Green River Utah Float Trip June 2008 Part One

June 27th, 2008 · Comments

6/4/08

Thursday, June 4^th dawned with drizzling rain and overcast skies. A weekend with 25 fly fisherwomen, one other guy and me. I was not sure about this but the float trip was booked and I could not back out now.

I was at my friend Joanie’s place at 7:30 am with good intentions of getting on the road by 9 A.M. We finished packing the Jeep in the liquid sunshine. Fortunately, the camper trailer was packed yesterday in the dry weather. By the time we sorted out cooler food, packed it, threw my clothes bag and fishing gear into the back of the jeep, got Kelly and Murphy aboard, it was 9:30 A.M.

Joanie, Kelly and Murphy are a package deal. The dogs are miniature black Labs and good dogs. Still a lot of puppy yet and energy to burn. This time we had put up a doggie gate so they could not get into the front with us. (Meaning I would have a more peaceful trip.) I have not had a dog since 1991 and going places with Kelly and Murphy is a learning experience for all of us.

So here we were heading north up I-25 in a rainstorm toward Cheyenne, WY. Then across I-80 to Rock Springs, WY. Then south to Dutch John, Utah to the camp ground. Dutch John is close to the Flaming Gorge Reservoir from which flows the Green River.

From Ft. Collins, CO to Cheyenne, we hit a monsoon. Rain so heavy the wipers could barely keep the windshield clear. Outside of Cheyenne, we caught the eye of the storm and turned west onto I-80. Barely west of Cheyenne, I-80 lived up to it’s reputation and the wind picked up. Wind and rain, rain and wind all the way to Rock Springs, WY. The country side was green and beautiful though. Usually, I go across Wyoming in the fall heading toward Yellowstone. Wyoming in the fall is mostly brown until you get to the western side. The North Platte river was running out of its banks in most spots, the Laramie river too was bank full.

Rock Springs is an oil town. It was an oil town in 1987, when I first saw it. Not much had really changed expcept there was more of it. We filled up with gas at the Fly J, restocked the coolers with ice and headed south for the hour and a half drive to the camp ground.

By the time we arrived at the camp ground and set up the tent camper, it was about dark. Don’t even remember what dinner was that night, except it was good. Originally I was scheduled to bunk in a tent with the only other male on the trip while his wife shared the camper with Joanie and Pat. But Pat was gracious and got it changed so I could bunk in the camper on one of the king sized beds. Pat took the table bed and Joanie the other king sized bed. ZZZZZZZ – Woof.