Pinedale, WY

Pinedale, Wyoming was a fun stop. Mostly because we ran into the Rendeveous Days Celebration. We were the only ones in town not wearing cowboy boots! Pinedale has several motels - we stayed in the Sun Dance Motel and it was just fine. It even has high speed internet! We carried a small laptop with us to keep our journals and email home when possible. We could recharge it in the car through a hookup to the cigarette lighter. The bike repair is in the hardware store and they are limited on knowledge and tools. There is a coin laundry open 24 hours a day. We ate at both the Los Cabos Mexican Restaurant and the Wrangler Cafe and Bar -both on the main drag in town. Good meals. Cafe had great homemade pie! The town has a Mountain Man Museum, which is excellent!! Fremont Lake, near Town, has hiking trails with interpretive signage. Very nice!
BETH writes - It was sad that Dave had to leave today. He rented a car and drove to Salt Lake City to catch a plane home. He has to return to that 4 letter word - WORK! Ahh, a day off and what better day to choose than a rainy start and the famous "Rendeveous Days" in Pinedale. This is a celebration of the Mountain Men of the west. The Mountain Men were generally trappers who came out of the mountains once a year to trade and socialize. In the 1800's these Rendeveous Days happened in July in many places. In Pinedale, there were venders everywhere and people dressed in period clothing. My parents, Ann, Don and I spent some time in the Mountain Man museum which talked about the history of the area and how trapping was an essential part of how the west had its start besides mining. I have discovered that American History is fascinating when you are in the places where the events happened. (Remember I am a science geek, not a history buff) I spent the remainder of the day getting ready for the Great Basin - the longest stretch of nothing on the entire divide. In this area the Continental Divide splits and forms a basin where the water drains to neither ocean, but the funny thing is the basin itself has little to no water. Laundry and groceries were the top of the list.
JAN writes of today - Today we are still in Pinedale. Beth has taken the day off to do laundry and rest her sore muscles. She has now put in over 1,000 miles on her bike. We have told her when she finishes this ride we will return her to the insane asylum she surely came from! We went up to a huge glacier lake above Pinedale - Fremont Lake - where Pinedale gets their water. It is over an unbelieveable 600 feet deep. Unlike lakes in New Hampshire, the shoreline is totally protected and there is not a building in sight! We watched a young bull moose eating willow leaves for quite awhile. He saw us and went back to eating as knew he was totally safe. This area is surrounded by yet another National Forest - the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The wide open spaces just go on and on!!!