50 FOREST OUTINGS 



The Western Colorado mountains push up between the clear spruce- 

 rimmed lakes of the White River National Forest. A single road runs deep 

 into the forest and dead-ends at Trappers' Lake. The road ends in a big 

 turn-around ringed with camp sites. 



I parked the car and got out. It was Sunday of Labor Day week end. 

 There were many other cars parked here and all of the prepared camp sites 

 were taken except one. I must have stood there looking around quite 

 awhile when I was hailed: 



"Hey there, young lady, kin I help you?" 



I turned. An old-timer stood scratching his tousled white head and 

 smiling. I walked over to where he stood. 



"Can't make up my mind where to hang my tent." 



He rubbed his hand down his bristly chin. "You be goin' to have 

 trouble gittin' dry wood too. Hev ya got any with you?" 



I shook my head. 



"Well, I tell you what. See, I'm cookin' for these two guys from 

 Denver. They're off fishin' now. You eat supper with us, then you won' 

 have to think about wood. How's that?" 



"Just the three of you?" 



"Yep, an' don' worry about the other two; they'd be glad to hev you." 



"Fine! I'll put the tent up over across the road there." 



"Yeah, you do thet now, an' you come back when you're finished." 



I put up the tent and got my bed out. The ground was covered with 

 pine needles and my boots made little circles of water where I stepped. 

 When I was finished, I went across the road to Steve, the old-timer. 



"Here, Miss, will you stir this while I go git some more wood?" 



People were still coming down the road from the lake. One couple, a 

 man and his wife, stopped and talked to Steve about fishing. 



"Nice folks," he said, coming back with the wood. "An ole fireman an' 

 his wife from Salida, up here for a vacation." 



We sat down at the table to peel potatoes. Steve went on. "He's got 

 diabetes an's gotta be mighty careful. You oughta take a look at their tent, 

 Miss. Nice little stove, big double bed, an' even a lantern. Snug as any- 

 thing. They're not like those two camped down there next to you," he 



