It's amazing the places your mind wanders when you've got 4 hours of open road and very little external stimulation. It helps when the only radio you can find is an oldies station ( in this case, the "oldies" were from my youth:-/ )
Did Goldie Hawns daughter marry Jesus, or John Lennon?
Rob Halford is the Chuck Norris of Heavy Metal. Rob Halford isn't Heavy Metal, Heavy metal is Rob Halford.
Haters ARE gonna hate, hate, hate. But I'll just shake it off.
0700 CST-Wakeeny, KS 13 hours and 850 miles to go. The gear is all stowed and safe. Note to self; a $49 motel is just that. Side note-Check for bed bugs.
1100 CST-(Just passed the exit for) Lyons, CO John Gierach lives ( or used to live) outside of Lyons. As my favorite author, our first in-person meeting should not resemble anything close to a stalker incident. Keep driving, Ryan. Keep driving.
1210 CST Fort Collins Colorado-Fighting the urge, again, to stalk down a favorite of mine and Ralena's-Joe Kenda, Homicide Hunter. Maybe he'd be impressed with my sleuthing skills and put me on the show. Or jail.
Communication between the guys and I is at a fever pitch. I mentioned that a particular part of my anatomy is swollen from sitting in the Armada. Jason kindly volunteers Scott to apply ice to the affected area. Scott politely refuses. Brothers..
1340 CST-Somewhere near Wellington CO-The Google takes me off the beaten path to intersect with Hwy 287 and eventually Laramie Wyoming. Glad it did. Got to see Red Mountain Open Space. I'm a sucker for a pretty face, and this place is gorgeous.
Side note- I've passed a couple of ponds, situated in arid, high desert, and can't help but wonder if one of those is the one Gierach talks about in Trout Bum. Stalking again, Walker, keep driving.
1530 CST-Rock Springs, WY-It's real now. I can see the Tetons in the distance, and the elevation is consistently around 6000 feet. 6 hours to Idaho Falls ( well, it's 4 hours for someone who won't stop every 30 minutes to gawk at a tree, or mentally fish every trout stream he passes).
Driving through Hoback canyon, I'm running along the Hoback River, and I remember why I am so drawn to Fly Fishing, and the west. In my mind, I'm traveling with the Astorians 200 years ago, seeing this beautiful place for the first time. It's no wonder that people stopped, looked at their traveling mates, and said, yep, this is it. We're home.
Just as many probably broke a wagon wheel, had already used the spare, and said, "Well, we'll wait here for help". 200 years later, their great, great, great Grandson opens a Fly Shop 15 miles from where they were stranded.
The rest of day 2 was spent traveling through the Bridger-Teton and Targahee National Forests. When I saw the Snake River, I knew I was close. In a short while, Scott, Jason, Aaron and Josh will land, fish will be caught, whiskey will be poured and stories told. But that's Day 3.
Stay tuned.
