Cody, WY

Fri (9-2-11): We are here at the Ponderosa Campground (Good SAM) [307-587-9203] for the next 6 nights.

Sat (9-3-11):  Drove to Red Lodge, MT; then thru the Beartooth Hwy up to 11,000 ft; in the 40's; patches of snow! Met and talked to a couple from MT that had a Spyder motorcycle. Came back thru the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. Met our camping neighbors who have a 600-acre ranch in east central MT. Was so interesting hearing how they went to school living in a dorm during high school and going home on the weekends because they were about 35 miles from their school. Now that's different!

Sun (9-4-11):  Buffalo Bill Historical Center today here in Cody, WY.

Wagon Used to Travel West

Poster Advertising Buffalo Bill's Show

How'd you like to have to wear one of these ladies?

Ret Senator Simpson Signing His Book at the Museum

Mon (9-5-11):   Meteetse, WY--BBQ lunch with locals in the Lion's Park, Mini Chuck Wagon Races and RODEO today, which is how they celebrate Labor Day. This is their 99th year celebration. This is a small western town about 30 miles from Cody.  There are about 300 people in the town and from 115 to 130 students in the school, which is K-12.  The high school football team has only 6 players and they use an 80-yd field and have to travel pretty far (over night) to play similar size schools.  Most of their graduating classes go on to college!  Rodeo was fun, except for the hot sun that we sat in on the bleaches--our cowboy hats helped!  Were surprised to see such young kids competing in the rodeo!

Downtown Meteetse, WY

Mini Chuckwagon Races

This Burro Didn't Want to Walk on a Rope!

Meteetse Rodeo Children (Hellrung Photo)

Litte boy about 3 yrs old practicing working with a lasso--he was GOOD!
(Hellrung Photo)

Tue (9-6-11):  Drove into the eastern side of Yellowstone today thru the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway in the Shoshone National Forest and made it up to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. 

Beautiful Bald Eagle Sitting High up in a Dead Tree

Wed (9-7-11): Down day to get wash done, coach cleaning and some Wal Mart shopping as we won't have one again until we leave Jackson Hole, WY!  The guys drove up to the Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center.  Patty made her famous margaritas (3 pitchers full!) and we cooked in tonight.  I think this is only the third time since we left home!  Decided to check out Cassie's as everyone we talked to said we needed to go there for "local color."  Not a great night, but there was a guy singing that sounded just like Wiley Nelson!  Patty and I traded in our husbands for two good looking cowboys.  They sure look good in cowboy hats!  Was disappointed that no one was doing the two step.  Would have loved to have been there on a Saturday night!  Weren't ready to call it a night and headed downtown to the Irma Hotel, which Buffalo Bill Cody built, where a cowboy band was playing out on the porch.  We sat at a picnic table and got to talking with a gentleman from Texas who worked for an oil company who was with friends and going elk hunting in the morning.  Tomorrow is the first day of the season and the elk are in rut, so he was real excited to have gotten the lottery to hunt for the next week.

Our Cowboys for the Night!

Sheridan, WY

Tue (8-30-11): We are camped at the Sheridan/Big Horn Mt KOA [800-562-7621] for the next three nights. There is a Walmart Supercenter here in Sheridan at 1695 Coffeen Avenue.

Wed (8-31-11):  Drove north up I90 from Sheridan into Montana and visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.  Saw a coyote coming across a wheat field.  Shopped in Sheridan in afternoon.

Thu (9-1-11):  We found cooler weather today!  It got down to 45 deg on our travels through the Big Horn Forest today where we got up to almost 10,000 ft heigh.  From Sheridan, we drove the Scenic Byway 14 up to Burgess Junction and stopped at the visitor center there and watched a film about Medicine Wheel.  From here we turned onto 14a and continued west.  We saw a herd of elk up on the mountain crossing a field.  Couldn't believe how many there were all walking in a line.  Estimated that there were about 100 elk!  Stopped at Medicine Wheel and then continued on 14a till it came down toward the Bighorn Basin where the grade was 10%!  Turned around and drove back about 4:00 pm, which was a good time to see alot of elk and moose.  We ran into VERY THICK pea soup on the way back and Larry couldn't drive more than 25 because you couldn't see anything in front of us.  Thankfully it cleared up before we headed down the 8 % grade S-curves coming down the mountain back to Sheridan. Ate at the Wyoming's Rib and Chop House that evening.

Chuck and Larry on our 3-Mile Round Trip Hike

up to Medicine Wheel at just shy of 10,000 ft -

Slow Going for Me with a Head Cold

Patty and I Found Some Snow on Our Hike Up to Medicine Wheel

Marmot - We saw several of them and heard their loud whistles when

they communicated with each other, especially when we came close.

Pika--These little guys were all busy taking big green leaves into their homes

 for the winter, which is right around the corner for them.  Pikas don't

hibernate so they have to store alot of food.  They also steal from

each other during the winter.

Medicine Wheel - This wheel measures approx. 80 ft in diameter, with 28 spokes radiating out from the center, probably constructed between 1,200 and 1,700 A.D.,

and sits above the treeline at 9,642 ft above sea level on Medicine Mt. 

Medicine Wheel Spiritual Offerings

Spearfish, SD

Fri (8-26-11):   Travel day today up to Spearfish, SD.  We are camped at Chris' Camp (Good SAM) [800-350-2239] for the next 4 nights. There is a Walmart Supercenter here at 2825 1st Ave and a Culvers nearby too. After we checked in, we drove over to Sturgis to see what Buffalo Chip looked like after bike week and also went thru the motorcycle museum in town.

Entrance to Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, SD

Then we headed into Deadwood where the action was--it is Kool Deadwood Nites Car Show Weekend in Deadwood, SD.  We ate a buffet dinner of - guess what - crab legs.  Not quite as good as the ones back at the Terrible's Casino in Iowa, but good enough.  Then we walked down the street to where the bands were playing.  The street is closed off to traffic and people had set up their chairs to listen to the bands.  You could buy beer and take it outside and drink it as long as you stayed in the event area. The hit of the night was "The Spinners".  There are still two of the original singers still performing.  Saw a guy dressed in "Crown Royal" pants so had to take a picture.  We (Patty and I) had a great time dancing on the sidewalk to all the old tunes the bands played.  Some folks even sat in the windows on the second floor of the businesses up and down the street.

The Spinners

Crown Royal Pants

Our View of the Stage in Deadwood

View up the Main Street in Deadwood

Sat (8-27-11):   Drove out to see Devil's Tower today with some other stops along the way.  As we drove into WY, we stopped at the Wyoming Visitor Center and picked up some brochures for our sightseeing there.  Wyoming's State Flag has a bison on it.

WY Visitor Center

We noticed that there was a Vore Buffalo Jump just up the road so we decided to stop and take the tour for $5.00 each and we sure are glad that we did!  Today was the perfect day too because the owner of the land was there to give the tour so we got to talk to him about his huge family ranch and hear about his grandfather and grandmother, who had homesteaded the land there.  This jump is a natural sink hole.  Different Plains Indian tribes used it as a bison trap throughout the 1500-1700's.  They have discovered that there are 22 layers of well preserved bones and artifacts. 

Amazingly Preserved Bison Bones at the Vore Buffalo Jump

When we left the buffalo jump, it was time to find a picnic spot for lunch.  We drove into the little town if Aladdin, WY (population 16) and had our lunch across the street from the Aladdin General Store.

Aladdin WY Country Store

Devil's Tower from a Distance

Prairie Dog Town below Devil's Tower

Can You Find Me?

 

Two Women Climbers Almost to the Top

After we left Devil's Tower, we stopped in Sundance for Happy Hour.  Saw the jail where they locked up the Sundance Kid.

Sun (8-28-11):  Drove the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway today and stopped for lunch where we got another Indian Fry Bread.  The picture in the middle of this website looked just like what we had.  This one was even better than the one we had back in the Badlands.

Mon (8-29-11): My Birthday! Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mrs. April SMITH!

 

Checked out the town of Spearfish, SD today.  Few neat shops but not much more.  Decided to try the  Spearfish Chophouse and Whiskey Bar for dinner which we had noticed yesterday as we drove down the Spearfish Scenic Byway, and the food was wonderful. Didn't expect such a wonderful meal out here in this area. Mojitos were to die for and only $3.00!