Prey

Wyoming's finest leaned into my window and handed me a ticket. "That's much too fast, I'm going to have to give you a citation." Then he asked "So, you're from Maryland?"

"Yes, well, sorta" I replied.

"Are you enjoying your trip?"

Thinking I might get out of the ticket I began to lay it on - "Yes, it's beautiful out here. I love it. I love this country. I don't see things like this back east" (which was actually 100% true). "How about you, where are you from?"

The State Trooper answered, "Cheyenne. Born and raised"

"Why, that's just where I am heading. Can you suggest a good park to get out and see this beautiful countryside (now, sorta laying it on)"

"Yes, you can go to Curt Gowdy State Park. That's just out of town"

Minutes later, I rolled out of the breakdown lane and drove 5mph under the speed limit to Curt Gowdy State Park. I was furious at myself for getting a ticket, because I had actually been going the speed limit for the majority of the trip. Curt Gowdy is located "where the Great Plains first meets the Rocky Mountains" and contains rolling hills through scrub brush, cactus and prairie grass. Trails meander around aspen trees and giant boulders. It was tough going, at almost 9,000ft, but great running. The unfortunate thing was that the front of my shin was throbbing when I started. I pulled a Chris Bain and said to myself "Do it". In the past, pains like this either are dulled out or stop me in my tracks. This time, it was somewhere in the middle. Stopping and starting, which I did numerous times to either gauge my location or to take in the views, was excruciating. Eventually the pain would throw up its hands in defeat. I ran into a couple packs of mule deer, but aside from that saw only birds. After the run I was talking to a park ranger who told me that a mountain lion, "an old tom", lives up where I was running and loves to pounce down from the boulders and take out deer. "We see kill sites (the remains of mule deer) every once and awhile" he said. I actually thought about cougars whilst running, as I thought it would have been great country for them, but I didn't think they lived in this area. Thankfully, I didn't encounter any.

Although I am in a part of the country likely considered the polar opposite, in appearance and certainly in political preference, it was very inspiring to see flags lowered at half staff across Wyoming for the passing of Senator Kennedy. In cow towns throughout the land, Old Glory flapped halfway down the pole. I actually felt somewhat emotional and it was an incredible "American" experience...if that makes sense? Ted Kennedy was my senator and I was fortunate enough to meet him twice. Once, I docked his boat Mya while working at the Hyannis Yacht Club. Actually his nephew, RFK's son Max, was at the helm. He was accompanied with someone in a wheel chair, I forget who. A year or two later, I shot an interview with the senator at my high school. After we were done, I walked down the hallway with him and talked to him about boating and how we had met before. He was extremely humble and gracious and I liked him immediately. I never voted for the man, and as soon as I was old enough to vote, I actually voted against him. I disagree with him politically and have strong reservations about his character, BUT the day Ted Kennedy passed away was a very sad day for Cape Cod and a sad day for our country. He did great things for the United States and especially for Massachusetts. I will miss seeing him sail past us in Lewis Bay and throwing out a friendly nautical wave. It is the end of an era.

He is in a better place and more importantly with his brothers.