Journey Day 418 | CDT Day 81

Dust in the distance along a dirt road in Wyoming.

9/3/87

After a false start about 1:30 a.m., and mouse rushing about the rest of the night, it's finally time to arise for real. Darkness remains, the kind you get in open country, especially high desert. Clear skies, full of bright start, plus more than a half moon. Pack it up and hike, daybreak soon, follow a road toward our date with the basin. Cold breakfast by a spring at the Larsen Place, our last water for about 15 dry, hot miles through the Divide Basin.

Begin this adventure in a rainjacket, wearing it as we hit sand dunes, follow sheep tracks over them, short-cutting past a shallow pond or puddle to a closed oilwell site. Join a search for a spring, dump before hiking into a long stretch without water or shade. One break, then on up and down, short-cutting through sagebrush. Go ahead when I realize the next break is happening as I'm halfway up the next rise. Climb, descend, etc., repeatedly following powerlines, first at Bradley Peak, then southeast. Push over an apparent ridge, bivouack under a limber pine. Long break, others pass. Along a ridge, hike through sand most of the day, as it builds up inside my boots. Down to Bothwell Creek, thinking it's Saltiel Creek. Long break, others use water despite cow carcass in it.

Taking water upstream from animal carcass in the Great Divide Basin.

Carl and I snooze in the sun, shade on occasion. Leonard and Laurie up in tree cover. Eventually we move on. Just as we're leaving, major winds kick up a dust storm. Barely get assembled, on after the gang. Tired, hungry, abrazed feet. Dust everywhere. Pack cover fails. Realize we're at Saltiel Creek after about a mile. Pick out a trail down the creek, push against tiredness. Down creek on road, stop when realize fence will form barrier ahead to water. Exhausted, chilled, eat three pbj sandwiches quickly, half quart of Tang. Then down to creek for murky, silted water. Cook chili and coffee. Too much! Boil water in case ride hard to get in the morning. Initially put up tent without fly, but fly follows as skies threaten, winds perpetual. Staked despite apparent bedrock under layer to sand. Zip inside, but uncomfortable, too full to sleep. Reinflate mattress, under bag, update but sleep may be elusive. Burping chili...