On the road again

The end of June we went to Buford, WY just to see it before it gets all changed and modernized by the new owners.  Stopped at a few historical spots on the way.  Saw where there was an ice slough where emigrants could still chop ice for their coolers along the way on their Oregon, California, or wherever they were going treks.  Then we stopped at the paint mines near Rawlins where they mined hematite which was used for painting.  Saw the Lincoln Memorial which is now at a rest area on I-80 at the highest point on the Lincoln Highway.  Stopped at the Tree in the Rock which is also on I-80.  The tree was growing out of a rock out in the middle of nowhere, so the trainmen used to water it.  When the highway went in, they went around the tree.  Now it has a historical marker and quite a pull out area for viewing.  Also went into a campground where the Vedauwoo rock formation is located.  Lots of interesting old rocks there.  Didn't have time to really explore that area so will have to go back there for another trip sometime.  Stopped at Muddy Gap.  Also took some pics of the Split Rock down in that area somewhere.  It was an emigrant and Pony Express landmark.  Think there was a stage stop somewhere by it.

Went to Yellowstone on the Fourth of July.  Saw 4 big bull elk at different places and some cow elk on the lawn at Mammoth.  There were several buffalo in various spots, but none on the road, consequently no "Buffalo jambs".  In fact traffic on the roads was nice.  However, if you pulled off into any of the attraction spots it was congested.  Even saw an antelope.  Don't usually see them in the Park, they are lower down.

July 28th I went on a Dendrochronology tour to the Double D, up WoodRiver on the way to Kirwin.  Gma didn't go on that one.  I had never been into the Double D before, just went by it on the way to Kirwin, so it was fun to see just what all was in there. Jim Dunrud was with us so he explained a lot about what some of the cabins were.

Aug 7th Gma and I went to the Ayers Natural Bridge which is down near Douglas.  That is really a pretty spot.  Nice place for future picnics or something.  We had lunch in Glenrock.  Then stopped at a historical marker which explained how the town got its name.  There is a couple of big white sandstone rocks out in the glen.  Fremont went through there and camped, then emigrants camped there on their treks and wrote their names on the rock.  I didn't walk out to the rock as it was quite a way from the parking spot and Gma would have to sit in the car and wait for me.  Wasn't a whole lot of shade, but some, and it was hot (in the 90s).  Will have to do that one on another trip sometime.

Aug 14th we went to Red Lodge, over the Beartooths and back through Sunlight Basin.  Was quite smokey when we left, but we got out of it around Clark.  Montana was clear and it was nice all the way over the mountain.  Didn't get back into the smoke until near the Dead Indian pull out spot.  Thought maybe we'd drive up the North Fork a way to have our picnic lunch since we got back so early.  By the time we got to Cody the smoke was worse.  Could smell it in the air and visibility wasn't all that far.  So we decided to just go on home and eat our picnic in the house at the kitchen table.  No smoke, no wind, no ants, and it was cool, too.

3/4 Century

What an awesome party!  I thoroughly enjoyed it all. 

Some of my kids arrived on Thursday afternoon so they could be ready to got to Kirwin Friday morning.  That was a good idea and off went the guys bright and early around 9:00 am.  So the girls all climbed the hill.  I had time to briefly take in another birthday breakfast party at Lucille's for a friend.  Didn't have time to have breakfast with them, but I did take a few pics and wished her well.

Some of the kids went to Cody to do last minute shopping for the Saturday shindig.  Other people arrived that day, so we were all busy.  Friday evening those that were here and wanted to partake went to the Cowboy for supper.  That was fun.  Got in quite a bit of visiting and relatives meeting other relatives. The Museum sponsored a lady singer, Gypsy V, so some listened to her perform after dinner.  Later that evening we closed up the Cowboy.

Saturday morning Bonnie was set up for her book signing at the Visitor Center.  That went well and all of her books at Little Big Man were sold, as well as the ones the Museum had. 

The open house for me was at Lucille's Ferret Den from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.  There were lots of people in those two hours.  Lots of visiting.  My classmate from Phoenix came with her sister from Billings (the year behind us), also had three of my sister's classmates come to visit.  That was impressive.  There were over 100 people there. 

The National Day of the American Cowboy was also that weekend and the Oasis had a free barbecue and dancing to Cooper and the Crowd Thinners.  So all the relatives went to that.  It was good of the cowboys to let me celebrate with them even if they didn't know about it.  Then we closed up the Cowboy Bar again.

Sunday a few of us went to Church, then had a picnic lunch for all the relatives and far out of towners at noon at the Oasis.  More good visiting. Most of the relatives left that afternoon. My kids went looking for fossils on the hill, and the little girls got to pet the horses and mules again.  Had supper at the ElkHorn and  later we closed up the Cowboy Bar that night too. 

It will be another 25 years before we do all this again, unless, of course, someone else decides to have a celebration.  There are three 50 year birthdays coming up all within 6 months of each other.

I have gotten several comments on how much the Mtse businesses like our relatives.  They (my relatives) were very nice and friendly and spent money all over town, so the merchants appreciate them and appreciate their business.