Cabin Fever is setting in pretty bad and geocaching is on my mind. I thought you might like to read about “The Tin Star Sheriff” so here is the tale. Enjoy.
A couple of years ago while out Geocaching we found a Travel Bug named the Tin Star Sheriff. Let me tell you about his visit here in Le Claire, Iowa.
For the younger people that may be reading this, I want you to know that this is just a story I made up to try to entertain you. Jesse James hasn’t been seen for a long long time.
The Tin Star Sheriff and I met just North of town on a pretty nice day for this time of year. It was nice and sunny with just a chill in the air. I was traveling down the road when I found him sitting under a tree waiting for someone to stop in and give him a ride. It seems that the last person that he had visited with got him just as far as Le Claire on his search for the infamous bandit Jesse James. So far he has traveled 8557 miles trailing Jesse every step of the way. I had to admire the old Sheriff for his determination. I doubt if I would still be on the trail after a trip like that. Anyway, back to the story. The Sheriff and I had a nice long visit and my lovely wife, Veronika, (known in the Geocaching circles as Pulltabs) spent her entire day trying to make our guest comfortable.
Toward evening, with no sightings of Jesse James in the news, we decided to head for the local saloon for a thick steak and a fruit jar of sarsaparilla to fill our empty stomachs and cool our drying throats. A fortunate decision that was too. We decided to take our meal at the famous “Sneaky Pete’s”. They serve the best steaks in town on a board and their drinks just the way we like them, in a fruit jar. Nothing fancy, just right down goooood. While we were sitting there, minding our own business, not doing anything to anyone, we were approached by a weathered old timer by the name of Wapsi Willie. He told us he had just returned from Clinton, which is about 15 miles North of Le Claire, and up there the word was going around that Jesse had been seen in Lawson, Missouri which is very near his home. The Tin Star almost fell off the Sheriff’s chest he moved so fast. I almost didn’t catch him before he reached our pony’s. All the way back to the ranch he was talking about how he had to get on the road and couldn’t wait for morning. I finally got him calmed down and he decided to spend the night and be off early the next day.
We were up bright and early and headed for the nearest stage stop. I wasn’t about to let that old Sheriff take one of my horses but I would get him to the stage stop which is about 25 miles West of here. The nearest stage was at Walcott, Iowa and is locally called “Just Beyond The Loop” for some reason. Anyway, when Pulltabs and I got the Sheriff to The Loop we found him a nice place to rest and gave him some Gold (it was a gold colored dollar coin) for the trip. He was sure that would take care of him until he got to Lawson and promised to return it the next time he got this way. Just as Pulltabs and I were about to leave a pretty young girl asked for a ride. Seems like she had been sitting at the stage stop for some time and was willing to go anywhere as long as it was away from there. She is now staying at my ranch until she wants to head out for parts unknown. In the meantime she is a welcome guest and will beautify the ranch and make our other guest welcome.
If any of you hear of a sighting of the Tin Star Sheriff please stop back in here and let me know how he is doing. In fact, stop on back and visit anytime. I’m sure we will find something to talk about.
Have a Great Day
Bob Jones (DigMaster)