July 10, from Fort Bridger to Thermopolis, WY.

Today we started early with the dogs, on a walk through the historic Fort Bridger site. Felt like it was the right thing to do to pay for our visit, depositing a check in the box, even though we were the only ones in the park at about 8 a.m. Wandered around the compound to see the old, restored buildings, read the signs, and try to imagine what it was like to visit this place if we had been pioneers or Mormons or anyone headed west in need of supplies. 

That place was such an important outpost for so many different people who came west during the time it was in existence. I’m sad that the military at some point felt like they had to make it a “fort” to perhaps “protect against” the First Nation People who had made this land their home for so much longer than we could imagine. Jim reminded me that Custer’s Last Stand wasn’t really so far away from here. Ugh. There were sites of barracks for enlisted men and barracks for officers, and fancy a home and other accommodations for the head honcho.

And we only got glimpses of some of the explanatory signs, because the dogs were On Fire for All The Smells in this area. Under every building, their noses dove for a giant whiff of mouse or vole or whatever was living there. There was also a restored series of black-and-orange Garage Cabins, where I guess you back your car into a tiny garage and move about three things into a tiny cabin right next to the garage. About as big as the garage you’d just parked your car in. Wow.

The campground at Fort Bridger was great – pull through sites with full hookups, as I'd mentioned in the previous post. Very well-watered grass; they were militant about watering that grass. They were also clear that we needed to be out of there by 10 a.m. the next day, as a giant Airstream group was headed their way on their annual trip to drive parts of the Oregon Trail. How had we never heard of this? Another day, I think. A nice campsite. Remember your bug shirt, as it’s got a creek nearby and swamp and SO MANY FREAKING MOSQUITOS I THOUGHT I’D DIE.

 

Got out of FB about 9:30 a.m. and headed for the interstate east. I drove the first leg of that, and then up Hwy 372. Nobody out there. So nice. Except we did see a good smattering of Airstreams headed in the opposite direction, toward Fort Bridger. A little sorry I didn't stop at that one overlook that had like 7 Airstreams parked and seeing the view. We saw a giant solar array that seemed to power some factory or mining facility way out there. Nothing and nothing and nothing and gosh, how big this land is, this sweet earth. But not too boring.

 

I was glad I’d packed us some sandwiches for lunch, because our noon stop was in the middle of nowhere. And I forgot to mention that we’d stopped at "Little America" on our way north, to gas up, walk dogs, and find “breakfast.” Jim went in for the breakfast quest and came back with…sushi. Because, according to him, it was “the best option.” I went in for a restroom, briefly saw the offerings, and agreed with his decision. Delish sushi with good spicy wasabi! 

 

And on the note of my sandwiches, they did a nice job of tiding us over on the road. Provisions are low right now so it’s either the same thing tomorrow or maybe we’re in better civilization for lunch. Doubtful. More mountains tomorrow.

 

Anyway. Jim drove the more challenging mountain bits from wherever we stopped to walk the dogs, up to Lander. Lots more “uppie.” But not as awful as the previous day’s drive had been. I took over the driving again at Riverton, down through the Wind River Canyon. So lovely! I was nervous driving a “mountain” road, but I’d seen the map and there was a river and a railroad and the Mormons had crossed there. I figured it couldn’t be too bad. And it wasn’t. A lot of boring straight bits at first to get to the canyon, and then it was a nice drop into the canyon. I didn’t go real fast but did pull off a couple of times to let folks through. But it wasn’t terrible and nobody died.

 

Got into Thermopolis about 4:30 or so, just in time for a quick rainstorm. Dogs not too fussed. Finally found our pull-through campsite, got set up, and got changed to take a dip in the “Fountain of Youth” hot spring pool. Slimy bottom on that pool, but therapeutic waters for sure. Wear your water shoes. The young kid who checked us in and who seems* to do maintenance things said that they clean the bottom every other Wednesday. Jim mumbled that maybe they could do it on a more aggressive schedule. Then again, that algae is strong enough to grow in that weirdo water, so just let it roll. I felt so happy and calm after our soak. The beer probably had lots to do with it. But a nice time. 

 

We asked the host how long the park had been here – since 1918, I think he said. The original owner had drilled for oil and got hot water instead (no surprise as there’s a large hot spring about a mile or so away from here). They built that pool with three cooling areas, so three areas of heat dispersal, and it's right nice. Nice to do a second Nat Soo Pah. The hottest part of the pool here is in the 106º F range, marked No Swimming. No kidding. The spring is at the far end of the pool with a cone of deposits around it. Quite unique and so cozy to swim in. Fascinating to smell this place from our campsite, part sulfur and part hay. Both yuck and ooh, yum, I love hay.

 

Lazy, and not exactly trusting our fridge (which was holding a lovely 60ºF), we ordered pizza and a salad from a local outfit. Respectable and delicious. We have leftovers from last night’s dinner (buttered gochujang noodles and some kielbasa) but didn’t want to cook once we knew pizza was an option, and that the AC was working well enough to leave the dogs for 15 minutes to go pick it up. It was tasty and perfect.

 

Now we chill until bed and figure out what twisty-ass road we’re taking to Spearfish. We’re going back to Chris’ Campground where we stayed on the outbound trip, staying two days, and while we’re there, we’re gonna find those missing keys, dammit.

 

*heavy emphasis on the word “seems” to do maintenance work. The men’s room was out of toilet paper in at least one stall, and the ladies’ bathroom had nearly zero soap in both dispensers. And a spider in one sink (I let it be; Daddy Long Legs are harmless and it was having a time of it trying to scramble up the side of the slippery ceramic sink). There was a tractor sprinkler on the property that was tipped over on its side, left on at least overnight, if not for weeks on end, and it had made a huge puddle in one of the campsites. 

 

Attention to detail is not on their radar, nor is making folks feel welcome. I felt very unwelcome and definitely wanted to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible once I’d gotten the memo.* We needed a place to stay for the night, and it sufficed, but seek other places to stay if you decide to take in Thermopolis. There are nice hotels right by the giant spring about a mile up the road...