Day 11 Farson to Kemmerer
76 Miles

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Last night I didn't sleep well. It seemed that every time that I went to sleep Spencer, who was sleeping on the floor, would roll over, kick my bed and wake me up. I really can't recommend the motel in Farson. I didn't know that it was possible to make walls that were that easy to hear through. There is a wedding party that has all six rooms booked tonight. I hope they get along well because there won't be any secrets spoken while they are in their rooms. This morning we got up at 5:30 and packed up. I couldn't find my microflece jersey which means that it fell off the back of my bike somewhere between the false parting of the ways pullout and Farson. I was riding in the back the whole way so no one would have seen it. It makes me mad that I didn't put it away properly while we were stopped for lunch. This morning we walked our bikes over to the cafe and filled our bottles and water bladders. The water in the motel is artesian and unless you are really into exotic mineral waters is not drinkable. We have to be prepared to ride at least 65 miles today without finding any more water so we are carrying 18 twenty ounce bottles and seven liters in bladders. We have ordered breakfast and are waiting for it while I type this. This cafe is full of rancher, farmer, miner, truck driver types and they sure do stare at me in my black lycra shorts. I have tried wearing pants several times this ride and they just aren't as comfortable. The ride out of Farson on Wy 28 runs almost on top of the trail. We stopped at the Simpson Hollow site and at the Pilot Butte site. The fact that Spencer didn't get supper last night is really showing up in his riding today. Even though he put away a huge breakfast his energy reserves are way down so he has no speed. Rhielle and I really are frustrated with him. Before the day finished we figured out that every time he started to drag, you don't get mad at him you just have to poke some food into him. He soon brightens up. The missionaries at Sixth Crossing recommended that we go to Kemmerer rather than to Little America. The distances looked similar on the map and we would be able to go to Evanston the next day making the trip one day shorter. They even recommended a "short cut" on a paved county road. They said that the route was flat with just a few rollers. Never trust car drivers who don't bicycle tour. The only reason that the route was shorter is in a car you don't have to slow down to go through Kemmerer. On a bicycle it is just as many miles and you come in on the south side of Diamondville and then have to ride north into Kemmerer to get any services. In all comparing the milage we rode to the miles listed on the map it is longer. To top it off the road from Opal to Kemmerer on Wy 372 is BIG climbs with lots of truck traffic. To make things worse we had a head wind. We did have enough water to last the ride but we were really spent. We stopped at the first convenience store and bought 44 oz fountain drinks. Spencer and I refilled ours. They also had a subway sandwich shop in the store and we each ordered a foot long sandwich. We could only eat 1/2 at the time but the other half sure went down easy about an hour later. It turns out that Kemmerer only has an RV park with no tent sites and it is north of town so we got a room at the first motel we came to in Diamondville. After showers we all went to bed and died for the night. I don't remember the last time I was this tired. If you ever bicycle from Farson to Kemmerer, take Wy 372 to US 189 and come into Kemmerer from the north side. Any other route is just as long and probably harder.

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Copyright © Clarence Whetten 2001