When I left Chico Hot Springs and passed through Livingston I ordered a cell phone signal booster. It was 21% off. I thought that kind of discount would make it worth my while to return in a few days to pick one up since they were out of stock. While I spent most of the week in urban settings-mostly big box stores!-I did get a few nights in some out-of-the-way, lovely forest sites.
Those urban visits did allow me, I think, to finish getting all the little details and accoutrements that I was lacking or needed for my new home. It has all come together very nicely.
Observations of the random kind:
It appears that the greatest issue/problem for communities where I have stopped is lack of health care–not insurance, but no doctors or medical facilities. Even West Yellowstone that has 2 million people go through each year does not have 24/7 care. There is a private clinic that comes to town a few days a week.
Those fishing access areas/campgrounds along almost all streams and rivers are de facto weekend party spots. Nuff said.
Most of the RV parks where I have stayed, and even one Forest Service campground, have worker bees utilizing them as housing options. Evidently, housing is another need in these communities. Some of the RV parks have a greater number of sites set aside for seasonal workers than for tourists.
In my opinion, libraries are the most welcoming, accommodating parts of a community.
For it to start getting light at 4:30am is dang early!
It is easy to become encapsulated; maybe because of the relentless rainy weather, or maybe being in a self-contained environment, or maybe I have been in some pretty isolated spots with no one else around. What I have found, though, is that when I am speaking with someone it is like I haven’t spoken to anyone in months!
Do you know the volume of urine you produce in 24 hours?
I was amazed at the number of homeless people in Bozeman. So many intersections have someone placed at the most visible and opportune place to make contact with drivers. And the Wal-Mart parking lot was a village. I did see one hitchhiker on the Interstate, no disabled car in evidence, with a neatly trimmed, greying beard, white-collar clothes and a briefcase. I guess anyone can need help.
Week #2 Species I Saw:
And realize that so far these are things that I’ve seen while I have been doing something else! I haven’t had a chance to relish time and place to focus with binoculars and ID books on particular places.
- Black Cottonwood
- Choke cherry
- White Virgin’s Bower
- Pronghorn
- Bald Eagle
- Falcon—couldn’t tell which, but guess a prairie
- White-tailed deer
- Violet-green Swallow
- Tree Swallow—building a nest in a cottonwood cavity
- Sparrows-not sure which
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Flax
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Crow
- Raven
- Magpie
- Yellow Warbler
- Flicker
- Cottontail
- Mountain Bluebird
- Sandhill Crane
- Red-tailed Hawk with a chiseler in his talons
- Chiseler, too
- Golden Eagle
- White Pelicans
- Harris Hawk
- Robin
- Killdeer