Dubois' Mysteries

What a beautiful ride yesterday, from Hatchet Campground over Togwotee Pass to Dubois. There was some horrendous road construction, with copious loose gravel and some really jarring "washboard" stretches. But it couldn't detract from the view. Fortunately,the road work was all on the uphill ... so the 20 mile downhill was one long stretch of perfectly smooth, asphalt-flavored freedom. I was going over 30mph, and it was only a 4% grade!

The road into Dubois had a beautiful surprise for me. Huge painted hills towered over the highway,striped in red and white so that they looked like giant strawberry shortcakes. (Or maybe I was just hungry). As I was sitting at the side of the road enjoying the spectacle, three women sauntered by on horses. When they started muttering to each other about whether or not I was crazy, I took that as my cue to leave.

One sad thing: the most expensive camping I've encountered this trip. I tried to explain to the girl at the counter that I came on a bicycle, and my little tent takes up less space than a park bench. She smiled, charged me the $24, and had me sign a liability waiver. So here I am, nestled among 80-person tents and giant RVs that would put a cruise ship to shame. I feel like a little kid trying to blend in to a crowd of adults. Except they have more toys than I do. Hint : when you need a separate 10 x 10 tent just for your state-of-the-art barbeque, and there's only 4 of you to feed... that's not camping anymore. Same goes for the folks who bring the RV, the pickup, and the 4-wheeler to the campsite, and enough dogs to win the Iditarod.

hould have stealth camped, I guess, but there's not much to hide behind out here: I'm in sage brush country again.