I live for swimming and frolicking in the sun! Every mile I drive is a mile closer to my next swimming hole. I’m pretty sure Hallie has picked up a few new words this trip, and swimming is definitely one of them.

My brother John recommend the little town of Driggs to me, as a friendly little place he thought I’d like. He was so right. They had a JUICEBAR. And a very overpriced organic food store. I LOVE green juice.

I splurged and ate fish tacos and iced coffee on a patio, with the excuse that I don’t know when I’ll eat meat again and I forgot to buy coffee at the grocery store. It was worth it, and I had leftovers for dinner. I haven’t been cooking dinner at night. I’m usually tired from driving (and swimming) and nervous about those big bears;)

My campsite tonight was off of a forest road alongside the Hoback river. It was stunningly beautiful and looked like every photo I’ve ever seen of ideal grizzly bear habitat.

I’ve started a list of things that have surprised me about this trip. One of the things on the list is getting up to pee at 3am, with my bear spray clutched in my fingers, and being so awed by the stars twinkling everywhere that I almost forgot to be listening for bears! (Do bears even come out at night??)

I am not at all afraid of black bears. They’re a known, cute, berry-eating neighbor of mine. I’ve grown up around them. I don’t know a damn thing about grizzly bears. But I’ve heard they’re bigger, unknown, and meaner than black bears. I guess I’ll just keep singing to them and carrying my bear spray with me to pee until I get to know them a little better 🙂