top of page
One Journey Through
A World of Stories
"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."
- Joseph Campbell
It was on this frigid winter's eve that I rolled into Lander for the first time. I had just driven down from Bozeman MT where I had been Ice Climbing in Hyalite Canyon. Now I passed through Yellowstone, over Teton pass, and into the fog coming off of the Wind River as it met the night air (sometimes more than -30 F)! This wasn't the fastest route from Bozeman, but I'm a sucker for natural beauty and I figured I should start checking out the local scenic routes, as this would be my new home!
​
I knew no one in this town. Sure I had emailed and texted a few contacts forwarded by friends and well-wishers, but I didn't KNOW anyone; so when I began considering options for the night, I quickly decided that even though is was -20 Fahrenheit , I should probably just sleep in the van and get a taste for how bad it could be.
It was all fine...until I had to pee!
​
Once the van warmed up, I drove over to Elemental Fitness, the gym where I planned to work. When I arrived, Charlie, the second in command, informed me that both he and the bossman were busy for the day and so wouldn't be able to see me until Monday. I left the gym wondering what I should do for the next 3 days: I knew no one, I was in the middle of nowhere, and I had nowhere to go... and it was still COLD (-10 F). So, I went to a coffee shop.
​
I don't often drink coffee, but $2 isn't a bad price for a warm place to be and wifi. I spent the next 3 hours in the coffee shop, and somewhere along the way got talking to the barista. He was a nice fellow who had moved out here from Indiana to attend the Catholic College in town, but had decided it wasn't for him, and had recently thrown himself into working and living. We talked about this phase in our lives, of moving away from home, of the catholic faith, and we generally hit it off. Before I left, he offered me a place to stay for a few nights and I graciously accepted! I spent the rest of the day wandering Main St and checking out the various local businesses, art galleries, libraries, etc.
...I turned off the engine and all was quiet and still. The car thermometer read COLD, and even though I had been blasting hot air only moments ago, I could feel the night reaching frozen fingers through the cracks in my car, nipping my toes and turning my breath to ice. I burrowed deep into my sleeping-bag-inside-a-sleeping-bag, and then wormed and rolled the down cocoon into a makeshift tent I had erected in the back of my van. The moment of truth: I felt warm.
Though it was probably only a few minutes, it took what felt like hours of inner-turmoil before I was desperate enough to shed my comfy layers and try to relieve myself. Subzero temperature hit me even before I opened the door of my van, instantly turning my sweat into mist. You can probably guess, the process was not enjoyable, but the moment I was finished my business and could burrow back into the warmth of my sleeping cave, I was immediately so content and happy that it was all worth the effort!
​
Friday morning dawned and a pinkish light filtered through my homemade blinds. It was cold, but I managed to rouse myself enough to boil some water (cracking a window for the fumes) and have a nice warm breakfast before tearing myself from the comfort of my cave.
That night I went to bed, after a home cooked meal, in the cozy apartment of my first two friends in Lander. As I lay dozing, on a couch that was not mine, in a town 2000 miles from home, I was struck by how comfortable I felt and how important my new friends were for me to start feeling like I belonged!
bottom of page