Traveling-U.S.A

June 5 06 Western WY

Monday morning we went into Rock Springs for Bob’s 8 am appointment for the truck. Got the transmission fluid changed and the brakes checked and adjusted. All’s well. We filled at the Flying J for the unheard of price of $2.869. Back at the campground we packed up and left for Fontenelle Creek BLM campground on Fontenelle Reservoir just north of Kemmerer Wy . We are again practically alone at the campground except for antelope, prairie dogs, chipmunks, hawks, pelicans, geese, and a variety of shorebirds. It is a wildlife heaven.

Tuesday morning found us in Kemmerer to see the first JC Penney store. Back then it was called the Golden Rule and JC was 21 years old when we opened it. We also saw his home he lived in with his first wife and 4 kids. Humble beginnings. He lived to be 90 and lived in NYC then with his 3 wife. His previous two died tragically young. One from pneumonia after getting her tonsils removed and the second from appendicitis. We then found a scenic back road to take. Luckily we had bought the Wy atlas by DeLorme that shows all those little dirt roads etc because the roads were poorly labeled and we got off track. I read maps real well and our GPS was not working for us back there but we managed to get out. The forest ranger in town said the road wasn’t opened for a complete loop but since we got lost we managed to make a loop and not backtrack. I thought he meant it wasn’t opened because of SNOW but we believe now he meant because the trees that fell across the road weren’t cleared out yet as we came across a lot of evidence where trees had been cleared. We came to one corner in the road that was called Teddy Bear Corner. There was a post there and hundreds of teddy bears had been piled up against it. The area is an elk and moose area but we weren’t lucky enough to see any. Did manage to find some firewood tho.

Wednesday we went to Kemmerer to return a purchase and Bob’s breakfast then we hitched up and moved around 60 miles north to a BLM campground on the Green River about 9 miles north of the town of Daniel. We have mountain ranges off in the distance on 3 sides but cannot see the river. Had a thunderstorm come thru late afternoon and early evening. Mostly just relaxed.

Thursday we drove to the town of Pinedale where we toured the Mountain Men Museum. The history of the fur trappers that paved the way for the emigrants who followed on the various trails like the Mormon, Oregon and California trails. Very interesting and a nice museum. After having lunch we walked down the street to an ice cream shop. Each of us had a cone that contained 2 scoops. Each scoop was 8 oz. So we each ate a pound of ice cream. It took me 45 minutes to get mine down but I wouldn’t give up. No need for supper tonight. We also drove up two very scenic roads into the Bridger national forest with views of the Wind River Range.