Western North/South Divide

Available Now!


	The Wagonteamster Channel has it’s first video production - Journey To the Valley Of the Wild Horses


	Wagonteamster





					WAGONTEAMSTER .COM

6/7/12, 35 Miles Northwest of Pinedale, WY - I’ll start tonight’s blog with a little riddle. What the significance of the ridge top in the picture below? I know the answer was right at the tip of your tongue, so here it is. The Rim in the picture below is the divide between the water that eventually flows to the Pacific Ocean via the Colombia River and the water that flows south and enters the Pacific Ocean via the Colorado River. All water from the western slope of the US Rockies flows to the Pacific Ocean via one of these two rivers.


		Please Sign my Guestbook

	Please Read my Guestbook

The boundary line for the National Forest is on the North/South watershed divide for the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains.

I hitched Doc and Bill again this morning, as I knew it would be a tough pull out of where we were camping. They did great and we were soon underway. A mile or two down the road, we encountered a road construction obstacle. They were building an overhead bridge for game animals to cross the road (at least one or two animals a year). They were using a crane to fly large blocks of cement higher than the horses’ heads so they did great going through.

As part of another waste of government money (it must be federal) about 20 miles of the road west of Pinedale is incased on both sides with an 8 foot tall game fence. Part of this game protection system is double wide cattle guards at each homeowner’s driveway and a series of tunnels and bridges for the game to cross the highway. Rather than telling people to slow down for the next 20 miles of road, they spent at least 25 million dollars on this construction. Of course the fence is only 8 feet tall and deer can jump 10 feet; but, what does that matter. Except when a deer jumps one fence and gets caught next to the road, where he is sure to be hit (it’s happened twice this past winter).

They like their cattle guards in Wyoming. So instead of the normal double wide cattle guard for the game fence, this guy had three! But they all had good go-around gates, so who cares (except for the kid riding the bicycle.)

Like yesterday, this morning started out chilly with a cold wind from the north. Unlike yesterday, I was prepared by wearing my long underwear - ahhh!

The northern Rockies are much cooler than the mountains in Southern Colorado. As I’ve been moving north, I’ve been keeping pace with springtime, and I don’t really expect full summer to hit until I get north of Yellowstone in a few weeks.

I stopped for lunch at a nice turnout on the Bank of the Green River. This is the same river I took a day off by, shortly after crossing into Utah. I won’t see the water from the Green River again until I cross the Colorado River at Parker, AZ this winter.

While stopped for lunch, I had several visitors, including a couple of young ladies that are making the move from Indiana to Oregon.

The lads are always ready for treats. You have to keep an eye on B.O.B. - he has become a real chow hound for treats!

I think she sat on Bill for about twenty minutes. Like Billy really thinks it’s a chore?

I had my sights set on reaching the National Forest, another 10 miles further along. So, after lunch we hitched up and headed down the road. We were making good time and made the forest boundary by 3 pm. With 20 miles already behind us, I was ready for the first good turnout that offered some grass for the horses. Six miles later, I finally pulled off on the side of the road where there was some green grass. I have never been in a National Forest where you could travel more than a couple of miles without a turnout or something. Even the few wire gates in the stock fence alongside the road were wired shut.

I came across this doe antelope in the right of way next to the road. As we got closer, she started getting excited until she bolted away (almost under a car). You can tell that she is getting pretty big, and just about ready to fawn. I wonder if her OB-GYN knows she’s running around like that?

I saw this crane-like bird next to the creek. It was part of a nesting pair and stood about 2 1/2 feet tall. Anybody know what it is?


	Tonight, the Three Amigos are on some sweet young grass and looking fit. I used part of my supply of water on the wagon, as there wasn’t a way down to the creek. If we find a good place to camp, I might just settle in for a day or two and take it easy.




	A whole lot nicer country than the dry desert I crossed ever since leaving Flaming Gorge, Utah!

			Now that I’ve reached the Northern Rockies, I plan on slowing down somewhat for the next couple of months. By hurrying across the dry leg of the trip, I now have that luxury! As you have probably noticed, I didn’t have an internet signal tonight.