august 2
day 85
26 miles
total 2,211
the story of the day is one that has been building for several days.
smoke from the california wildfires has cast a haze over everything.
it burns my eyes and doesn’t make the air any more breathable.
otherwise things went pretty well today.
i hated stopping at 26
but the motel was right there…
and it was threatening to come a big rain at any moment.
there had already been a couple of showers.
i hope it gets that out of its system tonight, and maybe takes some of the smoke out of the air while it is at it.
highlights of the day;
more prairie dogs
miles of prairie dogs!
5 mule deer with big racks
who stood and watched as we passed
and a big herd of pronghorns
(maybe 20)
that ran past within 20 feet of me.
close enough to hear their thundering hooves and see their black lips and protruding tongues as they were running with open mouths.
wildlife i do not want to see as close as today’s includes lions, bears, and moose!
so i am on the eastern side of casper.
idaho is less than 200 miles away.
everyone tries to keep from me just how tentative arrangements are and have been since i failed so miserably to meet my expectations.
but i can sense it.
truly i think the support team is working miracles to keep a fresh crew showing up as i move slowly westward….
i don’t worry about it much.
i can’t.
it takes all i have to keep getting up and walking all day every day.
still, sometimes it is like inching along a narrow ledge on a sheer cliff
hanging by my fingertips.
i keep going around ridge lines
just hoping the ledge continues on the other side.
it always does.
and i walk on.
goodnight
laz