City Escape: Laramie, Wyoming

In eastern Wyoming lies a land of constant wind, where you can find a hip college town called Laramie. Here, the locals call a 45-mph wind “a breeze,” and the 6,500-foot elevation can leave you breathless rather quickly. 

As I unloaded my Honda CRF250 Rally in the late June “breeze,” the rugged beauty of this place and the mountains to the south called to me. I was up early the next day, grabbing some Best Western eggs and grinding some coffee beans for strong French press coffee.

Pointing south toward the Snowy Range, my little Honda “screamed” down the open tarmac at a blistering 55 mph. Traffic was light, so those in more of a hurry passed while I took in the scenery. 

I ascended the now winding SR 130 into the forest toward snow-capped peaks. Approaching 10,000 feet, I stopped to put on heavier gloves and zip up my jacket against the cold. 

The intense blue sky against the gray granite and snow was a feast for the eyes. Hikers were starting their adventures as I passed over the crest, and a moose grazed quietly in the shadows not far from the road. After several ambling stops, including Libby Flats, I descended on the north side of the range and turned east onto a gravel road hugging the Snowy Range.

I transitioned from the alpine zone through the forest and into the sagebrush, eventually paralleling I-80 on a dirt road. Immense snow fences separated it from the freeway.