On the Road Again

It’s time to get rolling. We boondocked (camped with no electrical, water, or sewer connections) in the Grand Tetons for almost a week. Our campground was Gros Ventre, a 1960s-era facility with beautiful views and privacy, but few modern amenities.

Boondocking makes one acutely aware of water and electricity usage. As in, “Sorry, honey, no shower today – we can’t spare the water.” Or “No TV after 8pm – because we gotta turn off the generator.” Boondocking for a day is easy enough. But after a week, you start feeling like Grizzly Adams. Blackouts, shortages, rationing... It's kind of like living in WW2-era London, but without all the air raid sirens and bombing. When, in restaurants, you catch yourself casting longing glances at glasses of water -- it's time to move on.

We left the Tetons this morning. We are presently camping somewhere in Montana just outside Yellowstone National Park. This privately owned site has full hookups, so we are back to SIMULTANEOUSLY blasting the A/C, brewing coffee, watching TV, surfing the Internet, and flushing the toilet. I will take a long, soaking hot shower tonight – JUST BECAUSE I CAN. Take that, Henry David Thoreau.

Here’s a shot of Kristy at a lunch stop in Gardiner, Montana. There’s a famous hole-in-the-wall burger joint in Gardiner called Helen’s Corral. The place looks like a dump, but they make incredible bison burgers. Since all Helen offers is outdoor seating in the summer heat, we chose to park across the street and dine in the Airstream.