Month 4

  In our forth month we traveled another 1061 miles in Maggie. Several hundred more in the jeep. Than makes a total in Maggie of 5752 miles so far. We spent the month of August in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Visited 3 National Parks, two National Monument, and one super fund site for good measure. Seen some beautiful country and varied terrain.

 We gained another hitch hiker in August. Meet Alvin and the boys.

 Might need to get a bigger RV at this rate. Bill the Bison nearly got aboard as well but was left behind.

LINK TO TRAVEL MAP

 How about that states visited map?


 We will stay here till next Friday, unless we get a wild hair and decide to move on. In case you are curious from here we head south to Cheyenne then Colorado Springs Colorado. A definite sign we are heading homeward.

 Many, many things we want to see in the Black Hills/Rapid City area. Will probably learn of additional things along the way. None of these sites are together, most separated by 40 miles or so. May have to check back with us to see what we have done or are doing.


believe we are out of huckleberry territory, Mary will be sad


carpe diem

Devils Tower

Our first National Monument. A picture is worth a thousand words or so. I will shut up and let this magical, ONE of a kind mountain speak to you.

shot in morning light

 On to South Dakota and the Badlands...


gathering sacred rosebuds at base of bear claw mountain

Little Bighorn

 No story may be celebrated or retold than the battle at Little Bighorn. Unfortunately the story told is often wrong. Custer was celebrated as a soldier during the Civil War. So were many other men. He played the political game in Washington and therefore gained more notoriety.

 When it comes to Indian fighters, his record pales in comparison to others. Do a little research om Ranald McKenzie and his record against the Comanche's. The Comanche's were perhaps the greatest horseback fighting force ever seen.

 At any rate we celebrate Custer's blunder. I come down on the side of the native American Indians who were screwed over repeatedly by the white man. The battlefield is far bigger than I thought, and involves many smaller battles.

where he fell, reburied at West Point

Indian memorial to their fallen

headstone of fallen soldier, Last Stand Hill in background

 Tomorrow we say a final goodbye, for now, to Montana. A land of wide open spaces. It comes by it's nickname rightfully, Big Sky country



gathering huckleberry products for Mary

A sobering but informative visit

Sometimes in traveling you run across things you had not planned on. So it was today. Mary had seen a mention of this place somewhere here so we went in search of it.

  When you pursue historical sites like we do sometimes they represent our finest hours. Sometimes it is our darkest hours. We found this to be true during our visit to Selma and Montgomery Alabama. We have now found it to be true north of Cody Wyoming. Two very different places yet they share a common theme. I will let you figure out the theme.

 You have known that this and other places existed if you were awake during history class. A visit here forces you to look at it thru some one else's eyes.

First a LINK to their website for more information.

 Next a few photos of some scenes form the location

 Tomorrow we move on from Cody Wyoming. Once again I do this to view an historical site. Will probably visit said site on Tuesday after which I will tell you about it plus an extra fact or two


"...gather ye rosebuds while ye may..."

A fun day

 As promised we returned to the Buffalo Bill center to complete our tour. To put it into perspective I am sure you have seen dioramas in museums. How about one that is at least two stories high and includes video and audio? You really should visit here.

 We then had dinner at some place a little different. The Cody cattle company provided a good meal and lively entertainment. We had not done this type of thing in a very long time. Well we were in the spirit so what better way to finish off the evening than a rodeo. It was a lot of fun with mostly young people involved, but some pretty rank bulls as well. We really enjoyed the evening. My pictures stunk but maybe Mary has some I can share later.

 In a previous post I mentioned our drinks and conversation with Dave and Diane from Austin. I know you are concerned about the riff raff we associate with so I though I would introduce Dave. They had to leave Yellowstone early as the nearly 8000ft altitude was  causing their dog problems. We have been exchanging texts and they are home and the dog is at the vet. Hope it works out for the little dog.

  Shops on main street, BIG quilt store are todays targets. Gee, i hope I can find benches to sit at along the way.


collecting cowboy capital rosebuds...

Buffalo Bill Center of the West

 Wow is all i can say. Cody is a small town, probably best known as gateway to east entrance to Yellowstone. This museum, actually 5 museums is world class. It would be a draw no matter where it was located

Center of the West

 You owe it to yourself to visit

Travel Map

 I have been posting a link to a travel map for some time. Has the link been working for you? I would like to know. Sent link to maps to friend and he could not access. Contact me and let me know if it has worked or not.


 Tickets to the center allow you to visit for two days. We will be going back tomorrow to finish seeing the exhibits. A LOT to see/read and take in.

 More to come from the BigHorn basin

Geysers, hot springs, mudpots and fumarole

 Thermal features one and all. I of course knew about Old Faithful but did not know how many other features there are. I believe the number is in the thousands.

 While very hot, most are not boiling. What appears to be boiling is various gases bubbling to the surface.

 We have moved to Cody Wyoming, home to museums and rodeos. We plan to enjoy both and much more i am sure.




back to gathering rosebuds....

You can't roller skate in a buffalo herd...

Thank you Roger Miller for those words, In Yellowstone Man is not on top of the food chain, the grizzly is. In Yellowstone Man is not even master of the roads, the Bison are. Time waits for no man, but man waits for the bison as they move at their own pace.

Magnificent creatures

Coincidences: remember me telling you about Dave and Diane of blog fame? Well we met and shared drinks and conversation last night with Dave and Diane. No, not of blog fame. They are from Austin and Dave is a orthopedic surgeon. Nice folks.


gathering buffalo chips instead of rosebuds...

Critters and Falls

Poor internet connection but trying to entertain you. Enjoying our visit very much

remember Alvin from Oregon? His cousin Vinnie

 more to come




carpe diem

Yellowstone

 If you have not been here forget what you have seen on TV. It is more diverse, more surprising, more different than what a TV can show. Today we covered a hundred miles through very different terrain at every turn. The ecosystem is diverse. Nothing like driving around inside the caldera of a super volcano. maybe it will blow again, maybe not. It is venting a lot of steam and pressure right now so maybe that will keep the lid on.

 Magical place

Canary spring, Mammoth hot springs

Tower falls

thermal hot spring...

...that is on shore of Lake Yellowstone

steam from mud volcano

 Did you know Yellowstone was home to many lakes? Largest of which is Lake Yellowstone, 400ft deep covering 135 sq miles. Just one of many factoids I was unaware of.


more to come...

Yellowstone Thermal area part 1

 On Monday August 13 we made the short drive north from Teton into Yellowstone. We spent the day in the Old Faithful area. It is one of about 150 geysers in the park. Not the biggest but the most predictable and most famous.

  It is as you have seen probably on tv. Amazing in its diversity. That short day, coupled with our real arrival on the 16th has impressed us.

south entrance

we had front row seats

about 190 degrees. care for a dip?

boiling water next to cold stream

Old Faithful Inn. Glad they saved it during 1988 fire

 You may remember the massive fires of 1988. Mother nature at work cleaning house. Lodgepole pine, the predominate tree, needs fire to reproduce. It is like the giant Sequoia in that it takes heat from fire to open the cones and release seeds. Speaking of the lodge pole pine, it is one of the few trees that can withstand the harsh conditions here.

 We have cell service at our campground surprisingly. Like has happened before on this trip data only works very early in the morning. Lucky you I rise early so will try and post some photos daily.


 gathering rosebuds in our first national park