Day 31, July 14, 2012

Day 31: After breakfast, and getting everything ready to go; I put on clean clothes and trim my mustache in preparation for going to town. But just as I’m ready to harness Reba, she gets her foot caught in a barbwire fence. I approach her slowly, telling her it’s alright. I use my “Leatherman” tool to remove a strand of barbwire that has wedged between her shoe and hoof – and getting it out is a real bear! I had to cut the fence, and I’m ticked off at Reba because it wouldn’t have happened if she wasn’t so fidgety. I don’t have the tools to repair the fence, and I’m not a fence man anyway, but I do not want to leave the place like this, so I cross the road and talk to a fellow who says Jack’s nephew is due to arrive and can help me. I wait but the man doesn’t come. Meanwhile, my cousin John calls. I was supposed to meet him in town. Instead, he and his wife LeAnn come to where I am, and we visit, and they bring me some supplies. I do not know when the man is going to arrive about the fence, so I go ahead and fix it with some bailing wire and Leatherman tool. It looks like heck, but at least it’s tight. Then as I’m about to go, Jack’s nephew shows, tells me not to worry about the fence, and I’m glad I got a chance to speak with him.

Sunrise at Jacks, looking out of shelter house.

Looking out from Jack's shelter house in early morning.



I’m trying not to be mad at Reba, but thanks to her fidgeting, my whole plan for the day is shot (I’d hoped to do a repeat of Burlingame in Lyndon). To make matters worse, she can’t go straight to save her life this morning, and we’re all over the road on the way into town. Her foot is fine, there’s no problem there… she just knows I’m ticked off, and it’s messing her up. By the time we get to town, it’s scorching hot, about 1pm. I stop and get ice, eat a quick shop sandwich, and proceed towards Jack’s land just a mile east of town. Looks like Lyndon is a washout.


I camp directly across the road from Jack’s land, in a shady little park owned by his neighbors Clyde and Ardis.


Clyde and Ardis's park.

Camp at Clyde and Ardis's park.

I haul water from Frank’s corral across the road. My old friend Mark comes by, and so does Frank, and we have an excellent visit. I had planned on leaving for the next town early in the morning, but Frank wants to show me his wagons tomorrow, and besides wanting to see them, I’ve also been thinking about going to church in Lyndon in the morning, and by doing so, make up for washing-out earlier. Mark and Frank depart with well wishes and words of thanks. I finish chores before hitting the sack at about 10pm.

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