Prairie Dog Town is a real location at the entrance of the Belle Fourche campground. True story. Check out the map. We ended up spending a very rainy night there. The campground was nice enough, but the weather not so much. At least we were able to take some fun photos.
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These Black-tailed prairie dogs remind me of the marmots at one of the parks here. (photo below) Even though they’re Yellow-bellied marmots–they still look the similar. Yep, Groundhogs, Marmots, Prairie Dogs, whatever you like to call them–the same all over the place. (ps: they really are all from the Sciuridae family, so there’s your mini science lesson for the day.)
In 1906, Devil’s Tower was proclaimed the first national monument by President Roosevelt. The tower is a crazy rock formation. From the pictures it doesn’t really look that big, but the top of the tower is about the size of a football field. Though it looks like an old volcano it isn’t.
The tower is actually an igneous intrusion (Science lesson: Magma pooled under sedimentary rock, it eventually hardened and then the sedimentary rock–being softer, eroded over time and exposed the igneous rock formation of the tower. Munson would be so proud of me remembering all of that from Geography!) Now this I had to use google for: “Devil’s Tower is made of Phonolite porphyry, it is similar in composition to granite but lacks quartz. Phonolite refers to the ringing of the rock when a small slab is struck, and its ability to reflect sound. Porphyry refers to its texture, large crystals of feldspar embedded in a mass of smaller crystals.”
Sad to say that the tower was pretty amazing, but this was probably one of the worst parts of the trip. We drove half way across the country so that Jon could climb at the tower and I could tour the park. But this was the only day of the whole trip that it wasn’t scorching hot. It RAINED so hard that there was no climbing to be had by anyone for the day we paid for, or the day after that. SO HORRIBLE! So, now Jon has a credit in Wyoming for the next time we happen to feel like driving over 2000km and back just for the weekend.
I don’t even know where to start with this entry. Maybe with some photos…
After we had driven through miles and miles of corn fields in Montana, the scenery in Wyoming was a welcomed change. Luckily, we managed to take the scenic route to Devil’s Tower which made a lot of difference. Most of these shots were taken from a moving vehicle, so don’t be too sad if they’re off kilter.
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We drive major highways all the time. Every day. Hwy 1, Hwy 5, Hwy 16, Hwy 97, etc etc. Even including all the driving in other countries, the number of times I’ve seen road kill prior to this trip is probably less than 20. In Wyoming, that number is probably about 1500, and I’m not exaggerating. Why the hell is there so much road kill on the I-90? So disheartening.
Bet you really wanted to know this—in many States and Provinces it is legal to collect and eat road kill. Seriously. Animals are collected (if they’re not too smashed up) and distributed to churches, soup kitchens etc to make meals. People can keep the meat they find; different rules apply in different areas though. I suppose it makes sense? At least you know how and where the road kill happened to be if you’re the one who hits it? Is it really different than hunting game? The animal is still being killed, just with a vehicle, not a conventional weapon? But somehow I don’t think I’ll be trying roadkill stew any time soon.
Early evening on day 3 of the trip we left Yellowstone through the East Entrance. We drove through the Shoshone National Forrest and ended up in Cody, WY for the night.
Cody is a small place just under 10 square miles (25km²) with a population of almost 9000. AND, the Walmart is open 24/7. How is this physically possible? We have more than 10 times the population and Walmart still closes at 10pm. I guess the demand just isn’t happening here!
How is this even necessary?!
And, the other difference, try not to vomit, you read that correctly. FIFTY! Who needs 50 McNuggets?!? (FYI: I’m willing to bet a 10 piece meal here is almost that much.)
Walmart and Nuggets aside, I really enjoyed Cody. It was an immaculate little town–so clean and beautifully landscaped. Before we shipped off to our next destination we went to the Buffalo Bill Historical Centre. (Not the “It rubs the lotion on its skin” Buffalo Bill, just so we’re clear!)
Cody is actually named after William Frederick Cody aka Buffalo Bill. Wild West history isn’t really something I’m into or very well informed of, but Buffalo Bill seems like a hip dude for his day. He worked for the Pony Express. He was against slavery, he was for women’s suffrage, he fought for the rights of American Indians. He also wanted equal pay for equal work. He fought in the Civil War. And though he hunted buffalo, (that’s how he got his famous nickname) he also supported conservation. That’s pretty forward thinking for the times I’d say.
I for one say let us give our women absolute freedom and then it will do for us to talk about freeing other nations…I believe in Women Suffrage…I’m not one of the kind that think that God made woman to do nothing but sit at home in the ashes and tend to babies…if a woman can do the same work that a man can do and do it just as well she should have the same pay.
—W.F. Cody
The Historical Centre is actually 5 museums in one. In addition to Yellowstone history, Plains Indians history, Western Art and Buffalo Bill history, there is a huge fire arms exhibit. I’ve never seen so many guns in my entire life.
Stay tuned for Devil’s Tower…
Happy Travels,
~j
ps: Cody has a Dug Up Gun Museum. That’s just crazy. No, we didn’t visit.
Adventures of a couple seeing the world 2 weeks at a time.
Prairie Dog Town is a real location at the entrance of the Belle Fourche campground. True story. Check out the map. We ended up spending a very rainy night there. The campground was nice enough, but the weather not so much. At least we were able to take some fun photos.
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