We fell asleep once again with the echo of fireworks in the distance and a beautiful sunset fading behind the mountains. There’s something peaceful about drifting off to the sounds of celebration beneath an open sky.
We didn’t sleep in too late this morning—up and moving and on the road by 8:30 AM. First stop was to top off our fresh water, grab a couple essentials, and fill up on fuel.
From there, we headed to Lander and eventually turned onto the Lander Cutoff Road. This drive had been recommended to us, and it certainly lived up to the hype. It was a winding stretch of about 55 to 60 miles of dirt road, full of sweeping views and some surprising bicycle traffic. Not the fastest route to Pinedale, but hands-down the prettiest.
Once we rolled into Pinedale, we made a stop at the city park to let the dogs out and stretch our own legs too. Hunger caught up to us quickly after that, so we stopped at Dave’s Last Stand for some burgers and tots. A huckleberry lemonade hit the spot.
After our late lunch, we treated ourselves to a visit to The Museum of the Mountain Man. We spent more time there than we expected and came away with a small pile of books. Gayla declared there was no limit on books, so I took full advantage of that rule.
We had planned to try a new campsite at Warren Bridge on the Green River, but something didn’t feel quite right. So instead, we went with a familiar and favorite spot—Soda Lake, just north of Pinedale. Sometimes trusting your gut leads you right where you’re supposed to be.
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Miles Driven Today: 160.74
Total Trip Miles: 1540.20
Clifford’s Fuel Economy: 11.286 MPG
