2017 Trip to the Midwest Part 1

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Day 1 6/4/17:

We left home at 6:30 in the morning and planned to camp at Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky. But we hit rainstorms on and off all day so we decided to save this spot for a later date. Then we got to St. Louis but the traffic and the rain was messy and we thought about staying in St. Charles, on the other side of St. Louis but we kept on going. Finally we found a Hampton Inn ($92) in Columbia, MO where we stayed around 8pm (CT). Then we headed to the Cracker Barrel, which was almost impossible to get to, where we ate dinner. We had traveled through 6 states today: SC, NC, TN, KY, IL, MO.

Day 2 6/5/17:

We headed out at 8am and skipped stopping in Kansas City. We wanted to go to the TWA museum but it was closed on Mondays. Then we were going to the Harley Davidson Factory Tour only to learn that it was closed until August! So, we moved on north towards South Dakota. We stopped in Sioux City, Iowa at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino so we could buy a Hard Rock bottle opener for our collection. Then we stopped in Sioux Falls, SD to see the beautiful waterfalls in the middle of town. We finally decided that we would head toward the Badlands and stop somewhere along the way. When we came to Mitchell, SD around 5:30pm, we remembered stopping at the Corn Palace years ago and decided to stay in town. We stayed at the Coachlight Motel ($55) and ate dinner at the Corona Village ($21). We would go back to both next time we visit.  After dinner we went to the Corn Palace again and then went to WalMart to stock up on some sandwich fixings.

Day 3 6/6/17:

We left Mitchell, SD and headed towards the Badlands. It rained along the way and I was afraid that we wouldn’t get to camp but by the time we got to the Badlands, it was pretty outside. We also crossed into the Mountain Time Zone. We drove to the campground and there was a “Campground Full” sign outside but we asked the young man if he thought anyone was leaving today. He said he had plenty of tent sites so we got on site #34 which was a fabulous site and close to the restroom. It was challenging to put up our new tent because the wind was blowing so hard. In fact, we had to go buy some more stakes at the camp store. Then we had a peanut butter and jelly/honey sandwich for lunch before driving on the loop road. We stopped at 1:30 to hear the Fossil Talk by the ranger. We enjoyed seeing the scenery and then ended up in Wall where the Wall Drug was. We spent time wandering around there and taking photos before going to the Wall Food store and then heading back to the campsite. During the day we saw a bighorn ram, a flock of bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, globe mallow, and deer. We sat and watched the beautiful sunset as we had ate our sandwiches for dinner. The stars didn’t come out until 9:30 when we went to bed.

Day 4 6/7/17:

It was daylight by 4:15 in our tent so I got up. Don got up around 5:30 because it was so bright outside. We sat around and waited for the lodge to open for breakfast at 7am. Then we went to the Minuteman Missile Visitor Center to see if we could get a reservation for a tour but they were sold out for today. But they suggested I call to see if there were any cancellations and I was surprised to find out that they had been sold out for months. Luckily someone cancelled at 7am today for June 20 which is when we will be back so we made the reservation for 1:15 pm. Then we decided to ride the loop road in a different area along a road that goes south towards Interior. It ended up being a dirt road and was interesting. Apparently, it had been an old railroad town and there were old cars and foundations of some buildings. We also saw a sign that said that we were in the area of the plague. When we got back to the campground, we had peanut butter and jelly/honey sandwiches before heading to the visitor center. We watched the movie about the park and then went hiking. We walked the Cliff shelf nature trail which was nice. Then we hiked the “Window” and the “Door”. We went back to our car for drinks and went beyond the “Door” for another mile hike. Today we saw prairie dogs, magpie, western meadowlark, antelope, deer, thistle, blooming cactus, and rabbit. After hiking we had dinner at the lodge and then relaxed at the campsite until bedtime.

Day 5 6/8/17:

We got up early and headed to Devil’s Tower, Wyoming. First we stopped in Rapid City to eat breakfast, get gas, and resupply at Walmart. We got to Devil’s Tower around 11am and the line to get in the entrance station was really long. We were afraid that we weren’t going to be able to get a campsite but we did. We got site A3 which was right across from the bathroom. There were a lot of prairie dogs in the field next to the campground. Then we went to the visitor’s center and hiked the Tower trail around the base of the tower. Along the way we saw a few deer. Then we drove into Hulett and had an early dinner before going back to the campsite. It was interesting to watch all the drama happening. One group had paid for the site and put their tag on the post. Another man and his children came and set up camp on the same site. The campground host came and sorted it out by letting the group set up their tent on his site. It was so nice that we were able to keep the rainfly open all night long and the lovely breeze blew through the tent.

Day 6 6/9/17:

We got up early and left about 6:30am for Deadwood, SD. We found a room at the Gold Country Inn for $99 per night but it wouldn’t be ready until after 1pm. Then we stopped at the welcome center where we found out about the PBR rodeo event in the evening. We had breakfast at the Lee St. Station and we had steak and eggs. After that we did a scenic drive to Lead, Savoy, Spearfish, and Sturgis. Along the way we saw another pronghorn. While in Sturgis we visited an antique store. We returned to Deadwood and checked in our room. After a quick shower, we hopped on the trolley ($1 per person) and took it to the rodeo so we could buy our tickets. After getting tickets, we walked back into town for awhile and when it was time, we hopped on the trolley again back to the rodeo. We got VIP tickets ($29 each) where we had reserved seating, dinner and soda. We got to meet the mayor of Deadwood and he was so warm and welcoming We also met a couple of authors who would be doing a book signing tomorrow. The rodeo was fabulous! Then we took the trolley back to our hotel.

Day 7 6/10/17:

We had breakfast at the Lee St. Station where I got my steak and eggs again. Then we went to the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center and got an hour long surface tour which includes a trip through historic Lead and the surface campus of Sanford Lab, including the Yates hoistroom, which houses the hoists that have been in operation since 1939 and are now used to transport scientists, experiments and equipment underground. After that we went back to our hotel and gathered our stuff to walk around town. We went up to the Tin Lizzie and had the lunch buffet ($6.99/seniors including drink). Then we saw some of the shootouts and shopped in the stores. We walked through the Celebrity Hotel and saw all the celebrity artifacts. We also went to the Midnight Star which is owned by Kevin Costner and saw many of the costumes used in his movies. We had dinner at the Lee St. Station. We went back to the hotel and rested for an hour before going to see the Capture of Jack McCall and then we went to see the show: Trial of Jack McCall.

Things I’ve Learned:

1.     We like to travel on Sundays.

2.     We can travel longer distances on the first day of the trip because we are excited.

3.     Columbia, MO is a nice place to stay.

4.     Just because the “campground full” sign is out, it doesn’t hurt to check with the registration desk.

5.     We enjoyed camping in the Badlands and liked the Agate loop inner circle.

6.     Always have sandwich makings in the car in case you get hungry and aren’t near a restaurant.

7.     Make sure you drink plenty of water even if you aren’t thirsty. The wind and sun can zap the water right out of you!

8.     One night at Devil’s Tower is enough.

9.     It is a beautiful place and we liked camping at Devil’s Tower.

10.  Two nights in Deadwood, SD was just the right amount of time.

11.  We liked to watch bull riding.

12.  I love steak and eggs for breakfast!

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming and Montana– 7/25/11

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We left early this morning and headed towards Kalispell, MT. On the way out of the park we saw elk and buffalo. One buffalo was walking right down the yellow line towards our car! When we saw the elk, we saw a baby elk run out in front of a car and narrowly was missed. We drove 400 miles to Kalispell and got there around 3:30pm. We decided to get our oil changed since we have driven about 5200 miles since the oil change right before we left home. Surprisingly, the Toyota dealership was cheaper than any of the hourly oil change places. After the oil change, we went to Wal-Mart to refill some of Don’s prescriptions and buy some supplies. Since there was a Subway shop there too, we grabbed a couple of subs for dinner. We ate our dinner at the hotel while we did laundry. We feel like we accomplished a lot today and will be ready for a fresh start in the morning. Hopefully the weather will be nice and we will drive on the Going to the Sun road through Glacier NP.

What I Learned Today:

· Early morning is the best time to spot wildlife.

· It pays to call around and price oil changes. I would never have thought that the dealership would be the cheapest.

· It wasn’t hard to transfer prescriptions to the Wal-Mart as I expected.

· I take my own washer and dryer for granted when I’m hope and I really appreciate them when I have to do laundry when traveling.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/24/11

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We had a slow lazy day today. I was pretty sore from my tumble yesterday so we didn’t go any hiking. We walked around the Old Faithful complex and I bought souvenirs. We also watched a movie at the Visitor Center. Then we ate the lunch buffet in the dining room but we didn’t like it. The food only tasted mediocre and the cost was much too high. It cost $13.95 but I didn’t think the food was great at all. After lunch we drove to Madison and then back down to West Thumb. We spent the rest of the evening in lobby people watching.

Tomorrow morning we head towards Kalispell, MT and Glacier National Park.

What I Learned Today:

· The Yellowstone Hot Spot does not move.

· The land above the Hot Spot moves an inch every year which is why there are calderas from Nevada to here.

· The Yellowstone Caldera is the largest active caldera in the world.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/23/11

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It was really cold when we woke up and it has been pretty warm until today so we have left the window open each night. We turned the heat on in the room but it never came on. Later when I asked at the desk about the heat, the girl told me that it won't come on unless it gets below 55F in the room even if I turn up the thermostat to 90! I wish I knew that beforehand and I would have been prepared. Thank goodness we had hot chocolate and oatmeal for breakfast.

Most of the day was spent hiking up to Mount Washburn. We hiked this years ago and I guess I forgot how hard it was. I would recommend this hike to everyone though because it was awesome. We had 360 degree views when we got to the fire tower.

Along the trail we saw a buffalo. Then as we hiked the steep trail, we saw lots of people stopped way ahead. Then we realized that a coyote was heading straight towards us and away from them. I dug out the bear spray and we picked up some rocks in case it got aggressive (before we started this hike we were told to report any aggressive coyotes on the trail) but it decided to get off the trail and go a different way. Further up the trail we saw a yellow bellied marmot and an eagle. Then we came across a huge group of bighorn sheep. As we continued to hike up we found another group. There were lots of little babies and they were playing in the snow. Then on the way down, we saw a lot more sheep in two different places. I guess we saw about 40-50 sheep today and Don had to hold me back from getting any of their wool to knit! Darn!

Of course not too far from the end, I took a tumble on the loose rocks and landed on my knee, hand, and hip. Nothing major was hurt but I’m sure I will be a little sore tomorrow.

For dinner, we decided to eat in the restaurant in the Old Faithful Inn. Both of us chose the prime rib dinner buffet for $25.95 and it was delicious. First we started with the red pepper gouda soup that was so tasty. There was a Caesar salad, twice baked potatoes, wild rice, green beans almandine, and stuffed mushrooms to go with the prime rib which melted in your mouth. I’m glad we decided to do this tonight.

What I Learned Today:

· I’m not as young as I used to be and that hiking up a mountain that I did ten years ago is much different now.

· Wild animals are not as afraid of people as we think. I guess the sheep are desensitized to tourists by now because we were able to walk on the trail to get by them and they didn’t run away.

· There is still a lot of snow in the higher elevations than I expected.

· As I get older, I need to be more careful walking down the mountains on loose rock.

· The views from the top of the mountain is something that is magical.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/22/11

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Today was an absolutely beautiful day! I woke up feeling so much better and everything we did was wonderful. After breakfast in our room (oatmeal and fruit and hot chocolate), we headed towards the Mammoth Hot Springs area. I was a little disappointed in the terraces because it is not how I remembered it. The last time we were here, they were glistening terraces of white, gold, and oranges but today they were white and gray. They seemed dead and inactive. After seeing this, I wondered if someday, Old Faithful might end up in the same condition and that we need to appreciate it while it is still erupting on a predictable schedule.

Then we ended up in Gardiner, MT for lunch at the Corral Drive In. Our hamburger baskets and 2 drinks cost $24 and the burgers were huge. Later we wished we had just gotten a $5 sub from Subway which would have satisfied us just as well. On the way back, we saw the Boiling River where we wanted to swim (the glacial waters join the hot springs water in the river) but it was closed because the water was too high. So, we headed towards the Tower area and saw the Tower falls (the end of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone).

When we returned to the hotel, we sat out in the lobby and enjoyed the action all around us. For dinner, we had triscuits and cheese in our room.

Today we saw black bear, buffalo, elk, ground squirrels, and a grizzly bear!

What I Learned Today:

· Change happens whether we want it or not.

· Change can happen in our lifetime even if we don’t expect it.

· Some slow drivers are just inconsiderate and won’t pull off to the side so others can pass, even if there are signs reminding them to do so.

· Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service in 1916.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/21/11

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It was cold again this morning but pleasant. I woke up with a sore throat and a headache so we didn’t get much hiking done today. Instead we drove to Jackson, WY (2 hour drive from Old Faithful) and did some shopping as well as getting gas. It was 50 cents cheaper there than in the park. After lunch we drove to Jenny Lake and the loop road. On the way back to Old Faithful we stopped often to take pictures. We got back around 6pm.
What I Learned Today:

• The National Elk Refuge is outside of Jackson.
• Elk shed their antlers each season.
• The Indian Arts Museum at Colter Bay was exceptional.
• Ulysses S. Grant was the president who made Yellowstone a national park. I thought it was Roosevelt but he was only 14 at the time.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).
Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/20/11

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It was nice and chilly this morning (43F when I got up but I heard it got down to 38F). We got up early and went to meet a ranger for a hike this morning. When we got there we found out that the original hike was changed due to bear activity in the area (this is where the hiker was killed a few weeks ago). We had a delightful hike and saw the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls. I didn’t find out until later from friends that three people fell over these falls yesterday!

After the hike, we drove around and did some hiking to geysers and sightseeing spots. In the late afternoon we hiked to an observation point and both of us heard what we thought was a mountain lion growl. Needless to say, we continued on the trail quickly until we got to a safe area!

In the evening, we sat in the lobby of Old Faithful Inn and listened to the piano player. A fire was started and it was cozy way to spend the evening.

What I Learned Today:

· The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is 20 miles long.

· The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone only took thousands of years to form while the Grand Canyon took millions of years.

· The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is anywhere from 1500 – 4000 feet wide.

· It is a shame that people don’t follow rules like “stay behind the guard rails” and lose their lives by being swept over waterfalls.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/19/11

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We decided to eat breakfast in our room since the cost of food in the park is so outrageous. Using the coffee maker to boil water, we fixed our instant oatmeal (adding walnuts and fruit) and hot chocolate which filled us up. Then we headed for the Mystic Falls hike with the ranger.

We started out first thing seeing a snake! Then we hiked to the falls and then the ranger turned back but encouraged us to continue up the mountain to the overlook. It was pretty steep but well worth the view. By the time we got back to our car, it was lunch time. We drove to West Yellowstone, MT out of the west entrance to the park (14 miles from Madison) where we ate lunch, found a supermarket to refill some supplies and filled up with gas for 3.89 a gallon (it was 3.99 a gallon in the park.)

After lunch we headed up to Norris and did some hiking around the geysers and waterfalls. About 5pm it started to rain so we headed back to Old Faithful in time to get settled and then attend the ranger program on Yellowstone Art.

What I Learned Today:

· There are no poisonous snakes in Yellowstone.
· There are 900 geysers in the world and 500 of them are in Yellowstone.
· A 10 year old fell into one of the geysers and died one year.
· Big birds build their nests in the top of old snags.
· Mosquitoes are bad in Yellowstone this time of year.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/18/11

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We got up early and decided to have breakfast at the Geyser Grille only to find out that they didn’t open until 8 and it was 7am. So we decided to have a breakfast at a picnic table. Then we found out the mosquitoes were in full force and had to gulp down our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and run for the car.

At 9am, we met Ranger Anna for a hike around Harlequin Lake. It was a fun hike. We saw a pair of osprey and their nest, a bald eagle, a red winged blackbird, a loon, a cormorant, and ground squirrels. I found out that Ranger Anna and her daughter (an indie dyer) are on Ravelry. I was so thrilled to find more friends that are into yarn (and of course my hubby just rolls his eyes!)

After the hike we had a nice picnic lunch where there were no mosquitoes. Then we stopped along the ride back to walk around scenic geysers. At 4pm, we decided to do another hike around geysers in the Old Faithful area before joining a ranger on a hike at 5:30. We hiked on our own about 7pm to the Morning Glory geyser and then back to our hotel. We were too exhausted to even go find some dinner. We walked too many miles to count today and I hope we can get out of bed tomorrow!

Tomorrow we plan to do the Mystic Falls hike with the ranger and then do some more geyser hiking. That is, if we can still walk.

What I Learned Today:
· Rain that doesn’t reach the ground is called Verga
· Ospreys have a dihedral wing pattern which looks like they have elbows.
· Beavers come out at dusk and dawn.
· Blue dragonflies are called Bluets.
· Old Faithful is not the largest geyser.
· A geyser is predictable only if it has its own water source.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/17/11

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We left Cody and headed for Yellowstone this morning. First we stopped at the Buffalo Bill Dam which was awesome. A shuttle took us to the visitor center that had been blocked off to cars since 9/11. We were amazed how much water was being dropped from the dam.

After the dam, we drove to the park. It seemed like a long ride, maybe because we didn’t get much sleep last night. Don had bad leg cramps and I was miserably hot and too lazy to get up to turn on the air condition.

We arrived at the Old Faithful Inn and checked in. Our room was very nice but a little over priced at $170 per night. There is a bed that they claim is a Queen size but it seems like a Full size bed to us. There is no TV but it does have a private bath.

We saw Old Faithful erupt about 3 times while we checked out all the lodges, restaurants, and the visitor center. We checked out the ice cream shops at all 3 places in this area but the lines were ridiculous! They need to add more ice cream shops. We walked the geyser loop trail and it was pretty. After dinner we went to the ranger evening program. Then we sat outside on the upper porch to watch Old Faithful erupt one last time.

What I Learned Today:

· The colors of the mud pots are caused by iron sulfites, iron sulfates, and iron oxides.

· There are about 100 wolves in the park.

· The park was not as crowded as we expected.

· There are plenty of eating establishments available.

· There are plenty of ranger led activities each day all over the park.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Steam by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/16/11

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Another day in Cody paradise!! Marci and her Boxer, Benny, picked us up around 10:30 and headed on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to the Top of the World (on the road to Red Lodge). There were tons of motorcycles but there were plenty of places to pull over and get great photos. There were magnificent views that are impossible to describe. After that we headed to Cooke City for lunch but it was too crowded to find a spot. So, we went on to Silver Gate and had lunch at the Log Cabin Café. After lunch we drove to Yellowstone Park to Lamar Valley. On the way we saw two black bear cubs and tons of buffalo. Two buffalo walked the middle of the road on the yellow line and headed right to our car! But they went around us without any harm to them or us. Then we went to Marci’s cabin on the river and it was beautiful. There also was a sweathouse that looked wonderful to use and was right on the river. We headed back to Cody and dropped Benny off at home with Mitch (and his brother and nephews) before heading to the Silver Dollar Bar for dinner and drinks. It truly was a wonderful day!

What I Learned Today:

· Snow with pink on top is caused by lichens.

· There are lots of buffalo in Yellowstone.

· Marci’s sweathouse is a sauna right on the river.

· Buffalo like to scratch against cars.

· There is still snow in the Beartooth Mountains.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Snow by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/15/11

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We had a glorious day in Cody, WY! We went to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center which consists of 5 different museums (admission $18 per person). It was a wonderful place and well worth the money. We went to a Bird of Prey presentation first and learned about birds of prey. Then we went through the Museum of Natural History. There was also a Firearms Museum with the best collection of firearms I have ever seen. There were about 2000 firearms displayed upstairs and another 1200 downstairs. When I asked one of the docents when the collection started, he said in 1916 and only half of them were displayed. We left to eat lunch and then returned to see the rest of the museum. We saw another presentation about Annie Oakly.

After the museum we went to the Sierra Outfitters Outlet store and Walmart. By then it was time to eat dinner and see the shootout at the Irma that happens nightly. After the shootout, we went to the nightly rodeo and had a wonderful time!

What I Learned Today:

· Golden Eagles can see a rabbit move from 2 miles away.

· Some vultures are not birds of prey.

· Birds of Prey have beaks that serve as their fork, knife, and spoon.

· Owls have feathers made in a way that makes their flight silent.

· Birds of Prey catch the food with their feet.

· Bulls can jump fences. (That was exciting to see!)

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Steam by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/14/11

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We left Thermopolis this morning and drove to Cody, WY which took about 2 hours. We checked with the Irma Hotel to see if they had a room for us because we were a day early and they did. But tomorrow we will need to move to the room we will have for the next 2 days. Then we walked around town and ended up at La Comida for lunch. After that we went back to the Irma to check in because they don’t allow check ins before 3pm. Then we went to the Silver Dollar Bar which is historic and we met a nice couple originally from Canada but were fulltime RVers now. At 6pm, Marci picked us up for dinner and took us to Cassie’s where her husband Mitch met us after work. The prime rib practically melted in our mouths! After dinner we drove around the town and saw how beautiful the area was. We saw deer and rabbits along the roads right into town. On Saturday we will spend the day at their cabin in the Beartooth Mountains.

What I Learned Today:

· Cody is a bigger town than Thermopolis.

· The Irma Hotel is on the national register of historic places and every evening the have a “gunfight” show in the street.

· Buffalo Bill built the Irma Hotel.

· Cassie’s was originally a house of ill repute in the days of Buffalo Bill.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Steam by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/13/11

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We had another lazy day today in Thermopolis. We went to Hot Springs State Park and walked to the swinging bridge and some of the springs. Then we went back to the hot mineral pools at the Fountain of Youth RV Park and spent most of the morning there. Don spent most of the time in the water while I dipped in and out. We met a family who was originally from Paris and now living in Ohio but were on vacation. They are heading to Yellowstone too so we might cross paths again. After lunch at Butch’s in Kirby, we decided to go find a Laundromat and do some laundry. Then we drove around some more until we were tired. We tried to visit Lucy’s Sheep Camp so I could check out the fiber but it was closed.

What I Learned Today:

· I still remember some of my high school and college French when I practiced it on this French family.

· All mustards are not created equal. The one my hubby uses has no calories and the one at lunch had 45 calories.

· I am so thankful that I have my own washer and dryer at home.

· It is more fun to do laundry when you have company.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Steam by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/12/11

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We had a lazy day today in Thermopolis. First we went to Hot Springs State Park and went into the hot mineral pool for 20 minutes (We were only allowed 20 minutes). Then we went to the pool at the RV Park which is owned by our hotel (Fountain of Youth). I wondered if we would come out looking younger like in the movie Cocoon. We spent the rest of the morning there and met a nice couple to talk to which was interesting. After lunch at McDonalds we drove through Wind River Canyon which was absolutely beautiful and ended up in Shoshoni, WY. Then we turned around and came back to Thermopolis.

What I Learned Today:

· People believe in the healing properties of the mineral springs.

· The sulfur in the water made it smell stinky even if it felt good.

· The actual spring water can be up to 130F.

· Canyons are beautiful to drive through.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).
Original Photo: Fountain of Youth by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/11/11

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Don had terrible leg cramps all night long and I was up at 5am so we didn’t get much sleep last night. When I got out of the tent, I was surprised to see so many photographers with tripods taking pictures of the Devils Tower. The clouds were heavy over us and it rained a little during the night but they moved on and the sky got clearer by the time Don woke up. We packed up the tent and headed toward Thermopolis. We stopped at Donna’s Diner in Gilette for breakfast and a couple in a van next to us asked us about our Prius. The server was so friendly and we enjoyed talking to her! Then local people came up to Don and asked him about our Prius! The drive over the mountains was beautiful and we saw mountains with snow on them again. We arrived at some road construction and had to sit there for about 15 minutes so we talked to the man holding the stop sign about things to do in Thermopolis and places to eat. When we arrived in Thermopolis we ate lunch at the A&W diner/bowling alley (the last one left in the whole USA) where you called in your order on a phone located at the table. When your food is ready, they bring it out to you and you pay just like the old car hops did.

Then we drove around and explored. We went to Hot Springs State Park where the hot mineral springs are. We also drove to the buffalo pasture and saw the buffalo. It was very scenic. After dinner at our hotel, we called it an early night since we didn’t get much sleep last night.

What I Learned Today:

· Road construction workers are like tourist info centers and usually enjoy giving advice about a local area.

· Mom and Pop hotels can be cheaper and have better service than some of the chain hotels (the water pressure is great here! We also have a microwave, refrigerator, HDTV, and free wifi, with our king size bed for only $60.

· We have some awesome scenery in the USA!

· The mineral springs in Thermopolis is supposed to have some healing powers. (We shall see…)

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).
Original Photo: Hot Springs State Park by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/10/11

For more pictures, click HERE.

We drove about 6 hours today to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. The movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind was filmed here. It was amazing how big this huge geologic feature was! First we set up our tent at our campsite and then we hiked around the base of the tower. It was interesting how different it looked from different sides. While we hiked, we looked up and saw about 8 people rock climbing up the tower. I don’t think I have the strength, or the desire to do something like that.

After hiking, we went into Hulett for dinner at the Ponderosa and the meal was quite good. On the way back to the tower, we stopped and had an ice cream cone and bought some souvenirs. Then we returned to the tower to take lots more pictures! We saw the prairie dogs and it reminded me of the Whack-a-Mole game! Two were rubbing noses and I started singing Muskrat Love and got the giggles. At 9pm there was a ranger talk about porcupines which was interesting too.

What I Learned Today:

· The Devil’s Tower is more impressive in person than it is in pictures.

· The trees dropping all these white cottony stuff is cottonwood trees.

· There are rattlesnakes around Devil’s Tower (we saw one!)

· Watching prairie dogs is like watching the Whack-a-Mole game.

· Porcupines live in trees and their babies are born with quills which don’t get hard until they encounter air for a few days.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Devils Tower by Pat Hensley