Nine-Day Summary: Wind, WIND, and MORE WIND!
Odometer: 727 miles Leaving Laramie. 1,108 miles Leaving Meeteetse.
Day 3 — Laramie, Wyoming to Rock River: 42 miles.
Days 4, 5 — Rock River, WY to Rawlins: Semi-truck accident on I-80. Forgot backpack in Walcott Junction Shell Station. Snow overnight in Rawlins: 81 miles. Longest day to-date.
Day 6 — Rawlins WY, to Jeffrey City Church Hostel: 67 miles.
Day 7 — Jeffrey City, WY to Riverton via long 9% Downhill Grade. E-ABS works great!: 61 miles; 58 miles on a SINGLE CHARGE! Longest to-date.
Days 8, 9 — Riverton, WY to Thermopolis. Rain + Sleet all through Wind River Canyon: 52 miles. Waterproofing seems to be effective. Less concerned about inclement weather now.
Days 10, 11 — Thermopolis, WY to Meeteetse. Finally! No Wind!: 57 miles
Plus 20 Miscellaneous Miles riding in Rawlins and Thermopolis.
I may come back to update this post later, but since I’m not sure how many of you are interested in the specific performance metrics of the battery, I’ll just summarize today.
If you ARE interested, then a comment indicating your interest would be appreciated and an extra motivation for me to include the specific details.
My main objective in writing this blog is to catch up. Documenting this trip is proving to be almost as challenging as actually riding the scooter for hours upon hours almost every day.
I thought I could catch up in Rawlins: it didn’t happen because of the fiasco with my forgotten backpack while the Interstate was closed because of a serious trucking accident.
Then I thought I would have time in Thermopolis, but after ingesting something very disagreeable to my system, I found myself too dehydrated and nauseous to think much about anything for two days except… well, you can imagine.
Anyway, here I am finally catching up at least a little, and that only in writing and hydrating; the videos still need editing and posting to somewhere, but that will have to wait.
Today I repacked EVERYTHING because obviously I’ve got to keep riding, and because I knew that some areas needed improvement.
I’m not a believer in “Quality Control” because I’ve seen over and over again, especially in China, how Quality Control STOPS improvement.
That said, I AM a firm believer that Quality Improvement NEVER stops! If you doubt this, just give it a bit more thought. I’m sure ample evidence will present itself to support my assertion.
While staying at the very friendly Cycling Hostel in Jeffrey City, Wyoming, I added my small part to their “murals of history. ” I also added a personal “tip” where requested. Here is what I scribbled onto the wall:
“If you do something twice, THINK about doing it better. If you do something THREE times, DO IT BETTER. “
Today I needed to take my own advice.
So be it. It’s better. It’s done!
As noted previously, this section of The Journey has been VERY windy, but I must say that the adverse weather — wind, rain and SNOW! — also seems to be making me a more competent rider. As the saying goes: calm seas do not make a good sailor. And the same is true in the case of upright-scooter riders.
That said, I would strongly advise novice riders to practice their skills and hone their riding technique in SAFE environments with little to no traffic. Eventually you may get the chance to be tested by a fast-moving vehicle whizzing past your frame, but it’s probably not a smart idea to kill yourself before the opportunity presents itself.
I practiced MANY hours before beginning this trip. I rode fast AND I rode slow, with and without the trailer and a backpack load. If you want to improve your abilities, I suggest that you do likewise.
For those of you not so much interested in scooting, allow me to say that if you choose to venture out and travel by more common means, you will find the country opening up and hospitality again flourishing.
Elyse and Robert at Logan Ranch, Wyoming and Dennis and Kristine at the Eagle RV park in Thermopolis, Wyoming are obviously shining examples of what it means to be kind to strangers. If you get the chance, say, “Hi!” to them for me.
Thank you all for your kindness and support!
Many blessings to all of you! ( Just one of which is that you are blessed in that you don’t have to listen to my screechy singing after hours of not enough fluid consumption and more than enough hours of heading into dry Wyoming gales! [Did I mention that it’s been a bit windy out here?]
Until next time…
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