Wednesday, August 14, 2013

LIfe Happens while making plans to do something

This statement has always been a fascination to me. I guess I am one of those folks that tend to live as close to the moment as possible without stepping in my own mess.

Night before last one of those magical times that life happened right before us while we were making plans to go fishing.

We left the Teton Valley and started our trip back South and East. We will be back in Denver tomorrow night if all goes well and the fishing isn't too here on the North Platte River in Saratoga, Wyoming.

But the real story is from a couple of nights ago. We had no reservations at any campgrounds when we left Driggs Idaho. We ventured over Teton Pass which was the steepest both up and down of any of the 14 passes we have encountered on the trip. It was a solid 10% grade for at least 5 mile up and then longer going down the Jackson Hole side. But Red Rooster did a great job of pulling Andiamo over the hill.

Arriving in Jackson to shop and get some fuel for the truck was like a couple of kids from the backwoods being dropped in times square. We were shocked at the pace and the people we encountered. Getting into the gas station was like trying to fit 10 pounds of flour in a 5 pound bag. We were glad to be out of there as soon as possible.

We followed the Snake River south to Hoback Junction before deciding on a whim to head more easterly. We came up and over the hills and dropped down into Pinedale, Wyoming. What a great place with great people and amazing Mexican food!!

When we pulled into our campground on the Green River we were itching to fish since we had been off the water for almost a week. As we were scouting the place to fish we came upon a couple of fellows that were sort of sketchy looking and disheveled and carrying what appeared to be a gun! YIKES

We cautiously said our hellos from a distance and at that point they started walking right toward us all the while hiding the gun. They introduced themselves as Steve and Allen from England. At that point they produced a BB gun that had been made up to look like an old west rifle. Come to find out these blokes were pretending to be wild west cowboys. They were hilarious.

After a short chat Steve asked us "Have you ever seen anything that you cannot explain?" This started a spirited conversation about UFO's and all sorts of other things. They had been to several well known "Sci-fy"places including Marfa, Tx to see the the "lights" and they were asking everyone they met the same question they asked us.

Charlotte and I agreed instantly that they should join us for dinner. When we asked they were ecstatic because all they had to eat was little sausages and stale bread.

Charlotte and I managed to catch one "keeper" size Rainbow Trout and we added that to fresh Halibut from the market in Jackson Hole and some Carne Asada that I had marinated. We also fried a huge skillet of Yukon Potatoes with Shallots and Garlic. All this was topped off with our best box wine and some of their cheap whiskey. What a grand time we had together.

The next morning they were still blown away by the meal we put together. We exchanged emails and sent them on their way with a small bag of fishing flies for them to put on the caps. They thought mine were really cool. In exchange they gave us a small splinter of wood from the windmill that James Dean climbed in the movie Giant in 1950's. In turns out both of our buddies were huge Dean fans.

So there you have it. While wer







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