Another tough day in the wind!

 I stayed late in Rock Springs due to the low temps wind chill 34 degrees.  At 11:00 it had risen to 54 degrees.  It only took 20 miles to crank up the wind machine.  I had hoped that the windy days were over but I was really wrong.  About 30 miles into this 190 mile day a warning sign with lights flashing “High wind tip over risk” so I was watching and other motorcyclists were coming toward me so I continued on.  Another 30 miles and a bigger sign with flashing lights read “High wind blow over risk - 40+ MPH”.  By this time my shoulders were aching from fighting the winds but my lunch stop was 20 miles away so I continued on.  After lunch I made it to Wind River which is a stunning ride up through this gorgeous canyon, and yes with the ever present wind.  Over the course of 5 miles the temperature dropped from 72 degrees to 54 degrees and I pulled over in a camping site and put on my fleece and winter gloves.  I came down this canyon from the MOA Rally in Great Falls a few years ago and its just an awesome ride down the canyon.  The ride up is just as beautiful.

I arrived in Thermopolis at 4 pm, checked in to a Quality Inn and was beat!  This Inn is a dump, probably the worst of the ones I have stayed in on this trip.  The real reason I stopped here was for lunch tomorrow at the One Eyed Buffalo, an awesome restaurant.  I ate there my last time through here and well worth a stop.  I could have gone on to Cody but I have time to kill before I have to get to Great Falls, MT.