Author: Leighton and Donna

The Tetons are beautiful. There is a 20 mile drive  through the Tetons NP to the Jackson Lake Lodge. We left the house at 7am and arrived home at 7pm. We did manage to do it twice. I think Jenny Lake was majestic. Beautiful place to hike. We hiked some but will return tomorrow. We traveled every open side road and Leighton finally got a bear. Late afternoon he decided he needed a run. We were on a dirt road with nothing around except a few hills so Leighton ran while I followed along behind with the bear spray. He enjoyed his 7000 foot run. We drove up Signal Mountain today. The view was a bit different from home. Leighton’s is hoping to be back at Jenny Lake by sunrise tomorrow. Good luck to that!

Moon over the Tetons.

Sunrise.

Hawk.

Same guy playing hide and seek.

Early morning balloon ride for someone.

Breakfast grass.

The singing elk.

Another Unita squirrel.

Jenny lake view.

Jenny lake view 2.

Marmot out on a limb.

Sunning in the crook of a tree.

Stuck in a hole.

Lady elk.

Chipmunk.

Distant bull moose.

Bull moose view 2.

Grizzly.

Having some grass.

Wolf at dusk – sorry for the poor quality.

Today was for the most part a very lazy day. We go all out for days in a row and then crash. This morning we drove into Jackson Hole for breakfast, went to the Wild West festival. The parade was fantastic. After finding a grocery store we returned to the cabin and crashed. Even though we napped the afternoon away I think it will be an early night.

Early morning views from around our house.

Parade Marshal.

The community band.

Rodeo Ladies.

Mountain man.

Indian girls.

More indian girls.

Cowboy.

Not sure what they were but they kept taking cell phone pictures.

Old crow?

Town folk.

Old blue eyes.

Wagon train.

They threw in some old cars.

I believe this was a wolf scout.

Black hat so I suppose he is a bad guy.

Bubbles.

Pack mules.

They included a snow blower.

This is the smartest thing I have seen at the end of a parade.

Leighton is especially fond of Christmas. Each Christmas he gets his excitement and anticipation look. You can tell it is joy in it’s purest form. Well today looked like Christmas, Leighton was ecstatic. We left Cody and drove to Yellowstone. Our first stop was at the dam on the Shoshone river. This was the dam that was the model for Hoover dam and until 1910 was the tallest in the world. Yellowstone was incredible even though it was snowing.  We enjoyed the drive and the snow. Leighton got some great pictures. We watched a herd of bighorns go up a cliff. They showered the road with stones. It was so fascinating to watch. We saw one bear but I wasn’t quick enough on the brakes. We arrived at our cabin in the Tetons late afternoon and it is a hit. I can’t even describe how beautiful it is here. We stepped out of the car and immediately a fox sauntered by within two feet of us. Leighton had just gotten out of the car and was on the phone with Michael. Mid conversation the phone went down and the camera up. Mr Fox didn’t care about us at all. We went into Jackson Hole for dinner and had our first elk. It was great. We could not ask for more. Wish you were all here to enjoy this place with us.

On the way to Yellowstone we encountered some interesting landscapes.

We stopped at the Buffalo Bill dam so below is the view of the dam outflow.

We came across a band of bighorn sheep on a very steep hill.  

Trying to decide which way to go.

As we entered Yellowstone we saw a bison on his way out.

As we drove along we noticed some steam rising over a small hill, so I went up to investigate and found two hot pools.  No I didn’t put my finger in them.

It started snowing and we saw a bison with an itch he was trying to scratch.

The snow was starting to stick to the tree branches making a beautiful sight.

We came across our first elk.

Then we found another.

And took several pictures.

As you continue to see.

He also had an itch needing scratching.

A view of the road we traveled.

An ice and snow covered lake.

As we descended the mountain we saw a bison surrounded with birds. Suddenly all started flying with some landing on the bison.

Lewis Falls.

Moose Falls.

When we got to the cabin we were treated by this fox trotting by.

There is a bird house outside the window with a pair of western bluebirds.

On the other side of the house we saw a uinta ground squirrel.

As we headed to dinner a deer was grazing on the way out.

When we returned home the clouds had lifted some so we could see the mountains.

What an adventure. Today was an adrenaline day for sure. We headed for Cody this morning and had to cross the Bighorn mountains again. 14A opened at noon after being closed for the winter so we decided to take it over the mountains. I drove so Leighton could yell stop, jump out and take pictures. It was pleasant enough when we started up but when we reached the top, the wind was blowing, there was ice fog and snow. The side of the road with mountains had at least 4 feet of snow on it and the speed limit was 65. I think I did 20. I thought going up was bad but down was frightening. The grade was 10 percent for 10 mile stretches. There were run away truck ramps every couple of miles. My heart rate was up so much it felt like I had been working out. We survived and once again the scenery changed. It is so different in a short space of time. Here they call the mountains cloud catchers. With all the excitement it was still a great day for pictures. We saw deer, antelope, moose, and marmots while crossing the mountains, then bighorn sheep and the wild stallions of Pryor mountains in the Bighorn National Recreational area. We drove down dirt roads and found beautiful hidden areas. Tonight we are staying at the Robins Nest B and B. Robin is an artist and her husband Bob gives tours in Yellowstone. Tomorrow we will drive through Yellowstone to get to our cabin in the Tetons. We are having a blast!

Heading up the mountain we ran across the Pronghorn races.

Sibley lake was the next notable sight through the trees.

Then a much better view of the lake.

The stream down from the lake provided a clue to the depth of the snow.

While waiting for 14A to open, we were treated by these three lovely faces.

We also stopped for a picnic lunch next to this stream.

We also saw signs or the approaching spring.

And marmots out for some morning sun.

As hoped, when we started down 14A we saw a couple of moose and they shared some photo time with me.

A picture of the little one.

As we continued on 14A, we were surprised by ice fog and then blowing snow as the temperature dropped to 29.

We were quite amazed at the amount of snow remaining and how the road just disappeared around the bend.

Finally we stopped at the Prior mountain wild horse information center.  They gave us a map and told us where we could probably see wild horses.  They also suggested we take a side road to see Devils Canyon and possible so bighorn sheep.  We did and were floored at what we saw.

Another view of the canyon but no big horns.

We did see a crevice tree that didn’t make it.

And finally we saw a wild horse.

Then more having an eating contest.

And a stallion “herding” his mare.

The mare.

The stallion – note the interesting markings.

Another mare.

After we turned around to head toward Cody we came across this band of brothers.

A few eved=n gave a head on view.

One last shot of the stallion.

Today we traveled to the site of the battle of Little Bighorn and then explored parts of southeast Montana. As we stood looking out from the battle site all we could see was open land in every direction. It make little sense why battles like this occurred. Montana was empty and beautiful but not many pictures. We went to the Yellowstone river in search of agates and petrified wood but with the snow melt everything was covered.

The soldiers memorial at the top of Last Stand Hill.

Memorial description.

Closeup of one side of the memorial.

The Indian memorial.

The markers show where each soldier died on Last Stand Hill.  There were some civilians there also.  The markers show the names of the officers and civilians but not of the enlisted men.

The marker with the black shows Custer’s death spot.

The early casualties are marked and are toward the bottom of the hill – see the white dots near the path.

They have started marking the locations where the Indians died.  I only saw three and hopefully they will add more.  Enjoy the names.

Looking around Wyoming and Montana there is a huge amount of “uninhibited” land so why did we need to keep restricting where the Indians could live?

Horses seen at the bottom of Last Stand Hill.

Once we left the memorial, I did get the pronghorn of the day.

A view of Montana heading up I90.  I wonder why they call this big sky country.

The Yellowstone River near Forsyth MT.  It was so full from rain and snow melt we couldn’t really get to the banks to search for agates and petrified wood.

Another view of Montana from the back roads we took to get back to Sheridan.

Wow, another amazing day. Ok part of it got a bit scary. We drove up into the Bighorn mountains today. Highest elevation so far at 9666 ft. Wyoming posts what rock formations you are see and their time in history. It was great to know when you changed throughout each deposit layer. We even saw an actual fault line. We never knew when we got out of the car if we would need winter coats or hats and sunscreen. After our first pass over the mountain we found a dirt road that lead to red gulch where there are dinosaur foot prints. The entire road was 35 miles. After looking at the tracks we decided to drive the remaining 30 miles. It seemed short however the road became less and less traveled with mud holes and crater like tracks.  As we drove along without civilization in sight I started to think we made a big mistake. After a couple of hours we knew we were close to pavement again when a truck passed us. We were so shocked at what we were seeing we didn’t get a picture. A white truck was coming down the road toward us with dogs everywhere. They were hanging out of the truck bed, windows and there was even a dog standing on the top of the cab. Could have been a dog driving for all we know because we never saw the driver. The truck was moving faster than we were.  Shorty after, we ran into a cattle drive and had to wait while the riders herded the cattle around us. When we reached pavement again we traveled back over the Bighorn mountains via another road. Truly beautiful. Leighton was in photo heaven He was able to shoot sand hill cranes, chipmunks, marmots, deer, antelope, rabbit, moose and a wolf. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

On the way up the mountain we stopped to look at this syncline thrust fault.

View of the road going up the mountain.

Marmots on the side of the road.

Mountain view.

Dino track on Red Gulch road.

Cottontail rabbit hoping to leave permanent tracks like the dinosaurs did.

The Red Gulch road less traveled – it became more rutted the further we went.

Pronghorn that didn’t want to be photographed.

Flowers seen along the way.

Hawk taking off.

The cattle drive.

Shell creek.

Shell canyon.

Still partially frozen lake.

Chipmunk with an itch.

Area known as the fallen city.

Sandhill crane.

Our first moose – looking forward to more.

A distant wolf.

We really enjoyed out little house in Rapid City. The owners were wonderful, treats, Black Hills book and other special touches. We left early this morning and first stopped at the Aladdin General Store.  This store has been around for about 100 years but is now going to be auctioned June 2.  The biggest problem I see is it is located in the town of Aladdin, population 15 but if anyone is interested in an out of the way store now is your chance.  After Aladdin we headed for Devils Tower. It is an amazing place. We hiked the 1.3 miles around the base when we arrived. We had our packed lunch before deciding to hike the 2.8 mile red cliff trail. We didn’t realize it but the hike goes from the base to the valley and back up to the base again. As we were well into the hike we noticed a storm cloud moving in rapidly. We picked up the pace until the last mile which went up and up and up. What a hike we did about 8 miles today. Finally stopped in Sheridan, WY for the night.  Dinner was at the hotel that Wild Bill Cody built and lived in for several years. Wyoming is a whole new land loaded with Antelope. Can’t wait for more adventures. Barb asked for more pictures so here they are.

Into Wyoming – the topography changes.

A straight road with a 65 mph speed limit.

Our first stop.

The general store.

The inside of the store.

Devils Tower first view.

Selfie – seems weird.

Devils Tower view.

Top detail.

Tower, base and rubble field.

Changes in direction of rock.

Another view.

Plant life in the area.

Grassy woods – quite different from the east coast.

Relaxing deer.

Part of the red cliff trail.

Views from the red cliff trail.

Rocky top.

Even the dead trees are red in this area.

The historic Sheridan Inn where we had dinner.

The original Buffalo Bill Bar.

Yesterday was a reminder that traveling has a down side as well. Our niece Brandi got married and Cody graduated. It was sad to miss such special events. We are thankful for the book of face and all the wonderful pictures posted.

We are still having fun, we went into an outdoor store called Scheels. It was amazing and had everything you need for any sport you do. Leighton was looking at a strange old fashioned looking bike when a manger stopped by and told us all about it. He asked if we would like to take the new motor assisted bike for a spin – it only assists if you are peddling but in turbo mode it will go about 22 mph. I just might have to get one of these. Although he knew we would not be purchasing, he had one of his employees outfit us with helmets , lights and everything needed to go for a bike ride. Their largest store is in Sandy Utah just outside Salt Lake City. It was such fun we might have to visit that one too.

Rapid City has one of the most beautiful river walks I have ever been on. Loved watching the person fly fishing in Rapid Creek. This morning Leighton went for a 4 mile run while I walked. This afternoon we headed into Spearfish Canyon. We had buffalo stew at the lodge where we met a very sharp, 101 year old lady who told us how she and her husband met. She is a great story teller. She was having some wine with her son, not one glass but two. Sadly her husband had passed away, as she said, the Alzheimer’s got him. Tomorrow we leave Rapid City and head for Wyoming.

Donna ready to try the electric assist bike – it really makes a difference.  It also comes in a mountain bike version.

Our first glimpse of Spearfish creek.  The water goes into sink holes and doesn’t normally get this far.

Colorful lichens on the creek rocks.

Spearfish creek further up with water.

Canyon Wall.

Bridal Veil falls.

Another section of the canyon wall.

Spearfish Falls.

It was a fabulous Friday. Hill City and Custer were are destinations today. It was snowing when we headed out. Snow in May is strange. In Hill City we went into a rock shop and found an absolutely fabulous dinosaur museum. It houses the largest most complete T Rex. The Smithsonian has a replica of it and they have a replica of the Smithsonians smaller less complete T Rex. This was a totally unexpected pleasure. If you get a chance to visit Hill City be sure to go to Everything Prehistoric. After visiting every rock shop we could find we drove the wildlife loop at Custer State park again. Every time it is a treat and were treated with Pronghorn Antelope, Whitetail Deer, Bison on the run and a Magpie after a worm.. We left Custer via Iron Mountain road. It was so beautiful with the rocks, pines and snow. We met several people who summer here and we sure can see the attraction. Hope you enjoy Leighton’s pictures.

May snow near Hill City South Dakota.

The snow on the sides of the tree trunks created an interesting effect.

The leg bone from a 60 foot tall veggiesaurus with Donna for size comparison.

Which fossil has the biggest mouth?  (I vote for the alligator.)

The skull of Donkeys love in Shrek.

T Rex skull.

Overview of the large skeletons.

Custer State park.

Whitetail deer looking through the trees.

Pronghorn on a hill.

Jumping Magpie.

Bison on the run, fortunately not in our direction/

View of Mount Rushmore through the tunnel on Iron Mountain Road, we’ll try again.

It was a very good day. This morning we when to Hot Springs SD to see the largest mammoth site in the world. At the mammoth site they are slowly uncovering the bones of mainly mammoths that fell into a prehistoric water filled sink hole and couldn’t get out. Lots bones up here and they have uncovered evidence of 61 mammoths – all male.  The guide said they didn’t know if the males were so hungry or thirsty they fell in or if the females pushed them in.

We then went to Wind Cave National park. Of course, I got on the wrong tour because I was talking to a teacher and believed him when he said we were in the right line. Then I gave the wrong information to a stranger. We all had to dash to the other tour site only to find it had already left. Back at the ranger station I explained to the ranger that I misled the other person and felt bad he would his his opportunity to see the cave. Kindly a very nice ranger offer to bring us to the group. Wind cave is another dry cave meaning there is no constant dripping so there are no stalagmites or stalactites but there are still some interesting formations.

Our next adventure was to find the fairburn agate collection site. It was a back-road challenge through the town of Fairburn (population about 12).  The road was dirt with a speed limit of 50 mph but we finally made it to the site. We weren’t there 15 minutes when it started to rain. We had to rush out. The “road” surface of the area is drivable when dry but if it rains your car sinks and gets stuck without even moving it.  We were happy anyway just because we found it.

Dinner was another adventure. We had an indecision dinner. The chef chooses 3 courses for you which may or may not be on the menu. You don’t even get a hint. We ended up with a soft shell crab appetizer, a very interesting salad with blueberries and truffles and bison skirt for the main course. It was good and fun. We are really enjoying this area.

Mammoth Skull.

Mammoth teeth.

Sinbad a fiberglass replica of what the entire skeleton looks like.

Cave structures.

The road to the agate site.