May 21: Casper, WY
It was 48 degrees in Sidney when Richard got up this a.m. Thankfully, it got warmer later!
We headed northwest from Sidney, NE, toward Wyoming. We stopped for fuel at the Cenex/Panhandle Coop System, in Bridgeport, NE. Their motto is “Families, Farms, Food”, which sounded so wholesome to me. I enjoy collecting mottos and fun regional sayings.
Here’s a legendary landmark, “Chimney Rock” west of Bridgeport.
[Wyoming and Montana are so rich in history and scenery. We’re considering dedicating a summer’s travels to just to these two states.]
The North Platte River, along which lie the Pony Express Route, the Mormon Pioneer Trail, and the Oregon California Trail, became a important presence during this leg of our drive. We paralleled it for a good distance. My imagination easily conjured up wagon trains heading west, the people in them full of hope, eager to reach their destinations. What horrendous hardships they faced once they reached the not-too-distant mountains!
Our mileage when we reached the NE/WY border: 30,810. We were 1,428 miles from our home in Mission, TX!! Remember, we’re having a quiz!
Soon after we entered Wyoming, we pulled over to read this sign:
Fort Laramie has a population of 242 (!!) and sits at an elevation of 4,230’. A sign said there will be a “Rendezvous” held there in June. These are reenactments where the participants wear period costumes, recreate all aspects of daily life common to a specific era (i.e. early 1800’s)—cooking, preparing hides, etc., and bring with them and use all the “props” representing that time period. These hardy souls sleep in cotton or canvas tents, cook all their meals over a fire or in cast-iron Dutch ovens. Our good friend, Mick Meilicke, participates in black powder rendezvous, which must be similar to this upcoming one in Ft. Laramie.
US 26, which we took from Bridgeport west to I-25 near Guernsey, is a “Western Historic and Scenic Byway”. If you ever can, take a scenic byway! There are a growing number of these and books/websites which list them. Your efforts will be rewarded! Great scenery, great glimpses at small-town America en route!
The N. Platte River was running high and muddy from recent rains, but was in no danger of flooding. It’s still early spring up here. Trees are not fully leafed out; winter stubble has not yet become overgrown in green.
As we headed north on I-25 toward Douglas and Casper, we saw mountains, real MOUNTAINS, to our left: the Laramie Mountains. (Laramie Peak is 10,272’ in elevation.) Toto, we are definitely NOT is south Texas anymore! It was thrilling! Soon we were in pines, sage, and rolling hills. We passed a bison herd, saw many pronghorns, and prairie dogs. In a previous visit, the two of us had voted Wyoming the pronghorn antelope capital of the country! They’re prevalent everywhere in this state. Ranchers hate them because they go under a fence, tearing it up, whereas a deer will go over it. And pronghorns are disliked for other unsavory reasons. They climb on hay bales to eat this free food, and relieve themselves which taints the hay so it can’t be used for livestock feed. Ranchers lose money because of this—they have to buy replacement feed hay for their own stock, or if they sell their hay crops, they lose money on the tainted quantities.
We ended the day at a Wal-Mart Super Center in Casper, WY. It’s well-located near various amenities: Flying J, Sam’s Club (next door to Wal-Mart), Target, Safeway, Staples, Petco, and a shopping mall. There’s a Perkin’s Restaurant out in front of Sam’s, so was very convenient to our parking place. This Wal-Mart is at I-25/exit 185; turn left at one of the first lights onto 2nd Street. Very easy on/easy off.
May 22: Casper, WY, to Hardin, MT
Casper, WY, sits at 5,260’. (For contrast, our house in the Rio Grande Valley is at 113’ above sea level!) It’s a wonder we don’t develop nose bleeds up here! There’s an “Historic Trails Center” here in Casper which I’d like to visit at a later date.
It was sunny when we left Casper driving north on I-25, We entered countryside of sagebrush-dotted grasslands, rolling hills, and cattle ranches. And LOTS of pronghorns!
And we began to see snow fence, miles and miles of snow fence! Immediately, that means we really don’t want to live here!
As we neared Buffalo, then Sheridan, WY, the weather changed. Rain arrived with a vengeance, so we decided to hunker in for the night in Hardin, MT. We found the Grandview RV Park and appreciated having full-hookups.
(Above: Big Horn Mountains, w. of Buffalo and Sheridan, WY, up near the MT border.)
Every home in every town we’ve traveling through has at least one lilac in full bloom. I have an increasing respect for the lilac bush. It stands in defiance against the chill of early spring! And, once we were out of Texas, we’ve seen them everywhere along our route—people’s yards, farm lots, hedgerows, abandoned homesteads—and up into Alberta, Canada, as well. The smell is even sweeter because of the clean prairie air.
Our mileage at the WY/MT border: 31,149. This means we’re 1,767 miles from home!
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