Wildlife, water and wind.

So the day finally arrived! I set off on my awesome motorcycling adventure. I had a great day all in all. I set off a little later than I was aiming for, but thats the usual for me so no surprises there. My route: I was going to link, but I was unable to get WiFi, so I'm therefore doing this via phone, and am limited to just text, so here goes.

I started out from Denver on I-70 west, I was at first nervous about the size an weight of the backpack I'm wearing for the trip, but as I was riding found its not bad at all. I stopped for some food in Idaho Springs, as I realized that it was about noon and I hadnt really eaten anything all day. So into McDonalds and ordered a number 1. Vegetarians eat your heart out. Really though if McDonalds relied on people like me for business, they would have gone out of business a long time ago. I can't even remember the last time I scarfed down a big mac. Its everything I remember it to be, which is to say mediocre to the last. Anyway after a quick lunch it was back on Miss Rabbit (this is the name I christened my motorcycle with today, after the also bright redhead Jessica Rabbit ala Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

 First junction in my route, I pulled off I-70 just after Idaho Springs and headed north on US40 over Berthoud Pass, quick stop to take a photo at the top where it was ever so slightly snowing, though nothing seemed to actually be hitting the ground, and off again through Winter Park and on to my next turn at highway 125 North. Shortly after turning onto the 125 I noticed a sign saying CAUTION, MOOSE IN AREA. ILLEGAL KILLING OR POSSESION OF MOOSE $1000.00 FINE. I kind of got a kick out of that sign, who is going around possesing moose? I think the sign should read, IF YOU CAN POSSES A MOOSE, YOU GOT A LOT OF COJONES, $1000.00 PRIZE. Anyway the sign was not wrong and not 20 minutes later, there off the side of the road in some picturesque wetland was a big cow moose chowing down on some plants. I dont know that I've ever seen a moose in the wild before, it was pretty cool. Then the rain started. 

So at this point I'm climbing over the continental divide and I still mostly have my warm weather gear on. So it was stop on the side of the road, gear up with the cold weather stuff as quick as possible, stop to appreciate the little waterfall that I just so happened to pull over next to, and back on the road, now warm and toasty inside all my gear. Its amazing to me how muh the right gear really does make a difference. Climbing a mountain pass with air temp at 50 degrees and raining could really be miserable, but I was actually totally comfortable.

I stoped at the summit to take a picture crossing the divide. CONTINENTAL DIVIDE COUNTER: 1 Surprisingly the rain pretty much just stopped as soon as I crossed the divide, I guess the Pacific is full enough.

It was smooth sailing then all the way to Wyoming border. How it is that weather patterns can differenciate between states, I have no idea but after crossing the Wyoming border it just got downright windy. I was riding with cross winds, tail winds, head winds, I don't get why Wyoming is just so damn windy! I was at times when a good crosswind would get going, basically riding sideways just to go straight. But the wildlife up in Wyoming was great.

I saw half a dozen redtail hawks, a myriad of funny little prarie dog critters, loads of pronghorn antelope (sidenote observation: female pronghorns immediately perk up when I honked my horn at them, but every single male I honked at just kept on grazing without so much as a glance. Something surely can be said here of the listening skills of males vs females.) a bunch of deer, a herd of "wild" horses and at least one falcon or some other small raptor that wasnt a redtail. This kind of stuff just makes me smile, I love how you see things on the highways.

 I'm gonna take a quick break from the ride report now for a segment devoted to the thoughts I have while riding. Motorcycling is a fun,,exciting and adventuresome way to get around, but its also peaceful, meditative, and allows me to do a lot of thinking, so I will devote some words to this segment each day. I'm not representing that these are original or inventive in anyway, just things that go through my head while riding.

 Motorcycling Reflection: Inside the Helmet. How is it that throughout history dragons are depicted throughout many different cultures? How is it that all these people had dragon art, stories, and mythos? Even despite the fact that these cultures had no contact with one another they all had dragons! I wonder if its an indicator that the creatures may have existed in some form, or if its just an indicator of the way the human psyche works? Do we all have the same basic blueprint and are therefore able to have parallel thoughts without contact with one another? Or do we have some common consciousness that is imperceptable, yet allows us as humans to share ideas with one another?

 Back to the ride, as I made my way through Wyoming I ended up going over the Continental Divide 2 more times, CONTINENTAL DIVIDE COUNTER: 3 then while going over a small pass hit some sleet, again bringing to home that the right gear makes all the difference, as it wasnt even a little unpleasant. Finally as the sun was setting today I pulled into the small town of Lander as the sun was setting

 and checked with some hotels and motels to see of something could be had for cheap. The rates I got ranged from expensive($105) to still more than I wanted to pay ($49), but after asking around the town I found that the city park has free overnight camping.

So here I am, laying in my tent after a glorious day, in a small town, in a small park, in a small tent just loving life. Its sprinkling a little on me but I don't think its gonna rain hard (I hope) but either way I'm feeling grand.

Mileage Day 1: 385
Cumulative Miles: 385
Song I was singing the most in my helmet: Home on the Range
Continental Divide Counter: 3

UPDATE: So it rained all night last night despite my optimism that it would just sprinkle. I feel more refreshed than I thought I would though. The trip on the whole is just energizing to me. So quick breakfast at McDonald's to make use of the WiFi and another great day is ahead of me.

 Cheers MC