(July 1, 2018) But before I left for Ireland… This happened…
Well folks made it past the halfway point. I am in Rock Springs, Wyoming hanging out with the hotel clerk who spent 30 years in the army. He was shot five times. In Grenada, Panama, Afghanistan and Desert Storm twice.
He also happens to share my daughter’s birthday which is today.
People are so fascinating.
Waiting for a plane and taking the month of July off to celebrate birthdays. Klaire‘s 50th, Fumiko’s 15th and Mom’s 80th. Parties taking place in Ireland, England, and Belize.
Hope to fatten up and then get back on the trail August 1 for a race to the Canadian border against the snows.
Here are some pictures that take you up to Rawlins, Wyoming.
Hope for an improvement in the weather (photo by Steven Halteman)
Bit of a Zen garden I came upon (photo by Steven Halteman)
A cocoon grouping of the striped bandolier butterfly (photo by Steven Halteman)
A moose who decided that he wasn’t in the mood to charge after all (photo by Steven Halteman)
The columbine flower has just made an appearance. State flower of Colorado. And a flower with a now unfortunate association. (photo by Steven Halteman)
This wilderness area is officially called the Never Summer wilderness. I agree. As I hiked along the ridge in a snowstorm on June 24. The thunder I could hear. But the lightning I couldn’t see to determine how far away it was. Fear is a powerful motivator. But to keep going forward or retreat to lower elevations and tree cover becomes a difficult question. (photo by Steven Halteman)
Shiva trees (photo by Steven Halteman)
Formal CDT border crossing between Colorado and Wyoming
(photo by Steven Halteman)
Butterflies on a coyote poop buffet. (photo by Steven Halteman)
After a 12 hour/36 mile hike I laid down in the sagebrush at the edge of the trail, had barbecued potato chips and beef jerky for dinner and caught the 9 PM show. (Photo by Steve Halteman)
The last view window. Took a tour of the Wyoming Frontier Prison which closed in 1981 after 70 years of operation. Tough place to be incarcerated. Only got heat and hot water in the 1970s. With a 20° temperature differential between inside and outside the building. With temperatures outside that could reach 50 below, you can imagine what a cold shower felt like. Apparently, the cold showers weren’t optional. If you refused you got the fire hose outside. Anyway, this was the hanging room. And when the noose was placed over the condemned person’s head this was the window they looked out of for their last view. But for one final bit of cruelty, all the hangings took place at night. (photo by Steven Halteman)
Not a nice place to end your life. (photo by Steven Halteman)