Short day, only rode this morning since too hot after noon, and I was delayed by road construction. Will have to cross two reservations, with only one town the next 60 miles, so best to start early tomorrow.
I chatted with Charlie Carson outside the grocery in Ashland, and he volunteered to be my guide to this very interesting town on the edge of the Northern Cheyenne reservation. A year ago, during the drought, fires burned much of this area. His ranch was not damaged, being 35 miles away over rough gravel roads (otherwise he would have taken me there). He only came to town today to get his tires repaired and buy beer and milk. But he did show me the Father Labre mission and school, with Cheyenne museum and chapel. We also went to a discount store in the Amish section of this community.
We spent 3 hours talking, comparing our lives. He and his wife drove through from VA heading to Alaska 38 years ago but got caught in a snowstorm. They were hippies in a VW van but ended up staying in this conservative hard scrabble town. She raised their 3 boys while teaching in a one room schoolhouse, while he learned to shoe horses and work construction and became a rancher. They left the ranch for twelve years so their sons could go to high school on the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. Their sons went on scholarships to Harvard, Middlebury, and U. of MT.
Another random yet fascinating encounter on this journey.
And of course a storm is approaching this evening.
I chatted with Charlie Carson outside the grocery in Ashland, and he volunteered to be my guide to this very interesting town on the edge of the Northern Cheyenne reservation. A year ago, during the drought, fires burned much of this area. His ranch was not damaged, being 35 miles away over rough gravel roads (otherwise he would have taken me there). He only came to town today to get his tires repaired and buy beer and milk. But he did show me the Father Labre mission and school, with Cheyenne museum and chapel. We also went to a discount store in the Amish section of this community.
We spent 3 hours talking, comparing our lives. He and his wife drove through from VA heading to Alaska 38 years ago but got caught in a snowstorm. They were hippies in a VW van but ended up staying in this conservative hard scrabble town. She raised their 3 boys while teaching in a one room schoolhouse, while he learned to shoe horses and work construction and became a rancher. They left the ranch for twelve years so their sons could go to high school on the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. Their sons went on scholarships to Harvard, Middlebury, and U. of MT.
Another random yet fascinating encounter on this journey.
And of course a storm is approaching this evening.
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| Charlie Carson |
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