Week 259 - Montana & Wyoming - 07-31-2011

Montana and Wyoming

We left beautiful Blanchard, Idaho and headed toward South Dakota where we have an appointment on August 3rd (our 37th wedding anniversary). We covered double our normal mileage so that we would not miss our appointment.

In California we are used to seeing rectangular bales of hay. In Idaho and many Northern states they have cylindrical bales. This field caught our eye.

Passing by Lake Coeur d'Alene we crossed the border into Montana. This dust storm was caused by the highway department. They were painting new double-yellow lines down the freeway. The placement of the pylons caused vehicles to drive off the road and kick up this storm. A few days earlier, Ellen had cleaned the scooter so well it looked new. Not now!

Pete's brother Mike lives in Belgrade, Montana. He met us in Livingston and Pete and Mike took at 10 mile float down the Yellowstone River.

1) The pelicans paid no attention and just kept talking as we cruised by. 2) This gorgeous view is from the Rock Canyon RV Park where Pete and Mike ended their trip.

This peak is part of the Absaroka Mountains that parallel much of the Yellowstone River.

Traveling, you get to see so much that you never see in your local area. This is a rendition of "planes, trains and automobiles".

The town of Sheridan, Wyoming has some very unique bronze statues.

When Pete was 7 to 10 years old, his family criss-crossed the USA three times. On one trip they stopped at Devil's Tower, Wyoming. This was our first glimpse of the tower. This route is very popular with the biker crowd. Note that the tower is less than 100 miles from Sturgis, South Dakota. Sturgis is the home to the world's largest motorcycle rally which began 71 years ago, in 1940! The next rally starts August 8th and runs until the 14th.

Pete's memory had Devil's Tower in the middle of a desolate area. Memories can trick you, as this photo illustrates. This valley is just one mile east of the tower.

With a daytime temperature of 92 degrees, we visited the tower just as the sun was setting.

Even though dinner time was over, the prairie dogs were still eating their vegetables.

Apparently, as Pete is 6 foot 2, the tower is only about 12 feet!

Devil's Tower is formed of thousands of six-sided (hexagonal) columns generally about two feet in diameter. With cracks every two feet between the columns, the tower is a favorite with "crack climbers". This is the east face of the tower. A telescope along the perimeter trail allowed us to see a climber, pointed to by the red arrow. The climber was about 900 feet up the 1,267 foot rock.

Devils' Tower was the first National Monument, established by President Teddy Roosevelt on September 24, 1906. Water can accumulate in the cracks and when it freezes it expands. This happens all the time in northern state concrete; you see busted concrete all the time. Well, God built his tower stronger than that. While eventually rocks may fall from the tower, as far as anyone knows, not one column has fallen since the 1906 dedication.

These vultures were on the north side of the monolith. So, we're guessing that they didn't think the climber would fall.

This sunset was taken from from our RV Park, Devil's Tower View.

1) News Flash: This photo was taken by Pete at 6:09 am while Ellen slept. Write that down! 2) As we left the tower we had a nice view of the Permian-Triassic Spearfish Formation (aka, red rock). We continued on Wyoming Route 24 to Hulett and then onto South Dakota.

Next week we will be in South Dakota, specifically Box Elder, a town just east of Rapid City. Until then, have a blessed week. Love, Pete and Ellen

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Psalm 18:2-6

Photos from Jul 2011