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The Vogel family is traveling through Wyoming on their 2-1/2 year, 20,000 mile trek on the Pan American highway. They are currently stopped in Pinedale waiting out the sudden winter snow storm.
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Family on 20,000-mile bike trek visits Pinedale (posted 10/11/08)
Parents and twin sons biking from Alaska to tip of South America
Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online!
Ten-year old Davy and Daryl Vogel will have a unique story to tell about their 5th, 6th, and 7th grades. They are spending those two-1/2 years with their parents bicycling 20,000 miles on a trek from Alaska to the southern tip of South America.
The Vogels, from Boise, Idaho, began their trip in June 2008. They arrived in Pinedale on Friday, October 9 and decided to hold tight after hearing reports of a strong winter storm threatening to drop from three to ten inches of snow in the Upper Green River Valley, and bringing blizzard conditions and wind chill values to 10 below zero further south near Rock Springs over the weekend.
The family is staying at High Country Suites in Pinedale and expect to stay until Monday, when the weather is forecast to return to sunny conditions and warm all the way up to around 39 degrees. Mom Nancy wrote in their blog, "I can’t imagine being out here in blizzard conditions with 15 degree temps!! "
Parents John and Nancy, both long-time teachers, are "home schooling" their sons along the way to keep them up on their schoolwork. They are incorporating the sights and history they encounter along the way as they travel the Pan American highway.
The family is using their educational background to bring the world to under-privileged children in New York City through Reach the World (RTW). Reach the World is an educational non-profit organization with the mission of linking students in under-funded schools to online, global expeditions. These expeditions have the power to expand learning beyond the four walls of the classroom. The cyclists will be linked to classrooms via RTW’s interactive website and live Internet chats.
The family is traveling with two single bikes and a tandem, which allows the boys to switch back and forth between the single and tandem. Once they arrive in Argentina at the end of their journey, Davy and Daryl will become the new Guinness World Record holders as the youngest people to cycle the Pan-American Highway.
Follow the Vogel family's adventure on the blog on their website. You you can also sign up to receive their newsletter for more updates. Photos courtesy of the Vogel family.
Click here for more photos of the Wyoming portion of trip: Family on Bikes (12 photos)
Click here for an interview with the John and Mary Vogel by Bob Rule, KPIN 101.1 FM Pinedale Radio: Interview with the Vogel family Saturday, October 11, 2008 (694K, 3:50 min, mp3 audio file)
Related Links:
www.familyonbikes.org.
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Winter comes to Wyoming (posted 10/11/08)
Winter arrived in full force on Saturday, abruptly ending the wonderful mild fall. Roads became slick and emergency services were busy helping travelers with slide-offs and minor accidents. Outside livestock and wildlife have many months to go enduring the challenging weather conditions Wyoming will bring next.
Click here for more pictures of the valley's first snow: Winter arrives in the Upper Green (8 photos)
Snow Totals for Sublette County
Loomis Park Snotel 5 inches
New Fork Lake Snotel 5 inches
Elkhart Park G.S. Snotel 5 inches
Triple Peak Snotel 4 inches
East Rim Divide Snotel 4 inches
Big Sandy Opening Snotel 4 inches
Pinedale 13.8 NW 3.8 inches
Pinedale 8.5 SE 3.8 inches
Snider Basin Snotel 3 inches
Kendall Ranger Station Snotel 3 inches
Boulder Rearing Station 3 inches
Bondurant 1 inch
Weekend Weather Update (posted 10/10/08)
Winter arrives
Upper Green River Basin, Pinedale, Big Piney, LaBarge, Farson: A WINTER STORM WATCH is in effect from Saturday morning through Saturday afternoon. After periods of light snow today and tonight the snowfall will likely increase in intensity Saturday. There is the potential for 6 to 10 inches of snow to fall across the Upper Green River Basin on Saturday with up to 10 to 15 inches across the Upper Green River Basin foothills. Travel over Highways 191 and 189 will likely become slick and snow covered.
Wind River Mountains, Wyoming & Salt River Ranges: The National Weather Service has cancelled the Winter Storm Watch and changed it to a WINTER STORM WARNING until midnight on Saturday. Snowfall is expected to increase today (Friday), becoming heavy at times. A brief lull is expected late Friday night before the snowfall rate picks up again on Saturday and continues through Saturday night. The Wind River Mountains could see 1 to 2 feet of snowfall by late Saturday night with up to three feet along the east slopes above Fort Washakie and Lander. Road conditions over South Pass and Togwotee Pass will likely become slick and snow covered. Strong northeast winds will create considerable blowing and drifting snow and possible white out conditions. South Pass is expected to get northeast winds with gusts over 40 mph on Saturday and into the evening.
South Lincoln County, Rock Springs, Green River, Kemmerer, East Sweetwater County, Flaming Gorge: A BLIZZARD WATCH in effect from Saturday morning through Saturday evening. There is the potential for 3 to 6 inches of snowfall to occur across Sweetwater County Saturday and Saturday evening along with 4 to 8 inches in Southern Lincoln County. In addition, very strong east northeast winds of 35 mph with gusts to 55 mph may create 1 to 3 foot drifts along with white-out conditions. Travel along interstate 80 as well as other area highways may become extremely treacherous. In addition, wind chills of 10 below zero are possible. A Blizzard Watch is issued when sustained winds of 35 mph or greater or frequent gusts over 35 mph will combine with considerable falling and/or blowing snow to produce frequent visibilities below one quarter mile in the next 12 to 48 hours. Roads may close or become impassable in these conditions.
Hunters, travelers and others with outdoor interests should pay close attention to the weather forecast. Listen to NOAA weather radio or your favorite media outlet for the latest forecasts and winter statements. A winter storm warning means severe winter weather conditions are imminent or highly likely.
Pinedale Forecast:
Friday: A chance of snow before noon, then rain and snow likely. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Southwest wind between 5 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Friday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 18. North wind between 7 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Saturday: Snow. High near 32. Breezy, with a east northeast wind between 13 and 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.
Saturday Night: Snow, mainly before midnight. Low around 17. Blustery, with a east northeast wind 20 to 23 mph decreasing to between 8 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. East northeast wind at 7 mph becoming west southwest.
Sunday Night: Scattered snow showers, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Columbus Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 18.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 48.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 51.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 55.
Related Links:
www.weather.gov/riverton National Weather Service - Riverton, Wyoming
South Piney Creek runs through the middle of the project area. Four new wells are proposed to be drilled on the ridge on the south side. Graphic courtesy Cimarex Energy Co.
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Cimarex Energy proposes helium/methane project near Big Piney (posted 10/9/08)
Friday, Oct. 10 deadline for public comments
The public has until Friday, October 10, to make comments on the proposed Cimerex Rands Butte helium-methane project near Big Piney.
In early August, Cimarex was granted a Wyoming Special Use Lease for development of a methane and helium recovery facility located on State of Wyoming land on the ridge south of South Piney Creek on the eastern flank of the Wyoming Range.
The project area is approximately 1-1/2 miles east of the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary and 15 miles west of Big Piney. The project area is comprised of approximately 618 acres. Four wells would be drilled from an existing well pad on BLM land. A methane and helium recovery facility would be located on State of Wyoming Land within the project area. The methane would be transported to the nearest connection to Williams Pipeline for sale. The raw Helium (less than 1% of the gas) would be piped approximately fifteen miles to a liquefacation facility on private land on Calpet Road near US 189, approximately three miles south of Big Piney.
Click on this link for more on this story: Cimarex Energy proposes helium/methane project near Big Piney (19 photos)
Wyoming Highway Patrol’s newest K-9 makes big bust (posted 10/9/08)
Wyoming Highway Patrol
(Cheyenne) – The Wyoming Highway Patrol’s K-9 officers and their partners are increasingly valuable in the battle against narcotics use. They are particularly helpful in locating easily concealed drugs that are being transported across Wyoming’s highways.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol’s newest member, Bonnie, has been involved in two felony drug cases this week. Her biggest find of the week has been the seizure of just over 22 pounds of high grade marijuana on Tuesday.
Bonnie, a two year-old black lab, has been with the Wyoming Highway Patrol for approximately three weeks. She and her Highway Patrol K-9 handler have together successfully completed 80 hours of dog handler training.
Bonnie's extensive training has certified her and her partner in the area of narcotics detection for marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamine, ecstasy and their street derivatives.
Bonnie’s call out on Tuesday was to assist a Trooper on eastbound Interstate 80 when he requested a narcotics K-9 at a traffic stop made just before 9:00 a.m. approximately 30 miles east of Cheyenne. Upon her arrival Bonnie alerted at the trunk area of the 2006 Chrysler convertible.
Troopers opened the trunk and discovered two black duffle bags which were packed with plastic bags stuffed with high grade marijuana. The driver of the Chrysler, 28 year-old Matthew R. Frazier from Knoxville, Tennessee, has been arrested and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
The street value of the high grade marijuana seized is approximately $57,800.00.
On Monday Bonnie assisted Troopers at a traffic stop on US 287 seven miles south of Laramie. Seized during that traffic stop was a felony amount of pharmaceutical tablets and a misdemeanor amount of marijuana. The driver and passenger in the vehicle, both from Hayden, Colorado, have been arrested and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Currently, these new narcotics trafficking cases remain under investigation. Troopers along with Special Agents from the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation will be conducting follow-up investigations in an attempt to determine where the illegal narcotics contraband originated and were eventually destined.
Bonnie joins a team of seven additional Wyoming Highway Patrol K-9’s that are deployed in various locations throughout the State.
IPSSSDR provides fuel for Mushers (posted 10/9/08)
$500 to help defray costs of high gas prices to get to sled dog race
International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race
Despite their "fueled by dog-power" tagline, even sled dog racers are being pinched by high gas prices as they transport their teams to events. In recognition of the fuel costs that mushers incur in getting dogs to its race starting line, the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) will provide every registered team that arrives in Jackson, Wyo., for the 2009 race start with a gas voucher for $500 to help cover costs.
"Many mushers drive over 2,300 miles one way to compete," says IPSSSDR Race Director Frank Teasley. We don’t want the price of gas to stop these top teams from participating."
Other changes to the 2009 IPSSSDR include over $80,000 in cash prizes for mushers registered in the PEDIGREE Musher Support program.
For the 2009 race, mushers will have four ways to win money:
- Overall purse;
- Day money (overall and day money total over $80,000);
- PEDIGREE Musher Support program ($80,000);
- Gas stipend ($500 per musher).
The addition of the $80,000 in PEDIGREE Musher Support funds effectively doubles the cash winnings available to participating teams this year.
The 2009 IPSSSDR is slated for January 30 to February 7, 2009, beginning in Jackson, Wyo., and ending in Park City, Utah. The International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race was founded in 1996 by Frank Teasley to make sled dog racing more accessible to the public.
For more information, visit the race website at www.wyomingstagestop.org; contact the race via e-mail at wystagestop@blissnet.com, telephone at 307-734-1163, or visit www.pedigree.com.
Winter Storm Watch (posted 10/9/08)
1 to 3 feet of snow possible for the Wind River Mountains
According to the National Weather Service out of Riverton, a strong, early-season snow storm is headed our way and will give much of western and central Wyoming a dose of winter Friday through Saturday night. They have issued a Winter Storm Watch from Friday morning through late Saturday night for the west and east Wind River Mountains. Update 3:37 PM: The Winter Storm Watch has been extended to include the Wyoming, Salt, Gros Ventre and Teton.
Periods of light snow are expected to develop today (Thursday) and continue through Thursday night.
On Friday, the snow may become heavy at times and continue through Saturday night. There is a potential for 1 to 3 feet of snow to fall over the Wind River Mountains by late Saturday night. In addition, road conditions over South Pass and Togwotee Pass will likely become slick and snow covered. Strong northeast winds may create considerable blowing and drifting snow as well as white out conditions, especially over South Pass where winds are expected to gust to 40 mph.
Hunters, travelers and others with outdoor interests should pay close attention to the weather forecast over the next couple days. The mild, early fall weather is about to come to an end with a sudden switch to winter conditions. Listen to NOAA weather radio or your favorite media outlet for the latest forecasts and winter statements.
A winter storm watch means conditions are favorable for hazardous winter weather in and close to the watch area.
Related Links:
www.weather.gov/riverton National Weather Service – Riverton, Wyoming
Comments sought on new Forest Service building proposal (posted 10/9/08)
Bridger-Teton National Forest
(Jackson) – The Bridger-Teton National Forest is looking for comments from the public on a proposal to sell not more than 11-acres of administrative land in downtown Jackson, Wyoming. The proceeds from this sale would be used to finance a new administrative building for the Jackson Ranger District and the Supervisor’s Office built on the remaining acreage off of North Cache Street. Additionally, the Forest would construct some housing on a portion of the 80-acre administrative site on Nelson Drive and on the 12-acre Cottonwood administrative site off of Fall Creek Road. The Forest is also proposing to relocate the warehouse, and fire cache buildings to the Cottonwood site. Comments on the proposal will be due November 14, 2008.
The purpose of this proposal is to reduce facility building maintenance and lease costs by constructing new accessible and energy efficient facilities on existing administrative sites already owned by the Forest. The proposal also seeks to improve the housing situation for employees by constructing additional rental units at the Nelson and Cottonwood administrative sites. The Forest will use the Forest Service Facility Realignment and Enhancement Act (FSFREA) to sell the property and utilize the revenues for the new construction and maintenance. The need for this action is driven by the fact that the facilities are over forty years old and by the difficulty for employees to find affordable housing in the Jackson area. Public benefits and services have decreased as maintenance costs have increased over the years. Currently the Jackson District Office is not open to the public, employees are scattered over the entire administrative site, and the office facilities are not energy efficient. The office and associated facilities are outdated and do not meet many building and accessibility codes such as the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employee recruitment and retention is expected to become more challenging in the near future due to retirements and employee movement. The additional housing proposed with help mitigate this situation.
The proposal and associated maps are available on the Bridger-Teton website at www.fs.fed.us/r4/btnf/projects. Anyone with questions on the proposal can call the Supervisor’s Office at 307-739-5500.
Related Links:
www.fs.fed.us/r4/btnf/ Bridger-Teton National Forest
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