Lincoln Highway Journey 6: The Road Gets More Challenging: Lincoln Highway Big Springs, Nebraska to Salt Lake City – Part 1 Big Springs to Rawlins, Wyoming

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Bill, friend Kate and I had to do a little bit of backtracking in order to pick up the Lincoln Highway from Big Springs, Nebraska to Salt Lake City. Here was the location of the notorious battle of the signs pointing early Highway travelers to proceed south to Denver or due west to Wyoming. This required us to fly in to Denver, drive 2.5 hours via interstate to pick up the Big Springs to Cheyenne leg. Our previous trip brought us via the earliest 1913 southern alignment to Denver and points north to Fort Collins, where knowledge of the early road peters out. This is much easier to visualize by taking a look at the Lincoln Highway map https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/map/

Day 1 Big Springs to Cheyenne: Suffice it to say it was a long day. Good news: we were able to enjoy a tinroof sundae (a delectable combo of ice cream, peanuts, fudge sauce, and marshmallow cream at its birthplace in Potter, Nebraska at the Sundry. The Sundry is a local hotspot and talking with the owner we were impressed with her short order skills! We considered ordering a Reuben (an alternative state sandwich for Nebraska) but she had taken it off the menu to try some new delicacies. The sundae was amazing though! One other bit of good news, most of this section is co-located with US Highway 30 so we could make good time.

We reached the Wyoming border at Pine Bluffs as it was getting dangerously close to evening. With the complexity of the route, it’s definitely not advisable in the dark. Plus we got offtrack somehow in the little burg of Egbert. Here is where God intervened and lit the rest of our way into Cheyenne with a spectacular lightning storm. It was a beautiful sight as we descended into the bowl of Cheyenne.

Day 2 – Cheyenne to Fort Collins and Fort Collins to Laramie. To complete the Denver loop, we needed to backtrack to Fort Collins, then along the presumed Denver loop up to Cheyenne. This route is mostly right along I-25 so an easy stretch. Now time to get acquainted with the Wyoming Lincoln Highway! We reached the highest elevation of the Highway at the tiny town of Buford (elevation 8,000; population 1). Right near the Tree in the Rock (don’t ask!) we veered off the I-80 and frontage roads to dip south and then north again at Tie Siding through this beautiful, rugged country. We arrived in Laramie early enough to explore this university town but had a heck of a time finding a place open for dinner. Tip: don’t rely on Google for restaurant hours!

Day 3 – Laramie to Rawlins. Laramie redeemed itself with a great breakfast at J’s Prairie Rose Café. Featured on Diners, Drive ins and Dives, Kate’s green chili breakfast burrito looked amazing!

Ok, here is where the road gets really interesting. Kate ( was ) volunteered to open and close cattle gates for us to continue along the route through cattle grazing country. Our rental truck did yeoman’s service for us along farm roads that are rarely used. I believe we followed a number of “thin blue” line roads – designated by the Association as original route but no longer pass-able. We say big herds of pronghorn antelope – the world’s 2^nd fastest land animal. I would love to share a photo with you but whenever we would slow down or stop, the pronghorn would already be a mile away. Bill insisted we take the thin blue highway to the mining ghost town of Carbon. That was some rough riding!

We were excited to finally see Rawlins. We had a great Thai meal at Anong’s in Rawlins and even had time to visit the Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum. Wyoming certainly had its share of bad guys, and this site featured deaths by hanging, electric chair and lethal injections. We learned more than we cared to learn!

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Photos

Enjoying the tinroof sundae
Potter Sundry - home of the Tin Roof Sundae!

Carbon, Wyoming
Main Street of Carbon, Wyoming

Kate and the Cattle Gates
Kate's Special Cattle Gate Opening (and Closing) Skills

Cheyenne Train Station
Bill Meeting the Locals in Cheyenne

Cheyenne Train Station
Loved the Boots at the Cheyenne Train Station