KRATZMC

May 24th, 2010 Hays, Ks to Cheyenne,Wy

Day #5 was supposed to be a more relaxing day, slab riding from Hays, Ks to Cheyenne Wyoming with only 435 miles to cover. But then again, there is a thing called “Murphy’s Law”. Weather fronst were moving in to every state in my path, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Kansas was being threatening with Severe Thunderstorms, while Colorado was supposed to be clear but with Severe Wind Advisories, 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 75 mph. My route was simple, I-79 due west to Denver, Co and then due north on I-25 to Cheyenne, Wy.

I left Hay’s under the threat of rain, so I took off my summer gear and put on my “Stich” (Aerostich Suit). Immediately the wind was a factor, blowing directly across my path from the south (My left) at what I estimated to be a steady 30 mph.  I rode on with my machine listing to the left anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees. The unnerving parts were the unexpected gusts to 55 mph, which would feel like an invisible punch trying to push me out of my lane.  If you have ever driven in  a 25 mph crosswind or more, you will appreciate what I am talking about. Its like trying to grab a steer by the horns and make him go where you want him to go.

I got a Face Book message from my friend Dennis “Milky” Madsen”. Dennis advised me of the bad weather ahead and an unexpected snow storm they had in Salt Lake City. I had Dennis check the Doppler ahead of me on my route. With Dennis’ updates, I had a clear picture of what was up ahead. Dennis sent the wind warnings which included the 75 mph gust warnings.

As I neared Oakley, Ks, I noticed a sign to see the “World’s Largest Prairie Dog”. The crosswinds had not let up and increased to about 35 to 40 mph. My arms and neck were getting tired from trying to keep a relaxed but firm grip on the handlebars and seeing the Prairie Dog  seemed like a good way to take a break. Keeping a relaxed grip on a motorcycle in heavy crosswinds is not easy. When you get hit by an unexpected gust, you can’t help but fight the feeling you are being pushed over. Automatically you wrestle your machine to keep a straight course which becomes fatiguing.

Closed!

I reached Oakley, only to find that Prairie Dog Town was closed. The owner apologized but said the weather was forcing him to shut down for the day. My bid to see the Worlds Largest Prairie Dog and Roscoe the Miniature Donkey had been thwarted by Mother Nature. Disappointed I topped of my fuel tank and went across the road for some fried chicken at the Colonial Steak House. If you are ever on I-70 near Oakley, the Steak House is definitely and good beat. Its at the first Oakley exit if going E/B. It has great home style cooking and the fried chicken is pretty good. An added feature is that some of the locals are just as interesting to look at as Roscoe.

The Colonial Steak Houses Fried Chicken, the best fried chicken in Oakley, Ks

Re-energized I hopped back on the machine to find the winds had increased. Just a half hour down the road, I was getting tired again and noticed as front moving in from the south or my left, at amazing speed. I could see it dumping rain in the distance and it was going to cross my path fast. It was about ten miles wide and beyond it looked clear. I was fortunate that a rest area was near, with horizontal walls and overhangs to break the wind. Just as soon as I pulled in the storm cell was directly above me and started dumping rain and hail. I was almost under the west edge of the cell. People were running to their cars, holding their hats as the horizontal wind pelted them. I had got off the motorcycle at the right time and didn’t even get wet. I got on the phone to Milky, who gave me some more weather updates ahead….clear but heavy winds.

Directly at the west edge of the Cell that dumped Hail on me.

As fast as it appeared, the mini-storm moved on and so did I. I got back onto W/B Interstate 70 for some more battering. The wind had died down and I thought the storm cell that passed had been the culprit. As I continued west, the wind began to build up again and increased, to what I thought was 40 mph and steady with gusts up to 50 mph. I could see the trucks and RV’s ahead of me, being pushed to the right. When ever I could, I would pass them on the left and would not allow them to get along my left side. My Uni-Go trailer was doing fine, I really couldn’t feel it or was oblivious, while concentrating on just keeping my machine in a straight line.

After some more battering, I felt like I had been in the ring with Mike Tyson for the last three hours. I decided to rest again and stopped in Limon, Co.  There was a sand and dust storm coming, so I took shelter at a truck stop store.

The sand that accumulated around my machine during the brief dust storm in Limon. Perfect timing in getting off the ST.

I was hoping the wind would let up after being sanded but the wind increased, I thought if I could get to Denver, now 80 miles away, that the crosswind from my left, would be a tail wind when I turned north. About ten miles out of Limon, there was a 3 miles stretch with carnage. 6 Big Rigs and one RV. 5 of the rigs were blown over on their sides, two W/B and 3 E/B. One rig was up right but off the road into a deep depression. The RV a 5th was blown over and had taken its tow vehicle with it. Local news vans lined the road and EMS personnel and tow trucks were having a field day.

This was the windiest section of my ride and the gusts were unrelenting. Here I experienced and ARK (Act of Random Kindness) a woman in an SUV pulled to the left of me. I was trailing a Big Rig so I could watch its trailer, giving me a heads up of gusts ahead. The SUV slowed and paced me at 70 mph. I was wondering was she was doing and then it dawned on me. She was acting as a wind break. I guess she felt sorry for me or rides her own motorcycle. She was like my Angel for ten miles, giving me a very need break from the winds. She waived good bye when we came up to a rest area and I blew her a kiss. Then it was back fighting the wind.

ARK #2: I continued on to Bennett, Colorado and decided to take another break from the wind and get a Red Bull. As I was in the parking lot, a van with a family from Laramie Wyoming pulled into the parking lot next to me. The father driving the van said he rode and asked where I was going. I told him Cheyenne. He said there was an alternate route around Denver, which would help me by pass the Metro and avoid the commute traffic. They invited into the van and showed me the route on his lap top, sheltered from the wind.

I thank them immensely and took his advice, which worked like a charm. I went north on Hw7 79 which turned my crosswind into a tail wind. Getting off the barren interstate also reduced the wind, as I had trees and terrain features to cut the wind down. I also spied and unusual Mail Box when I reached Hwy 52.

Cool Mail Box near Ft. Lupton, Co

Without further incident, I reached I-25 north of Denver with no more traffic or crosswind. The wind hadn’t died but my change of course turned the wind into a tail wind. Now I was probably getting 75 mpg. I did one last stop in Ft. Collins at the Colorado Visitors Center and looked at my tires. The left side of my front tire showed the extreme wear from the last six hours of riding in a lean to the left.

You can see how much of a lean I had for about 6 hours from constant crosswinds. You can see the dark scrub marks along the right, or riders left side of the tire.

I finally made it to Cheyenne, battered and tired. The Best Western I have stayed in, in the past was closed. I found a Micro Tel Motel and called for Chinese food to be delivered, since I was too beat to go out. I ate my Mongolian Beef, grew drowsy from the MSG and went to sleep.

Having crossed into a new time zone, I gained an extra hour to rest. I learned my soon to be ride companion had hunkered down 200 miles west of me, caught in rain and light snow. Merritt is going to meet me in Great Falls Weds afternoon but he is going through Yellowstone Park on his way, weather permitting.

Day 6 should have me within a two hundred miles of Great Falls, to make my meet up by noon and into Canada.

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