I must start the brief hike back to my car one block down the road. Parking downtown is around here a bit more difficult than in Gillette. Back at the motel, the same lady is at the reception. I tell her that the Sanford was a great recommendation. She also likes to go there. I ask her, if she also knows a good place for my breakfast tomorrow. She writes down two of them, which are local and very good. I am really curious about it, especially about parking tomorrow.

Back in my room I first check the video taping of the gold mine. But I am not able to proceed much further, because I am again barely able to keep my eyes open. Now I am missing the coffee in my room. Additionally, I must write my diary and download the pictures. I am still 5 video tapes behind. This will be tough to catch up with all of them. I put my next CD in the player, one of the first from Kenny Chesney. Then I write my diary. Now I quickly sort the pictures and do a backup on my external hard disk. Then I am eventually able to go to bed. Anyway, it is again already half past eleven…

Sights
Trail End SHS (Fee $4)

General
Breakfast: Granny’s Kitchen, Gillette
Dinner: Sanford’s Pub & Grub, Sheridan
Motel: Motel 6, Sheridan
Distance: 116 miles

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