Day 23 · Fri Oct 23

Gardiner, MT

This day is part of Days 21-23: 48 Hours in Atlanta. Dispatches, if any, are below.

Steinbeck was here

Gardiner, Montana · Oct 13 and Oct 14, 1960

Livingston, MT Oct 13, 1960

Where he slept: A trailer court near Livingston, Oct 13 (Steigerwald, from a letter); the book puts "a pretty auto court near Livingston" the next night, after Yellowstone

He bought a jacket here and fell hard for Montana, calling it "my favorite and my love." The book never mentions his first night here; Steigerwald places it before the Yellowstone trip, not after.

Sources: Book, Part Three; Steigerwald Substack MT; LTA Yellowstone

See it on his route

Gardiner, MT Oct 14, 1960

He went to Yellowstone mainly so his friends could not scold him for skipping it. Charley, normally gentle, went wild at every roadside bear, so Steinbeck turned around and left the park.

Sources: Book, Part Three; LTA Yellowstone; Steigerwald Substack MT