Wyoming was the next adventure on our journey, and it covered both the good and the bad - the ugly seemed to be away on vacation. We started out with a dramatic welcome, when a deer ran into the side of Peachy. I pulled over to collect my wits and check out the damage, and not only was there no mark on Peachy, but the deer had run off, and was nowhere to be seen. All's well that ends well?
The scenery in Wyoming covers the spectrum from piny mountains to flat prairie, to maroon and cream buttes. There were green verges along rivers, wildflowers here and there, and, of course, that amazing sky with clouds that enhance everything. One of the most striking features of this scenery is the towering basalt formation known as "Devil's Tower", also called by some Indian tribes, "Bear Lodge". I was fortunate to have caught the morning light on it, but during most of the day it is dark gray, a distinct contrast to the surrounding red rocks. It did look otherworldly enough to be the landing spot for beings from outer space. (ET anyone?)
Bear LodgeNext stop, Cheyenne, a look through the Cheyenne Frontier Days Museum, and the very nice botanical garden (I drove in the wrong entrance, and ended up at the gate to the governor's mansion, but extricated us both before we could be hauled off for trespassing). The museum was the appointed meeting place where I met my host, a real rancher and cowman. It was a good thing he could lead us to the ranch, because the GPS was no help this time.
When I heard there was to be a "selling" (we would call it a roundup) while I was there, I asked if I could come along, and after some thought, the answer was,"yes". I ended up driving the pickup truck with the horse trailer (empty) for a couple of miles, and ended up in disgrace stalling it out on a small hill. There were three men guiding the cattle on horseback, and four on ATVs, and the pace was relaxed - not the mad rush you might see in films. Once in the corrals, plastic rattles were used to move the 350 steers who were loaded into seven trucks. In the olden days electric cattle prods were used, but PETA objected, and the guys said that the rattles worked just fine. At this point there were about ten men guiding the animals, and the state brand inspector checking for the correct markings on the left shoulder or flank. Afterwards, coffee, dough nuts, and good-humored kidding about the "tenderfoot's" driving ability.
On to Laramie and the art museum at the university there - showing an exhibit of photos of the nearby Red Desert, and a series of remarkable photographs of Antarctica. Talk about juxtaposition! From Laramie we drove west on the infamous Route 80, which has a reputation for strong winds. Right. That had to be the most strenuous driving I have ever done, but it was relieved in the middle by a stop in Saratoga Springs, several dips in The Hobo Pool, and a night camping beside Lake Saratoga in the company of squadrons of ducks.
Saratoga Hot SpringsAfter passing the huge open pit mine in Butte, an ecological horror, we struggled some more with the wind, finally stopping for the night in a commercial campground with too many bright lights (all night long), and trucks rumbling by on the nearby highway. It was cold. The rain turned to sleet, and I, once again, went out for a hot breakfast, this time at "Cruel Jack's".
From this point the weather cleared, and we enjoyed a beautiful visit at Fossil Butte. This National Park, in the southwest corner of the state, was one of the high points of the trip. The Visitor Center has a remarkable display of fossils, including a massive sheet of limestone sliced out out of the butte and mounted on the wall, and containing more than 350 really clear fish fossils. Then I hiked the Fossil Lake Trail, and the peace I felt sitting at the top of the trail, with the tremendous sky overhead, was memorable.
This is the View from Fossile Butte with Peach at the foot of the Hill
Minerva Terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National ParkShalom.
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