Special Agent Cooper Takes Montana

[CatskillsRunner]

Cody, WY

"Let this be a warning, says the magpie to the morning,
Don't let this fading summer pass you by,
Don't let this fading summer pass you by."
-Neko Case

There are magpies everywhere I go out here and I hear Neko's voice whenever I see one...but you know magpies are cannibals and when I was driving I-15 I saw that one had been struck by a car and the others were sitting on top of him and eating him.

How's this for a transition?

I said goodbye to Tim today and drove down to Cody, Wyoming.

What happens when you're on a long road trip, and you're really enjoying yourself, and you can't imagine coming home? This is how it starts, isn't it? This is why people sell their belongings and find ways to hit the road permanently?

I live in a 1921 house it took me years to find. I love everything about it: the original woodwork, the modest size, the fact that nothing is exactly square, the fact that it had a string of owners before us who loved it for exactly what it was and didn't ruin it.

Tim and I have 3 horses. It was 4. He sold my young endurance prospect while I was out here (don't worry: my idea). I generally enjoy feeding them and taking care of them; it's good, simple, satisfying work when not a lot in this day and age is, but I think I would forego a lot of luxuries I've gotten used to to be able to travel this way. I knew I would love this trip, but I think it's a little better than I even reckoned it'd be.

That cloudless western horizon. What lies beyond the mesa in front of you. The fast, good road that just stretches on...

And that reminds me of something else. Who else has read and loves Blood Meridian? The empty stretches of high desert today reminded me of the Glanton gang and Holden riding on, riding on...seeing the men pursuing them miles out in the mirages of heat and not being able to do a thing about it.

Headed to the Black Hills tomorrow. I want to go to the Devils Tower because I promised an old friend I would, and maybe that will make up for sitting at Toyota for 5 years today...

 

[CatskillsRunner]

Buffalo Bill State Park, North Fork Campground

...

 

[unkamonkey]

I hope you are having a good trip.
You said you were heading to Craig, Craig CO? They claim to be the Elk hunting capitol in the US. Whatever, I don't hunt. Just watch out for critters on the road. Steamboat can be pretty fun as well. Good fishing in all of that area.

 

[CatskillsRunner]

I hope you are having a good trip.
You said you were heading to Craig, Craig CO? They claim to be the Elk hunting capitol in the US. Whatever, I don't hunt. Just watch out for critters on the road. Steamboat can be pretty fun as well. Good fishing in all of that area.

Yes, we've had a lot of fun fishing that area...but not this time. That was Craig, MT.

I wish I had time enough to head to Colorado...

 

[CatskillsRunner]

Black Hills, SD: thunderstorm capital of the world

I had to skip the Devil's Tower because dogs aren't allowed on the trails and it would have been too hot to leave Coop in the truck.

So now we are hanging out in a parkinglot in Deadwood, waiting out another nasty storm. This one sports dime sized hail and I'm just thinking: I'll sit this one out.

 

[CatskillsRunner]

It turns out that they got some pretty good hail here, so this time my waiting paid off and we avoided a good storm.

The drive today was scenic and it was so nice to avoid interstates. The landscape changed dramatically as we went along. We passed over the Powder River Pass in Wyoming. There was snow high in the mountains and, as always, it is a treat to drive my truck over a mountain pass. I've never been able to say that before!

I'm feeling heartsick and uninspired and I don't want to drive east. And I'm feeling very Chris McCandless all the sudden. Even interactions at the gas station are too much for me. Man. This is bad.

I would rather sleep on my Paco Pad in my tent than in my bed at home. Anybody rich out there care to fund me?

 

[CatskillsRunner]

Pay attention, Hundy!

...

 

[CatskillsRunner]

Hail

Yikes

 

[CatskillsRunner]

Walnut, IA

Last night was a rough one.

The folks around me were pretty rowdy, then a screaming match ensued. That quieted down about 1 AM, and then the non-existent t-storms (nothing--not a blip--on the radar) picked up about 3. And they didn't really stop.

So Coop, all 115 pounds of him, decided he would be safer if he were sleeping on top of me. And then I was up way earlier than I would have hoped.

I drove 11 1/2 hours today to Walnut, IA. The driving was uneventful but it was so windy all day that I often looked down at the gas gauge and couldn't believe how much gas I'd burned through, especially after I turned south to head down to I-80 and drove into a headwind. My Hundy reports 8 mpg today. It is a little off due to the fact that my tire size is 285 not the stock 275, but still pretty bad.

Coop seems to be in a funk too. He damn near bit some guy who tried to pet him while he was in the back of the Hundy. I actually had to hold the guy back while Coop was growling at him. Bizarre. What about that dog makes you think: "Yeah, I'll climb in there with him!"

The forecast is dreadful. Severe thunderstorms here tonight and they are calling for worse weather tomorrow where I plan to camp in Indiana. 2-3" of rain. What kind of crap is that? So I called it tonight and we are in a hotel room instead. And unless something changes it'll be the same way tomorrow night.

I'll tell you something else...

Here are 2 awful things about driving east instead of west:

1. If you have bad weather driving west, you'll simply drive through it and be done, instead of being stuck in the same weather pattern for days.
2. You lose time instead of gaining it. I crossed from Mountain to Central today.

Are you still with me after that super whiny rant?

Good, I need some chocolate cake.

 

[CatskillsRunner]

Coop

Coop played fetch with his frisbee for awhile this evening in the huge expanse of lawn the hotel has. Nice treat for him after such a long drive.

 

[CatskillsRunner]

I decided to drive for awhile today and made it to Ohio. I am going to try to make it home tomorrow.

Tim came home to find his truck broken down so he's been doing all his farm calls (he's a farrier) out of his Hundy (sans forge!)

Then my mare did something to her eye and now, in addition to working, cooking, and caring for 3 horses, Tim has to administer cold compresses to her eye in his spare time. And this is my mare. She may be really pretty, but that's about the best thing I can say about her. She doesn't like to be caught, let alone doctored. She gives you dirty looks just for making eye contact with her.

So... I am going to try to get home tomorrow. Google maps says 9 hours, but Coop will add some time to that. And antique stores might also add time to that. Its a little longer to take Route 17 through NY, but it takes me along the Delaware, which will make it worth it.

Sad to be almost done with this journey. Its been so much fun. I hope you guys have had fun looking through it.

Eileen took amazing pictures, which I now have, so once I'm home I will post some of the better ones. Her pictures are much better than mine.

 

[CatskillsRunner]

Shredded a trailer tire on I-80 in a construction zone

I was having a fine drive this AM, when I see a shredded tire in the highway behind me.

Then I realized it was mine. First blown tire. Ever. I am in Cleveland. Do you know no one stopped? I guess I'm back in the Northeast.

I was doing fine anyway until I couldn't jack the trailer high enough to get the spare on, but finally a highway worker came and helped me. He was a Harley guy and just wanted to talk about Sturgis and the Black Hills. I was so happy he helped me. Having semis blow past me at 70 mph was not fun.

I am hanging out with the great guys at National Tire and Battery who are getting me going with a new tire where the old one was, so I can toss that one on my roof.

This may put my home a day later...we'll see how soon I can get going.

 

[longhorn1]

Thanks for posting. What a great trip. A couple more months and we will be in Wyoming and Montana for two weeks. jd

 

[rabies]

very pretty flower shots

 

[CatskillsRunner]

very pretty flower shots

Why, thank you.

I just got home and spent some time checking in on what was blooming here.

I have my work cut out for me!