Our last day at Freeman Campground in northwestern Colorado turns out well.
The day got off to a bad start with an invasion of mosquitoes, but by noon, the wind blows them away. The crew and I walk down to the reservoir. We have the reservoir to ourselves. In fact, the crew and I are the only ones here at this peaceful National Forest campground.
My plan for today is to leave bright and early.
However, since our destination, out of necessity, has changed to a Flying J Truck Plaza in Rawlins, Wyoming, I’m in no hurry to trade our verdant home, otherwise known as campsite #5, for pavement, hydraulic brakes, idling reefers, and exhaust fumes. The wind is still pretty strong. That concerns me because we’re going into wide open, grassland where the winds have plenty of room to build strength.
Around 11 o’clock the winds die down and I decide we’ll leave.
By noon we’re driving past the reservoir on our way out of the campground and down the mountain. I enjoy downhill a lot more than uphill. We descend to an alpine valley where sheep graze. Further on, the PTV startles a pair of heron from a pond. They fly right in front of the windshield. A deer standing in a shady, dry stream bed alertly watches us pass. An expansive view of the valley opens up before us.
Highway 13 and highway 789 are monotonous drives.
Bridget and Spike sleep soundly. Occasionally my attention is averted from the road by a few antelope, longhorn cattle, or a small herd of horses. The landscape is treeless. Low grey-green bushes dot the rolling hills. Absolutely no one lives along this long stretch of road, except in the tiny town of Baggs. After driving about three hours, the last half-hour through road construction on Interstate 80, we see the welcoming sign of Flying J Truck Plaza!
I don’t see an area designated for RVs.
I go to the back parking lot as far away from the building as possible. There are several trucks parked back here already. I find an empty area off the paved parking lot. With all the trucks on I-80, I won’t be surprised if it’s packed with trucks before the night is over. I walk the crew around the edges of the parking lot taking photos as we go. Several semi-trucks are parked in a row showing off their polished, bright paint and gleaming chrome. A flock of sea gulls picks at the trash in a dumpster. Wait a minute. Sea gulls in Wyoming?
It’s cool enough that I can close the windows when we go to bed.
That should reduce the truck noise so we can get a good night’s sleep.
rvsue
rvsue and her canine crew 