Faith is holding on tight when the going gets windy.
~Shultz
Ridge to Bridger Pass Road
30.1 miles
Hard, gusty wind when you are warmly snuggled inside a 15 ounce cuben fiber tent is alarming. Can 15 ounces of thin material really protect against all that Mother Nature can produce? Last night turned out to be intense. The wind came with a vengeance buckling and bending my tent. This repeated again and again. In the end, our now worn out group from lack of sleep had just a tent stake break and all was good.
Our trek today lead us on 30 miles of dirt road from a garden of desert wildflowers to a dry barren landscape. A huge contrast!
Love Note decided to take a 15 mile longer route and we will be meeting her in Rawlins. Water sources in this section are rare and poor quality. We are all concerned for her.
While hiking today I experienced one of the most intense afternoon storms and magnificent sunsets on trail yet. Wyoming is proving to be pleasantly unpredictable.
Tomorrow the trail passes right through Rawlins. Perfect for a quick resupply, shower, and laundry. AND I am getting new shoes! My toes have been hitting the end of my shoes. I am getting Brooks Cascadia 8s. They have a wider toes box and are longer. Super excited! AND more good news, tomorrow Silly Chili is turning in his last paper and will be done with both his online courses. We will celebrate for sure and he will be super happy to finally send his iPad home. A quick loss of 3 pounds of pack weight.
I do have a question. Below I have a photo of scat we cannot identify. It has been in trail for the last few days, in meadows and deserts. Bear, antelope?
Anyone?
Thank you, thank you everyone for following this great adventure, commenting, and sharing your stories. Good night from a very tired hiker. 🙂
I showed a skilled New Mexico hunter the scat photo; he suspects it is large elk, even though you’d usually see it as “pellets”.
No comment on the scat!! But I think your Skyscape 10 is 10 oz, not 15. It is a pretty awesome cuban creation. Nice photos and wonderful writing.
Go!Rockin!Go!
BTW – SillyChilly, congrats on finishing the two courses. You da’ man!!!
Boy howdy I WISH the tent weighted 10 ounces! Hope you are having a fun summer!
Yep, you are right. I thought the X was 10. But then I’m a bit forgetful. Still, 1 oz less than a pound is very light. Cool Cuben Shelter.
Glad you are enjoying wonderful Wyoming . I can’t wait till you get into the Winds . I want to see your pics as I have wanted to do a trip there !!
I am so going to keep thinking “Winds” when I am going through the upcoming barren Great Basin!
Hi ! Rockin,This is the first time we replied. Were Ninja s Uncle Jerry,/ Aunt Deb.. From PA..We have been following,the wandering herd from day one.Enjoying everyones updates.I would say what your seeing is AKA .( Prairie Goat ) or ( Prairie Rocket ) scat , Pronghorn Antelope .Say Hello !!.To everyone for us.And keep on keepin on.
So glad you commented and shared. Nice to meet you through the Internet. This is indeed a Wandering Herd. We love Ninja!
First, Clare and I drove north on this road 3 years ago on our way to Yellowstone. The scat you are seeing is antelope and shows a diet of green grass/shrubs. I loved those storms that provide lots of excitement. Look for sage hen where you are at now.
John
This is super helpful. It confirms what everyone was thinking. I am pretty sure we did see a Sage Hen. Thank you John. Please, please keep sending information. I know this is your country.
I cannot tell how large the scat is, but it appears to be that of a small bear. Bears are omnivors and if their diet consists of more proteins (squirrels, deer, etc) it looks like that. When their diet is berries and vegetable matter, it looks more like a squishy “pie”. I have been following your journals and love seeing your hike unfold. I was especially interested in how your SkyscapeX performs. Sounds like it made it through the first big test. Happy Trails
I am loving the tent more and more. It does take time to get used to pitching. I love love the cuben fiber. It drys super fast and I have no condensation.