Five Years Across America: Year 1 - Wyoming & Montana
Series originally published as micro-posts March 2024 -March 2025. Republished as long posts in 2026.
Names have been changed, except for well-known places like states, cities, campgrounds, mass retailers, etc.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 1, 2006
Sunday, October 1, 2006
All guests left today, except Sam’s sister and brother-in-law are staying a few more days.
After lunch, most work stopped and by 4:00 they were grilling bratwurst and drinking. After lunch, I watched A Series of Unfortunate Events. Then I went down for a few minutes, had a brat, and basically just made an appearance so they wouldn’t think me rude. Then I walked to the headgate, watched The Fantastic Four, went to the lodge for tea, met Wes and borrowed Mr. Deeds after returning the other two, watched the third movie, finished at 9:00, and went to bed to the sounds of a very drunk wrangler in the next room. She was vomiting and shouting, but I shut all the doors I could between us and quickly went to sleep.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 2, 2006
Monday, October 2, 2006
I’m getting everything ready so that I can go into town on Wednesday and not forget anything important. Top priority is an oil change.
It has rained ever since lunch.
They changed supper to 6:00 p.m. It’s so much nicer to only have 6 hours between lunch and supper and more time between supper and bed. I’m glad Keith was kind enough to knock on my door and tell me about the change. I wouldn’t have known, otherwise.
I watched The Two Towers this afternoon. Today, I also paid bills, uploaded pictures, cleaned the bathroom, did laundry, and wrote four letters. I haven’t been bored all day.
Isaiah overheard that I like cream soda and today surprised me with a six-pack. I feel awkward when people do things like that. I want to know the reason and if I owe them. In this case, I just said “thank you” and showed appreciation. Of course, when I had one at supper, everyone had to tease me and ask what kind of beer I was drinking. It was as silly as when I would drink apple juice in college and people would ask if it was beer.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 5, 2006
Thursday, October 5, 2006
I went to town for the first time since I got here. I really didn’t want to go, but the drive was pretty and lifted my spirits.
I got an oil change and full-service check on the car, so I feel ready for winter. I went to the post office. I spent $70 at K-Mart, but I didn’t find jeans. I wasn’t really in the mood for shopping, so walking around downtown to find presents was fruitless.
I saw many bison. They’re so big and have sharp horns. How can people not see that they are dangerous?
On the way home, I made several stops to take pictures.
The road is smoother in the morning than in the afternoon. Gravel feels more slippery than dirt.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 6, 2006
Friday, October 6, 2006
Keith let me make spice bread. It wasn’t sweet or moist enough, so we made a butter and powdered sugar frosting. I’ll see how it tastes at supper.
Keith’s been really nice lately. I keep waiting for him to blow up.
I appreciate that Keith tries to watch his language around me. It surprises me, though, because he’s not helpful in any other way.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 9, 2006
Monday, October 9, 2006
We got about 6 inches of snow today. Snow is exciting and mysterious, especially when it is falling.
Mila moved to town yesterday. Wes left for a vacation, but Alex stayed here. She looks lonely and lost.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 10, 2006
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
The snow melted today.
Filip left for France today. That gives us some breathing room.
I started making friends with Farley, the cat. I want her to stay in my room when it gets cold this winter. I had her following me when out of nowhere, Alex comes flying. She chased Farley onto the back balcony.
Isaiah let me drive the tractor. That was exciting. I’m glad to learn something new.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 11, 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
About a week ago, my right elbow hurt to move, was swollen, and felt stiff. Filip, who is trained as a pharmacist, looked at it and gave me anti-inflammatories to take for one week. I don’t like taking pills, but there seemed to be nothing else to do. Today, only a small spot on the bone hurts if I put pressure on it. The bone seems to be protruding more than on the left side, but as I don’t study my body, maybe it was always like that. A few days ago, Filip asked how it was doing. I told him it was better and he was surprised. “I didn’t think it would get better,” he said.
The drugs seemed to make my whole lower arm ache and threatened to give me a headache for the first 15 minutes after I took a pill. Do they dissolve and spread that fast? I don’t know what the drug was. The foil was printed with French.
Now that the summer staff have gone, I am the only woman among four men. I pray they find a female housekeeper for the winter.
I am staying in the bunkroom this winter. It is a bit chilly with only a plug-in radiator-style electric heater, but the view is worth it. Also, I feel better being slightly separated from the others.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 12, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
I sat on the back balcony and enjoyed the warm sun and intense blue sky. Farley sat on my lap and purred.
I tried to play with Alex, but her idea of play is to lie down and have her tummy rubbed.
I’m washing all the bedding from the cabins this week. That’s 4-6 hours a day stuck in the lodge so I can change the laid as soon as it is done. It’s good reading time, but I’m about to go stir crazy. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be reading during working time, but I do what I’m supposed to,then I have extra time. I don’t want the others to get jealous and think I'm not working, so I read in the laundry room with the door closed.
It’s a beautiful, clear sky tonight. Does the Milky Way move east to west as the night progresses? It seems so.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 13, 2006
Friday, October 13, 2006
This afternoon, I went to town to get presents. I saw herds of bison and people getting out of their car to take pictures of them.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 14, 2006
Saturday, October 14, 2006
After work, Isaiah let me shoot his .45 Llama. The first time I rested against the golf cart for support and almost smacked myself in the face from the recoil. After a few times with the golf cart, I tried it on my own and liked that better. The gun isn’t heavy, but it kicks and is loud. I was glad for the ear protectors. I got a tiny blood blister where I pinched my little finger when putting in the clip and some tiny speck burned my cheek.
The revolver is so much easier to sight with than the rifle. I was right in line with the target, but always too low or too high.
I kept feeling like I was missing a step because I didn’t have to chamber each shell. It gives you the option of shooting faster, though.
I hope he lets me shoot again. I liked it.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 17, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
It snowed about two inches last night. It melted today. It started snowing again. It is round, foam-ball-like snow.
Keith doesn’t seem to care much about cooking. Meals are last minute and slip-shod. Last night he was sitting around, playing on his computer and even with comments from us, he showed no signs of concentrating on getting supper finished. We know he had chili on the stove, so by 7:30 Isaiah and I decided to eat. Keith’s response was, “It may not be hot yet.” It wasn’t, but it was warm enough to eat.
Keith never tells us when supper is and doesn’t keep a consistent time. We’re all fed up with him.
Keith’s in town today, so I cooked lunch. I made baked macaroni and cheese. Keith left steak and fish in the fridge and Isaiah is going to make supper. I started baked onions for lunch, but they didn’t finish, so we’ll have those for supper.
I finally finished all the cabin bedding laundry! Next step - wash the bathroom walls in the cabins. We will start staining the cabins’ outside walls this week, so maybe my wall-washing will have to wait.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 21, 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
I’m dusting the cabins - walls and everything. It’s one of the most boring things I’ve ever done. I did Cabins 9 down through 5 today.
I made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
On Thursday, I ran the skill saw and cut some boards for Isaiah.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 23, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
Yesterday, I got up at 5:45 and by 7:15, Isaiah and I were pulling out of the headgate, heading to Yellowstone. We went through Grand Teton National Park where I got a national parks pass.
The drive through Grand Teton was nice. We saw no animals, but stopped a few places or drove through to see what was there.
At Yellowstone, they were advising snow tires or chains. I have neither, but we went in anyway. We saw geese and bison and elk. I drove on snow and ice for the first time. Then I let Isaiah drive so that I could look around.
We stopped at a cascade and Old Faithful. Other than that, we either made quick stops or just drove through to see what was there. There are many places I want to spend several hours at.
Old Faithful wasn’t too impressive. It is just a lot of steam that floats out. Another geyser close by shoots straight up. I liked that one better. The Castle geyser and the one close by were having a competition to see who could boil the biggest bubbles. I liked them; they made me laugh.
We went to Gardner, Montana so that I could go to Montana (and to get gas).
At one point, we followed a bison down the road. He walked slowly, almost exactly in the center of the road. A bald eagle flew over us. We saw a rabbit.
All we wanted to see was a bear and a wolf. We saw neither.
We got back to the ranch just after 9:00 and I went straight to bed, exhausted.
Keith’s being a pain. He tells everyone what to do and does little work himself. He’s too busy sticking his nose into everyone else’s business. I try to pick my battles and let the little things go, but there comes a point where I just do what I think is best and he can get over it.
Isaiah said he’d watch my back this winter so Keith won’t make my life miserable. It’s good to know he’s there and willing to defend me. Keith can be really nice and thoughtful sometimes, but when it comes to work, he’s a royal pain and too big for his britches.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 25, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
This morning, we sprayed the cabins with a “stain” of motor oil, hydraulic fluid, polyurethane, and paint thinner.
This afternoon, it snowed.
I got Farley into my room this evening, but I’m letting him outside tonight. I have no water inside for him. It’s getting cold. I hope he stays warm. I feel bad putting him out, but I don’t want to be up with him for half the night. I want him to get comfortable in here before he spends the night.
5 Years Across America; Year 1 - Wyoming; October 31, 2006
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
I started cleaning a room upstairs to move into. It’s too cold to stay down here with only a space heater.
I bought Farley nearly $75 worth of food. I hope it lasts him most of the winter. I’m trying to fatten him up. If he runs out, hopefully, I can find cheaper food. I won’t be as concerned about him when he has his winter fat.