Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Climb to Town
08/17/04
I got sprinkled on a few times last night. It never rained enough to warrant slipping into my bivy. The distraction did require enough consciousness to rob me of a good night's sleep. I kept laying there thinking, "Is it going to rain harder?" Of course, I had no way of knowing. It's just that if I was in a shelter, it wouldn't matter. I have to solve this situation soon.
The hike out to Highway 274 (or whatever....) was not what I expected at almost every turn. I had expected one bridge, so I almost passed the second bridge required to get to my destination. I had expected a descent to the highway, but I had a climb. I thought I had a highway walk to the Togwotee Mountain Lodge, but I walked into the back of the complex.
All my boxes were here, but now that I'm hiking solo, the rooms were too expensive: $119! So I formed a plan to go to Dubois ("Du-Boyz"), Wyoming. The plan was to hitch. I first processed my resupply box so that it fit in my pack, reducing my box load in half. Now with my one box, my bounce box, I could manage a hitch a little better. Only there was one problem: It's illegal to hitch-hike in Wyoming.
A northbound hiker, The Animal, I believe, said that Trippin' Ant got a citation and a suggestion from an officer. A sign on the back of one's backpack is just freedom of speech.
So, I made a sign, put it on the back of my pack and began walking toward Dubois, 50 or so miles distant.
I was walking into a dark loud thunderstorm along a narrow two-lane highway carrying a box.
I had to rest before too long, so I chose a place with a good pullout just past me. I propped my backpack up so the sign was visible and used to the box to support the backpack (and so that it was hidden-it might look strange that a friendly backpacker would have a big box. It might be an ax murderer in disguise.) It looked like hitch-hiking except for no thumb. I moved on to two more locations, choosing the third to give it some time. I begrudgingly agreed to give this spot a half an hour. The traffic was light, and I soon saw the futility of continuing to walk. I was not going to walk to Dubois.
An hour later, a lively redhead with a red horse trailer driving by in the opposite direction yelled out the window, "Turn Around."
Was I not getting a ride because I was hitching in the wrong direction? SHIT.
I put away my Palm, on which I was reading my latest email, and started to look for my maps. My in-head review confirmed that I was OK. Before I could get out my maps, Sara, the redhead with the red horse trailer, was back, announcing that she was going in my direction. Oh, SHE was going to turn around.
I threw my stuff in the pickup, hopped in the back of the inside of the pickup, and we took off.
It was a long drive to Dubois, and the geology along the way was amazing and diverse. I have no idea how all this different stuff ended up in the same place.
Sara filled me in on Dubois info, like the best places to eat, and answered my questions about the animals in the area. She is in charge of horse operations at Mill Iron 4 Mill Iron, a corporate guest ranch that sounds amazing. Need a western retreat for up to 18 people? Check out their site.
Sara dropped me in the heart of this town of just under 1,000 people, pointing out important places along the way. I worked my way back, checking hotel prices until I hit the right spot. I checked in for $40 a night, showered and found my way to the Cafe Wyoming (or Cafe Wyomin, I couldn't tell from the sign), where I had the best meal yet on the trail: rabbit ravioli with a sage sauce.
It wasn't enough food, even when I ordered a second salad, so I headed across the street and ordered a 14 ounce NY strip steak with potatoes and soup at the Cowboy Cafe. That did it.
Next door to the Cowboy Cafe was a big, crowded bar, clearly THE place to drink in town. In its old sign, a curving arrow pointing to the additional parking in back, all but one of the bulbs was burned out. I actually noticed that only one was lit. That's what stood out. It looked so lonely and helpless.
Even after two dinners, I still had time to get laundry done. It was painless, easy, and fast. I even washed my shoes!
