Robert Stuart Trail 1812 — 1813

Day 27: September 7th, 2007 Lander — Rawlins

I would have loved to kill my neighbor: The TV was running the whole night! That’s why I have slept really bad. And today there is a real long trip laying in front of me. I have breakfast again at the Oxbow. There I receive a real thick sliced bacon for my breakfast! Also my server is okay and so I drive over to the next gas station almost compensated for the bad night.

Around 10am I am eventually back on the road and leave Lander on Highway 287 again.

Highway 28, WY

Highway 28, WY

Highway 28, WY

Highway 28, WY

Then I continue on Highway 28.

Oregon Buttes Rd, WY

Pronghorn, Oregon Buttes Rd, WY

On this one I drive back to South Pass. Because I am already one and a half hour behind my schedule I am really happy that I don’t need a stopover at the Red Canyon. At South Pass I take the backroads in direction of the Great Divide Basin. There is indeed a lot of private property. But to my surprise you are allowed to drive everywhere!

Oregon Buttes Rd, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

88 S10 Blazer, Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

Backroad, WY

First I am able to drive on almost regular roads. But sometimes the road is barely visible. Only due to a reduced grass growing in the “driving lane” you can tell where the “road” runs along. But therefore the landscape really pays back the effort. Even when the roads are almost gone due to washouts and I am more than happy to have my new lift kit.

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

In the middle of the green the landscape suddenly changes to badlands. Now I am passing Honeycomb Buttes crawling by with not more than 2mph. Then the road runs up a ridge which exactly follows the Continental Divide.

BLM Rd 3219, Great Divide Basin, WY

BLM Rd 3219, Scotty Lake, Great Divide Basin, WY

BLM Rd 3219, Great Divide Basin, WY

Then I pass Scotty Lake on slightly better gravel roads.

BLM Rd 3216, Cyclone Rim, Great Divide Basin, WY

BLM Rd 3216, Cyclone Rim, Great Divide Basin, WY

BLM Rd 3216, Cyclone Rim, Great Divide Basin, WY

BLM Rd 3216, Cyclone Rim, Great Divide Basin, WY

Along Cyclone Rim I continue my journey, where I am not able to locate the exit into the Great Divide Basin. So I continue my drive in eastern direction.

BLM Rd 3221, Great Divide Basin, WY

I also try to follow Stuarts meandering in this area. But at this point I am really happy to take a shortcut. Especially, as I am already more than late in time.

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Unfortunately these roads are once again not identical to my map. Therefore I get lost a couple of times and end up on real extreme offroad tracks. Into the bargain, the time is on the back of my neck and it is already starting to dusk. This is exactly what I need right now around here: Driving on bad offroad tracks in the middle of the night!

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

88 S10 Blazer, Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

Backroad, Great Divide Basin, WY

I try to locate on my map a path to a better “road”. But a gate locks me in. Despite all efforts I am not able to get this gate open to exit. Therefore I try to find another path out and finally I arrive on a “regular” gravel road when it is getting dark.

Sunset, RD22/Bairoil Rd, WY

Sunset, RD22/Bairoil Rd, WY

On this road I continue to Bairoil where I am back on pavement for the first time. When looking at my CB antenna I am getting convinced that all this shaking around had moved the antenna now through my roof. There is no way to safe it. I unscrew it before I continue to avoid further roof damage. It’s probably best to put some silicone into the hole that no water will run through the roof into my car.

Around half past eight I eventually arrive in Rawlins. As already suspected, the Super 8 is completely booked. But the Travelodge still has rooms available. At least I am lucky here. For dinner they recommend Cappy’s, just a short distance down the road. There is also a girl Volleyball team, where I have seen some of them also at the motel. It seems like there is a bigger game tomorrow. Around half past ten I am finally back in my motel and just do the book keeping and enter the minimum amount of GPS coordinates. Tomorrow I will check the video taping that I have a chance to eventually go to bed…