Re: 2008 Summer Journey
Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:05 am
Being sick (and weary) the last week took a lot out of me. I think I was dehydrated as a result of getting sick, and so it took a while to come back from that. I'm back to 100% now and although I am glad that part of the journey is over, it gave me back some time of contemplation that I had overlooked. I was falling into the trap of missing the important stuff while trying to get to the next thing or next place. I've done much thinking over the last 3-4 days and have come to some conclusions and some realizations as well as more quesetions. Maybe some of those will come out in the next reports that follow. I'm almost convinced that if a person can learn to survive and thrive in the wild (there is a huge difference, you know) on a solo adventure, that they can survive and thrive in the 'world'. I hope I'm right.
Let me start trying to catch up again.
Following my time at Flaming Gorge enjoying the hospitality of my campground hosts there, I headed toward Jackson, Wyoming. I did not plan to stay in Jackson, but I needed to get a room for the night so that I could do some work and pay bills (again. Sheeeeeesh!!!!). While in Jackson, I planned to think about the next stage of my trip - the Wyoming stage.
This is the route I took:
Once I left the Flaming Gorge area, I headed north along 191 across into Wyoming toward Green River.
It was such a desolate area without much traffic at all, and rarely any signs of homes. Geologically, the landscape changed perceptively from one mile to the next in almost astounding dimensions at times. I've wondered about this over the past few weeks - the differences in the landscape geologically which I have seen. Maybe it is just a different stage in life that has me seeing landscapes differently than a few years earlier. I've been visiting Wyoming and Colorado for a few years now. However, I have never seen them as "a whole" before this journey. Seeing them 'whole' has either exaggerated or accentuated these changes in landscapes and geological formations for me. Whatever the reason, such curiosity has me looking for a quick study of geology so that I can understand better what I've been perceiving. As of yet, I am still at a loss as to how to describe such wonders.
The first few leg of the trip from Flaming Gorge to Green River looked like horse country to me. Vast open ranges as well as buttes and canyons. I believe there are wild mustangs still in this area, but I did not see any.
Near Green River, Wyoming
Once past Green River, Wyoming, I took 372 north past Fontenelle Dam, up through La Barge and on to Big Piney. Except for the surprise of the dam at Fontenelle, this was the longest lonely stretch of road I traveled since leaving Raton, NM. To add to the loneliness, storms were gathering over the desolation, preparing to break huddle and start their play. I was trying to time my travels perfectly so as to slip past them unnoticed. I was unsuccessful and near Fontenelle Dam, the rains came and engulfed me. Very heavy wind and rain. No pictures of the dam or the reservoir because of the showers.
Coming through that desolation, I was glad to see the next town's name: Big Piney! Surely that meant trees! And eventually it did.
From Big Piney to Jackson, things got better and better. My favorite area was the green rolling hills and mountains decorated with spring flowers around the Hoback Junction area. This area became the location of my first 'wilderness' camping experience once I finished my work in Jackson the next day. (next report) This is the Bridger-Teton Wilderness area - much more scenic than Yellowstone, in my opinion.
coming into the Hoback Junction area
You follow the Hoback River for a while, crossing it at times.
Just before Jackson, the scenes become more pastoral and then more populated.
Passing from a campground in the Flaming Gorge area, on to scenes like the above, I arrived in Jackson to traffic and people again. Not quite as bad as Moab, because it is not quite as compact, I believe - but a tourist town nonetheless. I had to get a room, however, so I could do some work. So from the above scenes, I landed in this for $150/night. :
Fighting the traffic of Jackson, working, paying bills, the cost of a motel, the rudeness of tourists - all those things made the lure of the wilderness more and more appealing to me. I had thought about wilderness camping before I ever left Texas and decided I am probably not cut out for that type of 'roughing it.' But now, this many weeks into my journey, having slept in parking lots, truck stops, campgrounds, and motels - I was ready to be truly alone and test myself further. It seems, now, that the wilderness experience ended up yielding the most clarity of thought for me and the greatest experiences so far. Perhaps, I'm using the term wilderness camping incorrectly. What I am referencing is the type of camping where there are is no charge, no water, no bathroom, no neighbors (known) - but still allowed as a designated camping area. There were people who came through the area camping as well, but not within view and not within several hundred feet of my campsite.
A couple of photos from the next report
Granite Creek Camping
Let me start trying to catch up again.
Following my time at Flaming Gorge enjoying the hospitality of my campground hosts there, I headed toward Jackson, Wyoming. I did not plan to stay in Jackson, but I needed to get a room for the night so that I could do some work and pay bills (again. Sheeeeeesh!!!!). While in Jackson, I planned to think about the next stage of my trip - the Wyoming stage.
This is the route I took:
Once I left the Flaming Gorge area, I headed north along 191 across into Wyoming toward Green River.
It was such a desolate area without much traffic at all, and rarely any signs of homes. Geologically, the landscape changed perceptively from one mile to the next in almost astounding dimensions at times. I've wondered about this over the past few weeks - the differences in the landscape geologically which I have seen. Maybe it is just a different stage in life that has me seeing landscapes differently than a few years earlier. I've been visiting Wyoming and Colorado for a few years now. However, I have never seen them as "a whole" before this journey. Seeing them 'whole' has either exaggerated or accentuated these changes in landscapes and geological formations for me. Whatever the reason, such curiosity has me looking for a quick study of geology so that I can understand better what I've been perceiving. As of yet, I am still at a loss as to how to describe such wonders.
The first few leg of the trip from Flaming Gorge to Green River looked like horse country to me. Vast open ranges as well as buttes and canyons. I believe there are wild mustangs still in this area, but I did not see any.
Near Green River, Wyoming
Once past Green River, Wyoming, I took 372 north past Fontenelle Dam, up through La Barge and on to Big Piney. Except for the surprise of the dam at Fontenelle, this was the longest lonely stretch of road I traveled since leaving Raton, NM. To add to the loneliness, storms were gathering over the desolation, preparing to break huddle and start their play. I was trying to time my travels perfectly so as to slip past them unnoticed. I was unsuccessful and near Fontenelle Dam, the rains came and engulfed me. Very heavy wind and rain. No pictures of the dam or the reservoir because of the showers.
Coming through that desolation, I was glad to see the next town's name: Big Piney! Surely that meant trees! And eventually it did.
From Big Piney to Jackson, things got better and better. My favorite area was the green rolling hills and mountains decorated with spring flowers around the Hoback Junction area. This area became the location of my first 'wilderness' camping experience once I finished my work in Jackson the next day. (next report) This is the Bridger-Teton Wilderness area - much more scenic than Yellowstone, in my opinion.
coming into the Hoback Junction area
You follow the Hoback River for a while, crossing it at times.
Just before Jackson, the scenes become more pastoral and then more populated.
Passing from a campground in the Flaming Gorge area, on to scenes like the above, I arrived in Jackson to traffic and people again. Not quite as bad as Moab, because it is not quite as compact, I believe - but a tourist town nonetheless. I had to get a room, however, so I could do some work. So from the above scenes, I landed in this for $150/night. :
Fighting the traffic of Jackson, working, paying bills, the cost of a motel, the rudeness of tourists - all those things made the lure of the wilderness more and more appealing to me. I had thought about wilderness camping before I ever left Texas and decided I am probably not cut out for that type of 'roughing it.' But now, this many weeks into my journey, having slept in parking lots, truck stops, campgrounds, and motels - I was ready to be truly alone and test myself further. It seems, now, that the wilderness experience ended up yielding the most clarity of thought for me and the greatest experiences so far. Perhaps, I'm using the term wilderness camping incorrectly. What I am referencing is the type of camping where there are is no charge, no water, no bathroom, no neighbors (known) - but still allowed as a designated camping area. There were people who came through the area camping as well, but not within view and not within several hundred feet of my campsite.
A couple of photos from the next report
Granite Creek Camping