Block 1: Week 1 & Thermopolis/Johnny Behind the Rocks

Savannah and I got settled into the house the Sunday before our rotation started. A few notes to make about the house and area in general:

• You are welcome to bring bedding/towels, but there is plenty here if you need to save space in your luggage.
• There is no dishwasher, and there are enough dishes to get by with. 
• If you are driving, you may want to consider bringing things you normally use at home (air fryer, Keurig, personal blender, etc.)
• There are plenty of spices, and there will likely be some leftover food - I would recommend checking what is in all the cabinets before making your initial run to the grocery store. 
• There is a general store in town in case you need something quick, but I would recommend going to Safeway in Lander (about 20 minutes away).
• The house has wifi, but if you like to watch movies on the bigger TV screen, bring your favorite DVDs!
• I recommend downloading AllTrails. It has been helpful in finding places to explore!
• I would definitely bring some lotion and moisturizer for your face - I hardly ever use these, but I don't think I could do without here.
• Check out the Wind River Trading Company - it was pretty neat.
• If you are at the Ethete clinic, you need to go into the blue building across the street to get a Texas pretzel. Plan to share it.

We started our rotation Monday morning at the Ethete clinic, and Katherine welcomed us! She gave us a brief tour of the clinic and introduced us to a majority of the staff. She got us set up with the computer systems and showed us the basics of how their software works. By Tuesday we had a couple of projects to work on, and we spent the majority of the week doing chart reviews and researching literature for the projects. We were able to have some patient interaction through counseling on new prescriptions and answering questions. We were also able to learn about how the clinic works financially, what they are able to do through collaborative practice, and all of the different services they are able to provide their patients. 

Tuesday afternoon we hiked up to Popo Agie falls. It was BEAUTIFUL!! At the top of the falls, there is a place where people slide down when it is warmer and the water is calmer. When we hiked up there, the water was too rapid for us to get in (see picture). This was about 4 miles round-trip, and it was very worth it.

We spent some of Thursday and most of Friday at an Elder Health Awareness Conference sponsored by Eastern Shoshone Tribal Health where we were able to interact with different health clinics located on the reservation and listen to a few speakers discuss Parkinson's Disease and how to promote a healthy brain. 

After the conference Friday, we went to Lander Bar for dinner which had good food but the patio was closed so it was a little crowded. Saturday we headed towards Thermopolis. Our first stop of the weekend was the Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site. This was a short walk with some interesting history. It is open May-September from 8am-6pm, and if you want to go October-April you just have to pick up a key at the State Bath House in Hot Springs State Park. After our walk around the petroglyphs, we headed into Hot Springs State Park, and we loved it! It is a fee-free park. You can soak in the hot springs water, but the bath house is only open from 8am-4pm, and we got there too late. We were able to pick up a map from the bath house and head on a walk through some trails around the park. These trails are through the bison pasture, so be aware you may encounter bison. We decided to hike up to the top of Monument Hill and would absolutely recommend. The view was beautiful, and at the top of the hill there is a place where you can sign or write a note to the next traveler. It was nice to take a breather and read the encouragement. 

Coming down the hill, we decided to take a different route. We were unaware at the time, but this route ended up being a much steeper climb down. It was really fun if you are in for a little bit of a challenge!!

One thing to note about hiking here - we left with several bug bites. This is the only place I have felt we needed bug spray so far. After our hike, we drove through the bison pasture to take lots of pictures with the bison since they were so close to the road. 

When we left, we ate at the One Eyed Buffalo Brewing Company in Thermopolis. It was delicious!!! They have several different types of mac & cheese, and I want to try them all. Savannah got a pork filet, and it was great too.

Sunday we decided to spend the afternoon walking about 7 miles around Johnny Behind the Rocks. We had gotten the recommendation from those at the clinic, and it did not disappoint! We found the elevation to be a little challenging at times as we got short of breath, but we loved getting to see the waterfall. It was a very hot and sunny day, and we got more sun than we expected. Don't forget your sunscreen!!

Overall we had a great time with these day trips and would definitely recommend if you are looking to stay close to the area for a bit. It was nice to spend some time getting caught up on things at home but still getting to hike and explore. 

-Amber Smith