We arrive in Memphis and make camp along the Big Muddy.
July, ca 2016
We have reined up on the Big Muddy and set camp along its western banks. Having departed the Dakota Territories two days past, me and my trusted steed, Ol' Black Tahoe, made trail through Iowa and followed along the Missouri down into Nebraska. We passed the headwaters of the Platte and further on crossed the Tarkio somewheres south of Council Bluffs. The rain fell fierce and the winds came rapid and reckless for mile after soaking mile, but Ol' Black Tahoe kept steady the pace. I was grateful to the Father, though unknowing of true season, for having no contentions with one of them tall towers of twisting air that will rip the land in these parts. Riding further into this country and out of harsh weather’s way, I noted corn sprouting abundant from horizon to horizon and dressed in a splendid green the Creator seems to possess in endless supply. We rid on into Kansas City where we found easy passage over the Mighty Mo and stayed course southward, lodging in the lower parts of Missouri Territory. We continued our journey this morning to thunderous rounds of cannon fire from above and amidst the darkened skies and hard rain. I believe my insides felt the same as a black loneliness fell upon me. I sensed an eager loss of the mountains and trees and cold-water rivers of Montana left behind. And a woman. I know sure there is a fine and fitting reason to be on this trail south, but I have yet to find in so many days living a logic or sensibleness to cure a desperate and lonesome ache. We’ll camp two nights and take our rest here along the Mississippi and trail onward again into Tennessee and Alabama and to trail’s end in Georgia. I have not died today. And that is a fine thing. Yours truly…

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
A Montana Journal, ca. April 2021   Sun was already on the job and attending to daily duty when me and Ol’ Black Tahoe, my trusted steed, lit out north up the valley heading to the Missouri River. We has been a long time sitting still here at present homestead and was overjoyed to be wandering once again in these Northern territories. We pushed on past Missoula and then skirted east of the Rattlesnake to arrive at Bonner, what sets along the Blackfoot. We followed that lovely river for many a mile through canyon and cut along steep and well-treed mountain. We was pleasantly rewarded time and again with wonderous sights of them Rocky Mountains covered in snowy loveliness.  Pressing ever onwards, we come to Lincoln, Montana, what was made famous by some angry feller who’d send explosive parcels via the US Postal Service, stealing health and happiness and life itself from other souls. He and his anger reside now, and rightly so, at some federal penitentiary. Coming out of that sp...
Read more
Image
A Montana Journal, ca July 2020 The air was a fine 48-degree and the dark morning sky cloudless and speckled with a swarm of stars as we lit off north through the valley. It were quite the impressive lightshow to precede sun’s participation in the day coming. Me and Ol’ Black Tahoe, my trusted steed, was heading up toward the Hellgate and then taking westerly track to the settlement of Superior. The path ahead was one I’d never afore traveled, which would regularly be reason enough to make the trip. Yet as calm is a commodity hard to come by these days, I was hoping there’d be ample trail to ride in high solitude to secure a small portion of that. After our arrival at Superior, we took off south and also heavenward into the Clearwater. The North Fork of the Clearwater River rambles on through this territory and we aimed to find and follow it far as fortitude would allow. We come into these mountains making our way for many a mile along the Trout Creek, so we knew we was on proper cours...
Read more
Image
  A Montana Journal, ca December 2024 It’s snowing here in the territories. The trees what reside near to this place are covered with them falling crystals, dressed for the season by the Great Creator’s own hand. Me and Ol’ Black Tahoe, my trusted steed will remain tucked in and warm. We are grateful today for the comforts of camp, and also for news of a brother soon to make homestead here in Montana. He come to visit these few days past, and so arrives again with the spring. His camp will be on mountainside, in the high places, to live among the elk and bear, the lion and the fox. It was quite the trail what led him here, the Creator’s handiwork and perfect timing surely at play. He will live but a short ride from my valley home, and my daughters, many miles distant, will be joyful to know family is near. I have often reminded those caring children that the One who rides with me has made good company these many years and never failed to keep me safe and content in His promises. Ye...
Read more