I had an easy day today, just what I needed after the excitement of yesterday. I stayed overnight in the parking lot of the WalMart in Sheridan, WY  last night and it was quiet and the overnight temp was warmer than the previous few nights. It only got down to about 42 degrees. There were 4 truckers and about 7 other campers with RV’s in the lot with me. It was well lit and I felt safe and comfortable.
It’s easy to stay in a “dry camping” spot. I chock and lock the wheels with the X-Chocks, unplug the trailer from the truck and I’m good to go! I have water in the fresh water tank for the kitchen and the bathroom and I just turn on the pump and hot water heater as needed. I used the inverter last night to power an plug so I could use my laptop without draining the battery. The Verizon JetPack is working well to give me connectivity. The refrigerator runs on propane too so my food stays fresh.  I had a light supper of Rotisserie chicken, salad, and cottage cheese. The furnace is also propane so I was toasty warm and comfortable in my cozy home.  I took it slow in the morning and was ready to go about 9.

II drove only 165 miles today to reach my destination, Mountain View Campground in Sundance WY. I stopped frequently along the way and took advantage of the parking areas and a few scenic pull-outs. I even got a shot at some Pronghorn Antelope grazing by the side of the road today! I have been seeing herds of them along the highway in Montana and Wyoming but this was the first chance I had to stop and take a few pictures.  They spooked as soon as they heard the truck stop and the window roll down but I got a few keepers before they moved away.

 

I arrived at the Mountain View Campground around mid-day and found it to be a lovely, quiet, sparsely populated campground under new ownership. The current owners took over the property 9 weeks ago! They were lovely and saw to my every need. I have a pull-through site with full hook-ups and including cable TV! That is the first time I have had that amenity and when I first tried it, all the channels were visible but very fuzzy. After some thought, I turned off the Jack’s Antenna and that did the trick. So much of learning is trial and error. I also had to level the trailer for the first time. I had purchased Anderson Levelers while I was waiting for the trailer and this was my first opportunity to use them. Thank you, Fred (Red Dog!) for the tip about trimming one to fit in between the tandem wheels! I just put one in front of each wheel and pulled forward slightly and they worked like a champ. I’m now completely on the level!

I also applied a covering of a white trash bag secured with white duct tape to Wild Thing’s injury. I thought it prudent to protect the damage until it can be repaired.

After setup it was looking like rain and I was tired so I curled up in my cozy loft and took a nap! What a luxury! Then I spent a few hours this afternoon rearranging things in the trailer and changing the sheets on the bed. I’ll have an opportunity to do laundry here so I want to take advantage.

I decided it was time for a good hot meal so I took myself down to the Longhorn Saloon and Grill in town. As I drove down the street, there were deer feeding in the early evening hours right along the road. I stopped and took a few photos with my phone. I had to whistle to get them to look up. Apparently, they are used to the traffic!

I was also charmed by this reminder to save your pennies at the local bank:

I had a yummy meal of steak, green beans with parmesan and bacon, and salad. I sampled two local beers, a Black Tooth Brown made in Sheridan, WY and Speed Goat made in Ten Sleep, WY. Both were delicious and the steak was amazing!! I am after all in cattle country so I shouldn’t be surprised to get a good steak!

My delightful waitress Jacayla D. topped off my meal with a thick slice of Salted Caramel Apple Pie A la Mode!

Back at the campground I enjoyed a long hot shower and now with my pj’s on and my feet up I’m as content as I can be. There is not much that a nap, a good meal, apple pie, beer, and a shower can’t cure! I’m rejuvenated and ready for an adventure to the Black Mountains tomorrow.