July 1, 2004
This just in from Finland. According to Jari Teilas, “Mitch Boyer and his Crow scouts could smell the huge horse herd from quite a distance.” (see June 29 entry for reference to the Indian horse herd at Little Bighorn)

Well, I couldn’t smell him, but I spotted my first True West Maniac in the wild last Saturday. Sue Lambert and I were set up in the Wynona Thompson Auditorium for the annual Brian Label Cody Auction and Trade Show and I recognized the Maniac logo on a white t-shirt at about 50 yards. I was seated behind our table and as I looked through a gap in the leather goods at the table catty corner to us I saw a flash of white shirt and the unmistakable, black silhouette of Curly Bill leaning back and laughing (hey, I drew it so I have the eye for it).

When he got to the next aisle over I ran out and accosted him. Turns out Jason Thorp is TW Maniac #94 and not only was he wearing the official t-shirt, he flashed his Maniac card.

Here’s his description of our encounter: “I’m glad I was your first True West Maniac you’ve met. That really made my 2,800 mile round trip worth it. We zig-zagged all across the country from Boring, Oregon (yes, that’s the name of my town) through Idaho, Montana and finally Cody, Wyoming. We hit every back road, gravel road, hilly road, twisty road and unknown road I could find. All in search of the last of the disappearing ghost towns.”

Yep, he’s a bonified Maniac (he drove 2,800 miles mostly on dirt roads for a trade show?!) and I predict Jason is going to love the new issue of True West because we detail 15 of the best in the West with a Gus Walker map and everything.

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly know how far one can go."
—T.S. Elliot