Back in Bodie

I'm back in Bodie, living in the Gregory house (like last year), with a sub-par tent trailer stored down at Milk Ranch that I'm probably going to try and sell in a few weeks, but we'll see.

The camper in Las Vegas turned out to be sorely water damaged and I had to turn it down, and on a whim I ended up in Los Angeles that night and stayed with my friends Roger and Cecile for a few fun days. I picked up a relatively cheap tent trailer on the way up to Bodie, but once I got here and set it up, I realized that it probably wasn't going to work out after all - like a big reality check at exactly the wrong moment. I still might give it another shot when they get the water turned on (because right now there's no showers and no bathrooms down there!), but for now I'm in housing. Which, unfortunately, is exactly where I didn't want to be.

In the past, coming to Bodie was an exciting thing that I looked forward to and I was always so glad when I got here. But somehow this year is different: I'm already counting the days 'til I leave. I miss Big Bend, oddly enough, and I'm constantly wishing I was back there. In fact, I've already started corresponding with them about how soon I can start this fall. I'm not sure what makes this season different - is it the disappointment with the trailer fiasco? is it just that I'm here so early that there's hardly any people in town and I'm feeling lonely? or did I really fall that much in love with Big Bend that the prospect of being away for 4+ months seems that harrowing? I'm not really sure. Today I start work, so hopefully the busyness will help me get back into the swing of things. I won't start working for the state and doing interp and the like until the 15th, but at least working in the museum will give me something to do and get me used to answering questions about the park again. My first days off I'm going into town - I have to get my oil changed, set up my mail for the season, and hopefully find a hiking buddy or two.

Until next time!