Wyoming Wilderness

I spent a very quiet and despondant night at Walmart Tues night.  So, as long as I was already at the Walmart, I decided to shop to chase the doldrums!  I bought a new pair of pants since the ones I had on were hanging halfway down my hips and a power drill for a couple fixit jobs inside the RV.  I went from an Extra Large size to a Large Size!  Ah, but it feels lovely to lose weight even if I am still Large!  And, PRAISE BE--my wrist appears to be healing.  I have not had to take a pain med for the last two nights and now I feel pretty confident that it is on the mend and I took off my wrist brace to start strengthening it.

I took off early for my scenic Snowy Range Byway excursion and found it was through part of the Medicine Bow Nat'l Forest, so I stopped in the Visitor Center.  

No one was up yet so Cassie ran off leash and peed on all the trees.

Sashayed on down and up the road (used 2nd gear a LOT up the mountain grades) and stopped at a freezing cold overlook about 8600 ft and hiked out with Cassie to a cool observation point.

Watch out for a woman with a camera and lotsa time on her hands!  From my experiences in Yellowstone, I know when I see a car parked alongside the road other than in a turnout or planned parking area that the motorist is either "distressed" or has seen some wildlife.  I had been travelling in a bigtime wildlife area on the Snowy Range route (lots of binocular signs), which was a lovely drive I started Weds morning about 7am.  Then, I saw a good-lookin' guy with a camera and his Harley parked at the shoulder.  Craning my neck backward at risk of going off the road with the RV, I strained to follow the angle of his camera.  I then saw what he saw---a huge bull moose with a mammoth rack!  Excitedly, I slid into the next turnout and hoofed it up to his location.  I saw him shooting like crazy and I was amazed that there were actually 3 bull moose; I got a decent shot of one of them.  I spent an hour with the Harley/Photo guy talking wildlife, travel, cameras and photography and other stuff and found out he was from Titusville, FL and married to an airline stewardess who likes her vacations with room service.  Anyhow, I had a very nice encounter with him and a few more folks who noticed the activity and also stopped.

Less than an hour later, I came upon the burg of Saratoga, WY--a town with absolutely nothing to recommend it.  I was welcomed by a large utility-type building calling itself the Yum Yum Karaoke Bar.  I saw no signs for the City Park on Saratoga Lake that I had identified in the planning stage.  So, I pulled over and consulted my map and actually caught an internet signal.  But, my task was to find out how in the world I could have missed an entire park on a lake!  Found out that it was outside of town on a "private" road and so continued on.  The road--ARGH--it one of those rural gravel roads with a washboard surface and a mile to the lake.  I wondered if I hadn't misunderstood as the park was supposed to have electric and the entry seemed pretty rustic.  

A mile and several loose dental fillings later, I came upon an ole feller who told me to "go on in, nobody'd be botherin' ya" and just put the $10 in an envelope and the paybox is on the Restroom Door.  So, I did and picked a spot and have electric and a pretty lakeview. 

I spent most of the afternoon "fixing" stuff in the RV that I didn't have time to do before I left, including a "think project".  There is virtually NO counter space in this or any other RV.  So, I used the stove top grate rack as the surface and put a portable countertop on it made from a solid plastic cutting board that fit almost perfectly!  I got out my handy B & D drill and drilled holes spaced between the slats of the stovetop grate.  I had previously searched high and low for small U-bolts that would be the right size to slide down between the slats and hold the cutting board in place without interfering with the burner units.  Works like a charm and was designed to stay in that position most of the time, including travel.  

In the rare event I want to actually use the stove for cooking, the U-bolts come right up and the cutting board has two retainer holes to hold it in place with some kind of special screw I found against the back wall!  Now, I have more counter space than most Big Rigs!

Cassie & I set off early this morning after a delightful dawn over the water and a chill in the air reduced by my furnace that is working (thank goodness).  Had to go dump and finally saw a sign for the campground dump telling me it was across the road at the lagoon.  So, I took a road that appeared to lead to a lagoon.  Well, the road just kept getting narrower and narrower...until finally I said Uncle.  I had to back out as there was no turnaround.  Could have really used my backup camera but did OK with mirrors.  My sister got me a service appointment on Sept 8 in Eureka to relocate the camera and also fix my water inlet connection.  She also got me an appointment with the hair salon.

Wifi connection compliments of Days Inn in Rawlins, WY.