Sunday July 20th we’re still at Lander and we went up to the cemetery where Chief Washakie who was a highly respected friend of the white man is buried. Chief Washakie lived to be over one hundred years old and was chief of the Shoshone for more than sixty years.
Also nearby is Sacagawea’s gravesite and memorial which is a life-size bronze of her.
Monday we went for a tour of the Eagle Bronze Foundry in Lander. This is a very prestigious company that produces some of the largest bronze sculptures in the world.
They have produced for many companies, cities and states including Dallas TX, New York City and businesses including Cabelas. After the foundry tour we went through their gallery and saw more of their finished products.
Tuesday we returned to South Pass and visited The Willie Handcart Co. Monument which is dedicated to the seventy-five members of the group headed for Utah who lost their lives in an early October 1856 winter storm. This is another spot where you can still see the wagon ruts of the westward migration.
Wednesday July 23rd we left Lander and traveled southwest over the Great Divide to Rock Springs, WY
Thursday we took a beautiful ride (about 150 miles) around the Flaming Gorge Nat’l Recreation Area which is partly in Wyoming and partly in Utah. This includes the dam on the Green river which forms a ninety-one mile long reservoir with many scenic vistas including deep canyons and mountain meadows. It is a beautiful area.
Friday we went up behind our campground at Rock Springs on a road that makes the back side of Little Bear Creek look like a turnpike to see some of the wild horses that live in this area. We got to see eighteen horses in groups of two to eight. It makes you wonder how they thrive with only high desert plants to eat, but they look healthy and reproduce as we saw three colts with them.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Cody to Lander
Monday July 14th our 6th day at Cody we caught up on laundry and housecleaning, then went downtown and took a walk.
Tuesday we took a ride up the Shoshone River southwest of Cody. This was another pretty drive on a sixty mile deadend road that takes you past some beautiful ranches and up into the mountains. We thought we would see more wildlife, but we only saw 5 or 6 mule deer and a few antelope.
Wednesday we left Cody and moved down to Thermopolis WY. and the Eagle RV Park.
We went in town to the Prospector Restaurant and had a good Italian dinner. We then went into the Hot Springs State Park where they claim to have the worlds largest hot springs. They have public bathhouses where the water is 104 degrees. The sulfur odor didn’t appeal to us so we didn’t go in the water.
Thursday we went back in town and went to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center where there are many exhibits of the fossils that have been discovered and retrieved from the digs in Wyoming and surrounding states.
Friday July 18th we left Thermopolis and traveled south through the Wind River Canyon to Lander and Sleeping Bear RV Park. which is located on a hill overlooking downtown Lander with snowcapped mountains in the background.
After getting settled in the campground we took a ride to the site of the former Fort Washakie and the burial site of Sacagawea who guided the Lewis and Clark expedition.
We then stopped at the Museum of the West in downtown Lander which is still a work in progress, but will be great when completed.
Saturday we took a ride up through Sinks Canyon State Park where you witness the mystery of the Po Po Agie River disappearing into the side of the mountain and reappearing one quarter of a mile down the mountain two and one quarter hours later.(checked with dye)
From there we traveled on up the canyon and over the top of the mountain which was dotted with numerous lakes and beautiful scenery. This road descends the south side of the mountain onto Wyoming Rt. 28 near South Pass WY. which is a twenty mile wide gap through the Rocky Mountains and is where the Oregon, Mormon and California Trails as well as the Pony Express went through the mountains. It’s pretty interesting to stand on the tracks where thousands of wagons passed on there way west.
We visited Atlantic City so named because it’s located on the Atlantic side of the great divide. From there we traveled west several miles to South Pass City where there are the remains of a gold mine which the state is in the midst of restoring and adding a museum as well as a town restoration.
Tuesday we took a ride up the Shoshone River southwest of Cody. This was another pretty drive on a sixty mile deadend road that takes you past some beautiful ranches and up into the mountains. We thought we would see more wildlife, but we only saw 5 or 6 mule deer and a few antelope.
Wednesday we left Cody and moved down to Thermopolis WY. and the Eagle RV Park.
We went in town to the Prospector Restaurant and had a good Italian dinner. We then went into the Hot Springs State Park where they claim to have the worlds largest hot springs. They have public bathhouses where the water is 104 degrees. The sulfur odor didn’t appeal to us so we didn’t go in the water.
Thursday we went back in town and went to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center where there are many exhibits of the fossils that have been discovered and retrieved from the digs in Wyoming and surrounding states.
Friday July 18th we left Thermopolis and traveled south through the Wind River Canyon to Lander and Sleeping Bear RV Park. which is located on a hill overlooking downtown Lander with snowcapped mountains in the background.
After getting settled in the campground we took a ride to the site of the former Fort Washakie and the burial site of Sacagawea who guided the Lewis and Clark expedition.
We then stopped at the Museum of the West in downtown Lander which is still a work in progress, but will be great when completed.
Saturday we took a ride up through Sinks Canyon State Park where you witness the mystery of the Po Po Agie River disappearing into the side of the mountain and reappearing one quarter of a mile down the mountain two and one quarter hours later.(checked with dye)
From there we traveled on up the canyon and over the top of the mountain which was dotted with numerous lakes and beautiful scenery. This road descends the south side of the mountain onto Wyoming Rt. 28 near South Pass WY. which is a twenty mile wide gap through the Rocky Mountains and is where the Oregon, Mormon and California Trails as well as the Pony Express went through the mountains. It’s pretty interesting to stand on the tracks where thousands of wagons passed on there way west.
We visited Atlantic City so named because it’s located on the Atlantic side of the great divide. From there we traveled west several miles to South Pass City where there are the remains of a gold mine which the state is in the midst of restoring and adding a museum as well as a town restoration.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Cody Wyoming
Thursday July 19th we left Deer Park in Buffalo and traveled across the Big Horns (Rt 16) and made our way to Cody, WY This is a beautiful drive but lot turns and six percent grade for eighteen miles going up and then down but the scenery is worth it. We arrived in Cody and the Ponderosa RV Park About 3:00 PM and got settled in.
This is a very nice park and is close to all the downtown attractions.
Friday we took a ride north up the Chief Joseph Highway and up over the Beartooth Pass
(10,947’) where we saw lots of snow and more breath taking scenery. This is some of the best scenery since Alaska. We went on north to Red Lodge, MT where we had lunch and browsed a couple of shops. We then returned to Cody by the same route and took in the views from the other direction.
Saturday we went to the Buffalo Bill Historical Museum. This complex has five separate museums under one roof (Buffalo Bill, Natural History, Plains Indians, Western Art and the Cody Firearms Museum.) We were here four years ago and this visit was just as interesting as the first time. After dinner we went to the Cody Rodeo.
Sunday we returned to the Buffalo Bill Museum and finished what we didn’t see on Saturday. Later we went to the Proud Cut Saloon and had dinner. We then walked down to the Irma Hotel (Built by Buffalo Bill and named for his daughter) and sat and listened to a country band perform.
This is a very nice park and is close to all the downtown attractions.
Friday we took a ride north up the Chief Joseph Highway and up over the Beartooth Pass
(10,947’) where we saw lots of snow and more breath taking scenery. This is some of the best scenery since Alaska. We went on north to Red Lodge, MT where we had lunch and browsed a couple of shops. We then returned to Cody by the same route and took in the views from the other direction.
Saturday we went to the Buffalo Bill Historical Museum. This complex has five separate museums under one roof (Buffalo Bill, Natural History, Plains Indians, Western Art and the Cody Firearms Museum.) We were here four years ago and this visit was just as interesting as the first time. After dinner we went to the Cody Rodeo.
Sunday we returned to the Buffalo Bill Museum and finished what we didn’t see on Saturday. Later we went to the Proud Cut Saloon and had dinner. We then walked down to the Irma Hotel (Built by Buffalo Bill and named for his daughter) and sat and listened to a country band perform.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Buffalo, WY and the Bighorn Mtns.
We left Gillette Sunday and traveled west to Buffalo, WY and the Deer Park Campground. We stayed here four years ago when we were passing through.
Monday we took a ride down to Kacee and over to Sussex and took a back road up the old Bozeman Trail which led us back up to Buffalo. This was a beautiful ride with several historical sites along the way and the Bighorn mountains in view off to the west.
We saw numerous deer and antelope along the way. At one point we had to stop and wait for some cowboys to drive a herd of cattle up the road to new pasture.
On Tuesday we took a ride up in the Bighorns with the intention of driving down Crazy Woman Canyon, but after going about half way down we found men working on the road and they said the road would be closed for up to two hours and there were also ranchers driving cattle up the road further down. We decided to turn around and go back the way we came, We then took a ride on up to Powder River Pass which is 9,660 ft. and there is still lots of snow up there.
From there we returned to Buffalo and visited a real nice museum and then stopped at the old Occidental Hotel and had a drink at the same bar as Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill and numerous others drank and stayed while in town.
Monday we took a ride down to Kacee and over to Sussex and took a back road up the old Bozeman Trail which led us back up to Buffalo. This was a beautiful ride with several historical sites along the way and the Bighorn mountains in view off to the west.
We saw numerous deer and antelope along the way. At one point we had to stop and wait for some cowboys to drive a herd of cattle up the road to new pasture.
On Tuesday we took a ride up in the Bighorns with the intention of driving down Crazy Woman Canyon, but after going about half way down we found men working on the road and they said the road would be closed for up to two hours and there were also ranchers driving cattle up the road further down. We decided to turn around and go back the way we came, We then took a ride on up to Powder River Pass which is 9,660 ft. and there is still lots of snow up there.
From there we returned to Buffalo and visited a real nice museum and then stopped at the old Occidental Hotel and had a drink at the same bar as Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill and numerous others drank and stayed while in town.
On Wednesday we went to Fort Fetterman and the Wagon Box Battlefield on the old Bozeman Trail. We then went on to the town of Story, WY which is a neat little town with great General Store Restaurant with most anything you can imagine in it.
From there we went to Big Horn WY and Bradford Brinton Ranch Museum, which is at the foot of the Big Horn mountains with an awesome view of the mountains. The museum is filled with Russel and Remington paintings. The ranch house is still filled with 1920s and 30s furnishings.
We then drove on up to Sheridan and checked out the main street. This is the first time we actually stopped in Sheridan which is really a progressive town with lots of activity on the streets. There Rodeo is to start tomorrow.
From there we went to Big Horn WY and Bradford Brinton Ranch Museum, which is at the foot of the Big Horn mountains with an awesome view of the mountains. The museum is filled with Russel and Remington paintings. The ranch house is still filled with 1920s and 30s furnishings.
We then drove on up to Sheridan and checked out the main street. This is the first time we actually stopped in Sheridan which is really a progressive town with lots of activity on the streets. There Rodeo is to start tomorrow.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Gillette Escapade
We have had a busy week attending seminars, meeting old friends and making new ones.
Sandy and Sharon went to beading classes one day and tatting classes the next.
We went out to eat with our Iowa friends Tuesday night. There was entertainment at the Escapade every night.
On Friday July 4th we went down town and watched the parade and then went to a Hot Dog Feed the town put on. This was free for the public, everyone got two hot dogs, chips and soda. In the evening there was an excellent fireworks display right here at Cam-Plex, so we had a busy day.
Sharon left for PA Saturday at 6:00 am. And we just took it easy and did some cleaning and maintenance. Sunday we will leave here and move on west to Buffalo, WY. where we will settle for a few days and tour with the car from there.
Sandy and Sharon went to beading classes one day and tatting classes the next.
We went out to eat with our Iowa friends Tuesday night. There was entertainment at the Escapade every night.
On Friday July 4th we went down town and watched the parade and then went to a Hot Dog Feed the town put on. This was free for the public, everyone got two hot dogs, chips and soda. In the evening there was an excellent fireworks display right here at Cam-Plex, so we had a busy day.
Sharon left for PA Saturday at 6:00 am. And we just took it easy and did some cleaning and maintenance. Sunday we will leave here and move on west to Buffalo, WY. where we will settle for a few days and tour with the car from there.
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