Deadwood South Dakota to Cheyenne Wyoming

We were up early this morning saying goodbye to the folks who had stayed around an extra day.  After almost everyone else had headed out, we loaded our gear in the back of Sherm's truck and drove up the hill to Bedrock Lanes in Lead where the RV was parked.  I loaded the bike while Sandy stowed the gear in the motorhome.  Jamey and Trouble showed up to say one final goodbye.  I can't say enough about how good WWR5 was thanks to the efforts they put into it.

We left Lead heading south on US 85 winding through the Black Hills.  The road was being resurfaced and was a bit bumpy but smoothed out completely when we crossed the Wyoming state line.  The hills came to a rather abrupt stop after the descent into Newcastle, where we fueled.  The pumps at the Loaf and Jug are at an odd angle so it took a bit of maneuvering to get out after gassing up.

From Newcastle, we continued south on US 85 across relatively flat land to Lusk, where we turned west on US 20.  There were a number of coal unit trains hauling east and, as with my prior trips across this area, I wondered at the huge appetite for the black substance.  Along here, the Rocky Mountains came into view on the horizon for the first time this trip.

US 20 met I-25 at Orin Junction, where we stopped briefly in a nice rest area.  Then we headed south on I-25  through rolling countryside.  The typical afternoon thunderstorms were brewing.  We only got a little bit of rain despite having ugly cells east and west of us most of the way to Cheyenne.

We arrived at the Flying J on the south side of Cheyenne before 4:00.  I pulled up to the RV pumps to fuel but had to wait because a trailer from Texas was blocked from leaving by someone in a 5th wheel who decided to leave their rig in the congested lot while he went shopping.  I saw quite a few soldiers standing by some military vehicles as I waited.  Eventually we got gas (I used the three digit plus 0 0 trick for the zip code and it worked) and moved to the truck parking lot for the night.  Flying J used to cater to RV's with separate parking areas but since they were taken over by Pilot, that seems to be slipping.  We found a spot on the end of a row facing the exit and considered ourselves lucky.

Safely parked for the night, we jumped in Sherm's truck and went to explore downtown Cheyenne.  It is a nice place and boasts a number of very old but well maintained buildings downtown.  Then we headed back to the Flying K where we had supper at Denny's before turning in.

Today's Pictures

Piper and Malachi discuss routes

The Colorado contingent set to head out

Badger getting ready to go

Lucky Al hopefully rolling his rain gear as Badger looks on

Susan prepares to head solo to Florida - one gutsy lady

A butte along US 85

Another beut of a butte

Descent into Newcastle - who puts a stop sign at the bottom of a steep hill?

Out of the hills at Newcastle and onto a whole lot of flat

And yet one more butte

Nice looking horses

The Rocky Mountains come into view

One of many coal unit trains

Union Pacific motive power

Orin Junction where US 20 and I-25 meet

Why go over a hill when you can go through it?

Thunderhead ahead of us

I hate clouds that look like this

Colorado afternoon thunderstorm

A bare butte

Approaching Cheyenne Wyoming on I-25

A find at Flying J in Cheyenne

An Army unit at Flying J

Our home for the night

Large cells all over - as usual

Downtown Cheyenne

Atlas Hotel (1887) - Cheyenne Wyoming

Here they paint cowboy boots

Union Pacific Station - Cheyenne Wyoming

Iron horse?

I know we'll catch flak for this one.......

A Cheyenne sidestreet

Tumbleweed at the Flying J

Today's Route (292 motorhome miles):


View Larger Map