Gillette, WY

Gillette, Wyoming.  What a great place. For one, it is a town... with people... in other words, it resembles civilization.  I'm finding that that is rare in Wyoming (which is one of the reasons that I think I could live there... I miss Touchet and the other small towns around Walla-squared!).  AND... it had a great internet cafe where I got to eat a Quesadilla. Life doesn't get much better than that.

Another good reason Gillette is a great place is that they have a campground with laundry and showers.  After almost a whole week without cleanliness, that was very refreshing.  The final perk is that the campground is called the Crazy Woman.  Who doesn't want to stay here?

I'm always impressed by the people in campgrounds.  This one was partially residential... housing laborers for a few months at a time (and a random guy working on his phD).  As we all did laundry, we got to talk about our different states of origin.  We ended up talking especially long to a guy who works on one of these (photo compliments of a bbc news article from 2008). Actually, it sounds as though he works on many of them... he claims to drive about 300 miles a day for work.  I thought I drove a lot when I lived in WW!  We talked about the Gulf spill and how he thinks that if the government over reacts, America is going to be in a world of hurt and he's going to hide at his ranch with his own natural gas.  It was interesting to hear that from "the front lines".  He also told stories of his former life as a crab fisherman in Alaska... I miss the old fisherman stories from Gig Harbor.  It was fun to hear!

In the morning, we went to Gillette's "church corner" and went to the church that began closest to our arrival.  This church happened to be a very small PC(USA) church.  There were maybe 75 people there... probably closer to 50... and it was very much a family.  The church had given the pastor the day off, so one of the members ran the service and another did the sermon.  He preached on Psalm 23.  "Oh boy," I thought, "another 23rd Psalm sermon".  But it was actually really good.  As I was reading along in my TNIV Bible, I realized that this Psalm is a lot more than just a good comfort Psalm for funerals.  It actually pertains to my life... now and in Guatemala.
    ¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

    ² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
       he leads me beside quiet waters,

    ³ he refreshes my soul.
       He guides me along the right paths
       for his name's sake.

    ⁴ Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
       I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me.

    ⁵ You prepare a table before me
       in the presence of my enemies.
       You anoint my head with oil;
       my cup overflows.

    ⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
       and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

 That was cool.  I always enjoy seeing new spins on familiar things. Our darkest valley doesn't have to be death.  In fact, I don't think it is.  It's loneliness, feelings of abandonment, fears of being unable to communicate, emotions we don't understand or are scared to articulate, and a host of other things.  Despite what that valley is, God's there...  Me gusta.

Finally, as we were leaving, we had a very friendly woman next to us ask if we were going to Devil's Tower.  This landmark was something that the people at the campground had recommended as well and it seemed to be Gillette's pride and joy, despite the fact that it's an hour+ away from the town.  With the resounding recommendation, we really had to go.  It was pretty cool.  I really want to climb it!

Plus, it had a great billboard!

"For heaven's sake!  Please stop and eat before we both starve!"  

Suzanne ate the fence.