Particulates

I left Salmon after lunch and headed south on US-93. The original goal had been a free campsite a little south of Challis, but halfway there I saw the sign for Cottonwood Recreation Site. I pulled in to check it out for future reference and decided I liked it enough to stay. It’s only five bucks with the old fart discount. Almost free.

I was in the middle of some serious relaxing when I became aware how clean and fresh the air was. It’s like that out here in the sparsely populated regions.

Then, maybe a half hour later, the folks in an upwind campsite started their toy hauler-hauling diesel Super Duty and let it idle while they gathered up the kids and bid friends goodbye. My air (and the silence) was spoiled.

The air cleared up shortly after they left, un-harshing my mellow. A-a-a-a-a-h-h-h-h.

But then, somewhere else upwind, someone fired up their barbecue. First there was the stink of lighter fluid, followed by the gooey smell of caramelizing barbecue sauce and the sharp scent of carbonizing meat. I appealed to the forces of nature to shift the wind direction. No luck.

So I went into extreme meditation mode (napping) and the air eventually cleared again. A-a-a-a-a-h-h-h-h.

If things like this really bugged me I would avoid campgrounds. But they’re minor, temporary, and give me something to blog about.