Saturday, July 09, 2005

Mosquito Bites, Cowboy Boots, Alcohol

Here's my postcard from Island Park: we were beset by mosquitos, due to the incredibly wet spring, everyone got way too many bites. The highlight of the trip, for me, was the purchase of Son's new cowboy boots in West Yellowstone. We had looked at boots in Park City, where the cost was beyond prohibitive ($50). But we found a pair on sale in West Yellowstone. Son put them on immediately, with his shorts, and walked around town with his hands in his pockets, a decided swagger in his step. We had seen Old Faithful earlier, waded into the Madison, seen an eagle, a moose and some elk, but the trip was all about the boots. Son was disappointed that he didn't get to see a Real Cowboy, but I promised him that some live around Salt Lake and that we would go on an expedition to find one. I also told him we might see a cowboy or two at the Fair, when it comes to town (last year the highlight for him was the Butter Cow).
Aside from the mosquito bites, the trip was really marked by excessive consumption of beer, and the best margaritas I've had for awhile (it was the fresh limes and the company, I'm guessing).
Oh, did I mention that someone forgot to put my bag in the car? That's okay. I purchased a Supergirl T-shirt (selected by Middlebrow) at the K-Mart in Rexburg along with a pair of shorts. So I had two outfits for the trip.
The mosquito bites hardly even itch anymore. Did I mention how much I love showers? I love showers. Just when I think I am reviving my brief stint as a Nature Girl, I run smack into the brick wall of my own love of Modern Conveniences, such as showers and indoor plumbing and the refrigeration that gives us ice to be the rocks in our margaritas. Sigh. I should just let Middlebrow convince me of the sanity of car camping. It's true that ice does not do well with the whole backpacking ethos.
Ahh, it's good to be back home!

3 comments:

Lisa B. said...

Glad yr back, missed yr blog. Mosquitoes were indeed hell this year in IP. I tried dousing all my uncovered parts for our nightly games of three on three b-ball, but ended up with an assortment of unseemly bites.

Condiment said...

Yes, yes, I've heard Middlebrow hold forth on car camping numerous times. I think it is key not to view car camping vs. real camping as an either/or proposition. There are times for car camping and there are times for real camping. When I travel (or when I used to travel, rather), I always try to live as the locals and travel third class on the trains and walk and take crowded busses and ride in back of fruit trucks, etc. My hope is that I'll eventually get past my mental block with the inconvenience and begin to actually live life as a local. I think overcoming that hardhitting withdrawal is an important objective. Getting over the 4-day hump to where you don't miss your diet soda in the afternoon and your starbucks in the morning and your down pillow at night. I would love to try this sometime. BTW, we really need to rendezvous in Yosemite sometime (for car camping)!

lis said...

I've been accused of being a camping snob (turning my nose up at car camping), but recently I've begun to accept--and sometimes prefer--the luxuries of car camping. I hate to say that it's age, but it may just be.