To The Moon and Back

Friday 6/20/2014

Caldwell, Idaho

Before heading to Caldwell we went to the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.  I figured an hour or so and the kids would not be too interested.  Well was I wrong!  First we went to the visitor center and the kids were given a booklet to complete as we rode around the 7 mile loop and walked the many foot trails.  If they completed the booklet they would be sworn in as Lunar Rangers and get a patch to put on their jackets.  I had noticed traveling from Yellowstone through Idaho that the ground/mountains looked like ashes or loose rocks.  We learned that from Yellowstone through central Idaho to this particular location 2000 years ago was some major volcanic activity.  Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut, said The Moon has this peculiar eerie beauty, like Craters of the Moon, That is magnificent … they excite your imagination.  The space program used this location for training future astronauts.  I could write thousands of words and still not fully describe this place.  We stopped at every location and walked the trails; I was very surprised Zoey could walk the distance and she was interested.  After walking several of these trails we pulled into a stop for Inferno which was a volcano cone or mountain and you were allowed to walk to the top of this high mountain.  Todd wanted to walk/climb the ashen trail leading up to the top.  Zoey was playing with her kindle and I didn’t think I could make it so Todd and Don started up.  They were maybe a third of the way up and Zoey said she wanted to go.  She said she could make it so I told her to go and she did!  She troughed up the side of this ash mountain until she reached the top. And when Todd and Don reached the top there was a second mountain which Todd decided to climb while Don and Zoey waited at the summit of the first mountain and I waited at the bottom.  After 3 hours in this volcanic wilderness we went back to the visitor center where both kids were sworn in as Lunar Rangers and we headed for Caldwell 200 miles away.      

Idaho Not What I Had Pictured

Thursday, 6/19/2014

Arco, Idaho

300 miles today; 100 of it through Yellowstone National Park again.  I guess with 2.2 million acres the shortest and fastest way to reach Idaho was straight through the park.  We did have a couple of great sightings; one of a buffalo walking down the middle of the road and we had to pass him slowly and the other was a close view of a bull elk beside the road.  Entering Idaho we noticed no mountains and fields of hay and potatoes.  No towns to speak of just small clusters of a few houses and a gas station.  Then the fields turned to open range more like desert covered with sagebrush and mountains begin to appear in the distance.  But these mountains are not green and do not have any trees; they are brown and barren.  We are now traveling on a long empty road with nothing in sight; some 100 plus miles of emptiness then we pull into Arco.  A small oasis.  Not large with only 1 or 2 mom and pop motels.  We had called the Arco Motor Inn an hour earlier hoping the reviews on Tripadvisor were correct.  One row of rooms, empty cement parking lot, horses next door in a pasture of weeds.  Oh well – but when we opened the room door the reviews were correct; the room is spacious, freshly painted, clean and fresh.  Temps are so much better!  It was 45 degrees this morning going through Yellowstone and are 71 degrees here in Arco.  We want to see the Craters of the Moon National Monument tomorrow.   

A Day Around Cody

Wednesday 6/18/2014

Cody, WY

Today we decided to go to Walmart and get more jeans!  I was not thinking clearly I guess but did not expect it to be this cold EVERYWHERE.  I had also promised Todd we would get him some real cowboy boots so we headed for downtown Cody to where the locals shop and found some great boots for both kids.  Cost a bundle but they are good boots; pretty sure they will outgrow them before they tear up.  Of course a western shirt just jumped into the bag too.  He is a real sharp looking kid.  Zoey found cute purple cowgirl boots.  Returning to the hotel Don and Todd headed out to do the laundry while Zoey and I put things away and I work on planning our destination tomorrow.  Went to the Old Trail Town and Museum after lunch and wouldn’t you know it Zoey fell asleep before we got there so Todd and I went in.  From the outside it is just a lot of log cabins arranged on both sides of a dirt area with boardwalks and hitching rails.  But as you walk along to each cabin and read the plaque posted you find these cabins have been dismantled and rebuilt here.  Cabins that were used by the first homesteaders; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the first rancher to bring cattle to this basin and others.  There was a blacksmith shop, a saloon frequented by various outlaws such as the Hole in the Wall Gang.  The outlaw’s names didn’t mean much to Todd but looking at the cabins and the many stuffed animals and birds from the region were of great interest to him.  Tonight we pack and head out early tomorrow morning.  Hope to make it to Arco Idaho where we will find the Crater of the moon monument.

Yellowstone and Snow

Tuesday 6/17/2014

Cody, WY

The 50 miles to the east entrance of Yellowstone passed Buffalo Bill Dam; went through 3 tunnels and had numerous RV campgrounds and ranches dotting the hillsides.  The mountains displayed an array of colors and designs and I was so happy to hear the kids talking about how God made this beautiful world for us to enjoy.  Entering Yellowstone National Park we encountered snow piled up by the roadside and on the mountain cliffs and then we had a regular snow storm.  Kids were so excited as was I.  We saw Bighorn sheep on a cliff just above our heads and we watched as one pawed the ground to find food.  We stopped to have a close look at a beaver dam and at another location Todd and I walked out into the field near a lake to get a better look at some pelicans and we spotted some buffalo across the lake.  Then we looked at the ground and saw fresh buffalo tracks and buffalo poo giving me the opportunity to explain how the frontiersman tracked wild animals.  Traveling on we saw hundreds of buffalo some far out in the fields and others right beside the road.  We also saw elk and deer and moose along with various water fowl.  We saw lots of places where the earth was opened and sulphur smoke was pouring up in great billows.  We passed lots of locations where geysers were pouring out smoke and the ground was all dead and poisoned, and of course we went to see Old Faithful.  It was cold and raining but we waited the hour and a half and what a disappointment.  We saw lots of steam/smoke and could hear the roar and a little water in the smoke but that was all.  It was so cold and we had gone through all 4 seasons traveling through the park at elevations over 7000 feet.  We got back to Cody at 6:30 and went straight to Granny’s Restaurant for dinner.  We had planned to eat a picnic lunch in the park but the kids and I were dressed in shorts and it was just too cold (45 degrees) to consider a picnic so we were all hungry.    

Buffalo Bill Museum Cody WY

Monday 6/16/2014

Cody, WY

Left Greybull by 8:30 and drove the 50 miles to Cody and decided to visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.  This is the number 1 attraction in Cody and consists of 5 different museums all very interesting.  Spent several hours, left for lunch and then returned for a couple more hours and still didn’t see all of it.  The Plains Indian Museum was very interesting and the kids are so taken with tepees.  And of course with the kids we had to skip a lot of reading information plaques.  Checked in to the Skyline Motor Inn at 3 PM; nice motel, large room and very clean.  Kids think we must stop at every gift shop at every location we visit and Zoey is a shopper – takes forever before she makes a decision.  However, today they both bought pistols.  They have no idea what a cap gun is (these are) but when we get home I’ll have to get a few rolls of caps and show them.     

The Beautiful Mountains

Sunday 6/15/2014

Greybull, WY

Left Custer around 8 AM heading for Cody WY but we are two days ahead of schedule so we decided to stop in Greybull leaving us just 50 miles to drive tomorrow.  The roads we traveled were SD 16 a beautiful scenic road then Interstate 90 and then off on WY 14 another scenic route.  The first indication they have really bad winters was a sign on route 16 stating the road was closed if the lights were flashing; ok this is a small road through open range but then entering Interstate 90 we also saw signs stating 90 is closed when the lights are flashing and there were railroad crossing arms to block the highway.  Most other roads are dirt but I guess in the winter the local ranchers keep them opened or all use 4-wheelers or horses.  The range is covered with sage brush.  Rolling hills are to our left and right and the Bighorn National mountains still covered with snow are in front of us.  We exit I90 onto WY 14 which climbs through the mountains with sharp curves, switchbacks, and steep grades.  Rivers rush through deep canyons carved through the mountains millions of years ago.  We pulled off several times to get pictures, let Todd get out to just experience the mountains and to let our brakes cool.  Pictures cannot do justice to this majestic country.  I am in awe of this wonderful country God has created and given me the privilege of living in.  Towns are small and far between but Greybull has 4 hotels but only one looked inviting, with flowers and hanging baskets all around the front.  Entering the lobby you smell candles and realize this is also the owners’ home.  We have a very nice, large room and I recommend this hotel to anyone in this area.

Bear Country USA

Saturday 6/14/2014

Custer, SD

Woke to a heavy thunderstorm during the early morning hours and it was still raining when we pulled out of the parking lot.  We were heading to Rapid City to visit Bear Country USA.  Bear Country USA has over 20 different animals native to North America and they are not in cages but roaming free and you drive your vehicle through the refuge.  Rules stay in your car, keep your windows up and do not feed the animals.  I was so concerned about the rain and we were praying God would stop the rain so we could see the animals.  The rain did slack off but did not stop.  When we pulled up to the entrance we asked the girl if we would see any animals and she said this was perfect weather because the animals like it cool – well God knew exactly what to do and I should not have been surprised.  We started through at a slow crawl and saw reindeer; Bighorn Goats; Prong deer; buffalo; bears; wolves; artic wolves; mountain lions and more.  There must have been 100 bears roaming in their section and walking across the road so we could not continue.  They walked past the side of the car so close you could run your hand down their back.  Moving on the wolves also circled the car and walked so close I wondered if they were going to jump up on the windows.  The kids (especially Todd) were so excited.  He wanted to see a bear more than anything else and to see 100 of them climbing logs; eating grass; shaking water off their backs; playing and actually looking at him and walking within inches only separated by the van was so much fun.  Then they have a section where you walk and see small animals like otter; a Grizzly Bear; skunks and several small baby bears all playing and tumbling in the wet grass.  Leaving Bear Country we headed for Sturgis and Deadwood just to see them since we have heard so much about both.  Sturgis is larger than I had expected but I could imagine thousands of motorcycles roaring down the main street.  Deadwood is much larger than I expected and the main street is blocked off and while there are several parking lots it would require a lot of walking to check it out and that would be too much for Zoey and to tell the truth too much for me; my interest just wasn’t that high.  We returned to the hotel by route 385 which is a scenic route with little to nothing except camp grounds and some of the most beautiful views you can imagine.  Just outside of Deadwood we did see the Boondocks a 50 style restaurant.  There was also the oldest still operating gas pumps I’ve ever seen.  Walking inside the diner it was obvious this was not a new location made to appear like the 50’s style this place was operating in the 50’s and just never changed.  Judging from the pictures on the wall it was a hopping hangout for the youth of Deadwood in the 50’s.  And a hamburger and fries was a handmade burger a good six inches across.  Heading back to Custer Todd and I decided to walk down town and do some sightseeing and shopping.  Baths and dinner of salads; fruit; applesauce and chips and we will head to bed soon.  Plan to leave tomorrow morning heading for Cody Wyoming.