Wyoming On My Mind - Days 1 and 2

My recent expedition into the loveliest place in the West has come to an end and it's been on my mind since I left.

This trip, planned for at least 9 months, was something I had wanted to do for more than a year. I realized that it was time to just do it so I did. Tagging along on the trip was friend Gary. It started Sept. 22 at 5 p.m. We filled the Ford Escape (also known in my family as the Escapalade and Big Wheel) to the gills. I'm talking FULL. If it would have been expandable..we would have been bulging. The only thing accessible was the cooler so as to always have an ice cold Coca-Cola on hand for the 11 hour drive to Dillon, Colorado, where we slept for 3 whole hours before trekking on to Jackson, Wyoming.

Day 1 went off without a hitch. We would soon realize that Day 2 would be a major suckfest.

Day 2 started off with the coolant light coming on shortly after leaving Starbucks in Dillon. Not thinking it was a big deal we took off toward Steamboat Springs with the thought of adding coolant when we got there. Turns out that when we did add coolant it leaked out onto the ground. Always the optimist, Gary figured it was a loose hose and would be no problem to fix. I have no clue when it comes to under-the-hood-stuff that I was satisfied with that answer.

Steamboat Springs mechanics told us that the water pump was finished...HAD TO BE FIXED. Problem was that nobody could get it in for at least 2 weeks. NOT AN OPTION we told them. See, when I have a destination and a planned time of arrival...nobody jeapordizes that! NOBODY!

Luckily the Ford Dealership was able to get us in and fix us up in a little under 4 hours. The bill sucked but we got back on the road. Unfortunately we arrived to camp after 10:30 p.m. and had to set up our tent and build a fire in pitch blackness.

To top it all off, my -40 sleeping bag decided not to protect me from the cold. It was 34 degrees that night and I woke up to suspected Hypothermia. My body shook violently during the night and prevented sleep....rather not cool if I might add.

Luckily Day 3 would lead to much improved awesomeness....stay tuned!