My morning walk through the mountains was nothing short of exhilarating. I was feeling the full on good funk of the walk and what it was meant to be. My road took me through the canyons of the southern Tetons, all the while followed by the snaking Hoback River that would occasionally call for the crossing of one of my beloved bridges. It was here that I was most distraught to have lost young Bess in the prime of her life. That lil digi would have filled up in those first few hours alone.
I meandered happily to myself for about 12 miles before it opened up to the cross roads town of Hoback Junction. At the nexus of the tri-road intersection I found a grocery store with some picnic tables where I set up shop and fetched myself some beef stew and coffee, along with some postcards to send home to the kids. I nuked up my first can and sat outside to watch another rain storm come in and drench the outside world. My luck that day was much better than the previous one.
After that can I wrote my cards and went over my maps, then went in for a second can not yet willing to get up and go again. As I sat and ate I met a guy from Tennessee who reminded me it was Father’s Day as he tried calling his son and offered the use of his phone card to call my dad. I thanked him, but felt bad about using up his minutes, so despite my cell not being in service at the time I cashed in a dollar of coins and left a Happy Father’s Day message on me ole pa’s machine. After that it was time to go.
The rain had passed, and as is normal in Wyoming, the skies cleared right up in to a sparkling blue again for me to trek on another twelve miles or so. The way out was just as uniquely beautiful as the way in although this time much more open. One side of my road rose from the side straight up into a vertical forest, of which many passing motorists offering rides warned me of grizzlies, and the other side opened up to the wide drifting Snake River winding its way through the cliffs and gorges.
I wandered to the brink of nightfall and came across a campground on the southern side of one of my mountain barricades. I’d spotted a sign earlier that I was in Targhee National Forest and camping outside of designated campsites was not permitted and most likely would promise a hefty fine if discovered. I dropped into the site and decided this was the time to prepare a nice rice dinner and some hot cocoa.
After dinner and a thorough cleaning of all my plates to prevent wandering bears I nestled in with my book for the night.