The Great Divide Basin

 

The Great Divide Basin is an area of Wyoming where no water flows into, or out of, a large tract of land. This has the effect of creating what can accurately be described as 'a 'bit of a dustbowl'. On the edge of the Basin is Atlantic City; population 'about 57'. I thought I knew what the back-end-of-beyond looked like. I think I have a better idea now.

 

Eating our lunch at the Miners Grubstake, I wondered just how some communites seem to hang on to life. But hang on they do, and that bar is yet another where a darn good time could be had. (Editor; good job you were there at noon, then). Perhaps they are just too tough to die.

But take a look at that teapot! A clear winner for the August competition.

The dust on it did indicate two things though;

1. It is not used to brew tea and 2. No one in the bar can play the piano. Still is a beauty though.....

The few creeks in the Basin, which are created from rainfall or snow melt, are unreliable at best, especially during a drought summer. This is a drought summer. Our first possible water source turned out to be just dirt.

There is only a dirt road through the basin, with numerous lesser trails used by the hunters on ATV's (Quad bikes) and the like. We embarked on our journey proper.

 

 

"Not another photo....."

Inspite of this harsh climate a surprising amount of activity takes place in the Basin. There is a uranium mine and other (Oil?) exploration drilling, some cattle and sheep herding, and as mentioned the ever-present activity of hunting. We were caught up in a sheep herd early one morning, an unusual but effective alarm call.

But nothing interrupts the morning brew-up!

 

 

 

It still felt like a desolate, but incredibly beautiful, place..

Bands of pronghorn antelope roam the landscape. We would spook them (They spook real easy, and have eyes that provide 320 degree vision) and boy, can they run! I have been told they can hit 60mph, and I believe it. Too fast to photograph, anyway.

Perhaps overly cautious regarding water availability we carried two days worth, or some 15ltrs. That is heavy, and I now think actually insufficient to remain comfortable in temperatures in the mid-90's. But at the end of our second day we reached a well stocked reservoir (Editor; very large pond) where we drank our fill of tea and filtered water, camping right at the waters edge. We awoke to beauty all around.


 

 

 

Not a bad sight too wake up to.

Coming out of the Basin we had a couple of tough days biking towards Steamboat Springs, a bed, steak and beer (Editor; don't forget the tequila....). And that is where I sit as I type this, having actually caught up with this blog. So I bid you farewell on Tuesday 4th September 2012.

PS. Happy 51st Birthday to Owen for the other day. Crickey, I am getting to know some old people.



 

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Jackson Hole versus Pinedale.

Jackson Hole is the well known ski-cum-all year resort - it is a destination in its own right.

Pinedale is the 'unknown' southerly neighbour 75miles distant. It is not a destination in its own right.

JH has lots of tourist shopping, restaurants and a great ice cream parlour.

PDale has little if any tourist shopping, some restaurants and possibly an ice cream parlour.

JH has a great bike shop - Huff's

PDale doesn't have a bike shop.

JH has the Snake River Brewery, with many fine beers brewed there.

PDale has the Wind River Brewery, with slightly finer beers brewed there (to my taste).

JH - we did not engage with any locals (Editor; possibly in the wrong bars?)

PDale - we did engage with some locals. They left. When we left later, they had paid for our beers.

Therefore on simple monetary and friendliness criteria I declare Pinedale the winner!

 

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Yellowstone.

This, our second visit to Yellowstone, was only slightly marred by the forest fires in Idaho spewing their smoke in our general direction. Also September is definitely the better time to visit, with fewer visitors and much better light.

However, I was still captivated by Yellowstone. Couple the well known thermal features with stunning river canyons, meadows and wildlife and it remains the most impressive US national park for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One bonus this time was that we were not charged by a very angry Bison as on our first visit; an experience I am happy not to repeat.

This time they were just calmly ignoring us.

From here we headed down through the Tetons, picking up a new tire at Jackson Hole (The excellent Hoff's bike shop doing us proud), and on to The Great Basin..........

 

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Forthcoming posts.

Forthcoming posts will include:

Runaway winner; August Teapot of the month.

Phrases I probably wouldn't say at home.

The Germans; a confession.

The Great Basin (Not a referral to the Bridge cellar sink).

Camp spots we have loved.

The Low Points.

A summary thus far.

Jackson versus Pinedale.

 

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My name is Bond; Jane Bond.

Before heading into Yellowstone we made a detour to visit an 'agent' contact we met in a Haines bar in Alaska - Bond, Jane Bond.

Bond lives in Big Sky, which is both a ski resort and a 'place', betwixt the town of Bozeman to the north and Yellowstone to the south. Surrounded by mountains, houses on the golf course, and some of the most expensive real estate in Montana, (Think Ted Turner, or the West Yellowstone Club), Big Sky could rightly be termed ' a bit swanky'.

And in this setting a real community exists, which we were party to for a few days. This included the weekly live music on the green,

 

Hawaiian themed parties laid on by Bond.....

 

(Editor: three women in dresses and holding a knife - doesn't get any scary than that).

Frequent use of the pool, walks over the golf course to one bar or another (Me), spa treatments (Sarah's), all this became our life for a short while. But what happens at the spa, in Choppers Bar, or on the golf course, stays there.

Bond treated us royally, and Sarah got to have some girlie company which she needed. I could only go to the brew pub, Lone Peak Brewery.

We were sad to leave Bond; Jane Bond.

 

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Small town Montana.

Heading south from Missoula took us through some familiar country, heading towards the great national parks of Yellowstone and the Grand Teton's.

Not the usual wall decoration at Sainsbury's.

Not the usual magazine selection either.

At first glance communities such as Troy, Darby, Wisdom, Jackson (population 38) seemingly hang onto life. Well, life, but not as I know it.

However, they are so independent and isolated that they retain a real sense of community which I find fascinating. At the store in Jackson the owner was sat on the same outside bench that he was some 6 years ago. He did not seem any happier, but he looked as though he belonged....

Of course, this is probably idealised poppycock on my part and they all cannot wait to get out of there. But I do not think so. Perhaps I will never know for sure - it seems to rude to ask directly such a question.

We continued on south, always with the smoke in the air, sometimes so present that you could smell it.

It's always a,using when a name from distant shores appears. I have passed this place twice now; I know, a sacrilege, , but it was before 8.30am on both occasions.....

That is why the wise traveller always leave something to return for.....

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