Day 9: June 16, 2014 A Scenic Deviation Comment via blog

Prev Next

I had less than 200 miles to cover today and most of that would be on I-80. When Susan learned this after talking with me enough to gauge my interests to a degree, she suggested I might like a more scenic route and a look at look at an old mining town. I did like the idea immediately and liked it even more after taking a look at Roadside America. I would be passing within a few blocks the Carbon County museum where the only pair of shoes made of human skin and worn by a governor at his inauguration (as far as we know) are exhibited. I started to get excited at the prospect of starting another day with a shoe picture but it was not to be. The museum is closed two days a week and this was one of them. I could have toured the prison just up the street but I wasn't all that interested at the time and was certain it wouldn't make up for missing the shoes.

The route was certainly scenic. I encountered my first paving crew of the day (and the fifth or sixth of the trip) on US-287 which was the bulk of the drive. I turned onto WY-28 a few miles south of Lander, paused at the Red Canyon scenic overlook, and encountered another paving crew (not pictured).

This is Atlantic City, the mining town Susan had pointed me to. Atlantic City Mercantile, which claims a birth year of 1893, is one of the few businesses operating in town and it is only open on weekends. A look through the window shows a bar I'm sure I'd enjoy bellying up to. The sign in front tells some of the town's history.

The drive south on WY-28 and WY-372 wasn't quite as scenic as the drive north had been. I crossed over I-80 to approach the Green River Palisades eastbound for the first time. Then I drove on past to get the traditional shot from near that convenient little parking lot. If taking photos caused erosion, this place would coffee table flat by now.

I turned back to the west, crossed I-80 again, and headed to Little America. My room is very nice but it's in the next to last building near the farthest visible car in the photo. The restaurant and convenience store are behind me and beyond them the automobile fuel pumps. Even farther, beyond a row of semis, is a building with semis parked all around it. That's where the self service laundry is. I had more or less planned on doing laundry here but walking, particularly with occasional light rain, wasn't inviting and driving my little SUV through that maze of semi-trucks seemed akin to roller skating in a buffalo herd. Even parking at the convenience store and walking didn't appeal to me. I'm OK for another day but I'm really hoping for a convenient laundry room at my next motel.

[Prev] [Site Home] [Trip Home] [Next]

democrat