Slowly but Surely Ch. 01

I got a fire started and then took the saddle off and hung the horse's blanket over a rock to dry. Using a handful of the grass, I wiped Red down, and then led him to a pool of water at the cave's entrance where a large depression in the rock floor had filled with rainwater. He wasn't going anywhere so I took the bridle off and gave him a fair pile of grass. I took off my wet clothes and put them on rocks to dry. I stood by the fire until I warmed up then put on my only clean set of clothes. I put on a pot of coffee and started some bacon and beans. The dense stand of lodge poles kept most of the wind and rain out so I was actually more than comfortable.

Using my new sheepskin coat as a pillow and replenishing the fire several times I slept well and the ache in my side gradually let up. I woke the next morning to find the heavy rain had slowed to a light mist but the roar from the river didn't sound good. It was colder than a witch's tit so I put on my new coat and walked out to see the bad news. The river was a seething cauldron and was out of its banks. The area I was on was pinched in by the river at each end so I wasn't going anywhere for a day or so.

The river slowly settled throughout the day and the next morning came with a warm breeze and more seasonal weather. Okay, it was a warm, sunny morning in April and it looked like it would be this way for a couple of days. My dilemma now was if I left right away, I was going to be making some dangerous fords but if I waited, the river was sure to rise as the snow started melting at the higher elevations. I took the chance and pushed hard, taking chances but nothing foolish. Red was well rested so we did okay.

We made the pass two days later and struggled through drifts of snow three to four foot deep. I ignored the Michigan River on the other side of the pass and went straight north looking for the Canadian. We found it later that day, deciding what looked like a small creek was really the river. I found out later that the Canadian ran into the Michigan north of Walden, joinin', at some point, the North Platte. The Canadian was supposed to save me a half days travel and wasn't so steep, so I was happy. Late the next afternoon I saw what must be the ranch down on the valley floor. I'd seen the drab buildings of Walden a hour earlier.

I saw a flash of water in a heavy stand of aspens about a hundred feet off the valley floor and maybe four or five miles from the ranch. As I got closer, I could see a waterfall, probably from a creek or spring which splashed over a rock wall about twelve feet above the pool. I knew the water would be cold but I wanted to clean up before I went to the ranch. Not that I wanted to impress the young lady, but well ... one never knew.