At times, he seems to possess reckless abandon. In 2002, he spent 17 hours in the Wyoming backcountry after his snowmobile dropped into a hidden lake. Gardner was soaked, and temperatures fell to minus 25 degrees.

Eventually, he lost most of a middle toe to frostbite, which has since melded into a neighbor toe — "It kind of grew over and made a little friend," is the way Gardner puts it.

A local doctor who assisted Gardner's birth once told his parents that their son was going to be accident prone, and he has seemed bound to prove him right. He once accidentally impaled himself on a hunting arrow and walked to the hospital. About 10 days before the 2004 U.S. wrestling championships, he T-boned his Harley into a car. He did a front somersault and popped right to his feet. He went to practice that afternoon. Two days later he dislocated his wrist in a pickup basketball game.

Many wondered why Gardner bothered to return to the Olympics in 2004, knowing he had a tough act to follow and his fortune was made.

"People ask me why I do so many things," he says.

"Because I can. I grew up squeezing (cow) teats all my life. I busted my butt so many years wrestling and training; now I enjoy life."

So, how long will Gardner be able to ride the Sydney gravy train?

"That's the ultimate question," he says. "I don't think it will ever dry out. But if there's a point I don't have financial needs, I'll do it free."

His father's advice notwithstanding, Gardner says he will never "get a real job." He plans to build several health clubs that offer the usual fitness amenities, plus wrestling clubs. He wants to continue to work with the national team and promote schools. He hopes to curtail his travel and speech commitments soon to devote more time to his health clubs and other things he's "invested in," as well as his personal life.

"I think of traveling as more days that I've lost of my life," he says.

But after seeing 49 states and 40 countries in his young life, Gardner is looking forward to coming home someday.

"Ultimately, my goal is to end up back in Wyoming to end up with my family."

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E-mail: drob@desnews.com; ravell@desnews.com