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Adventure is Out There - A Salute to All Nations, but Mostly America
- Thread starter HouCuseChickie
- Start date
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
AUGUST 8th-
Our bodies were still on central time and messed up from not really sleeping the previous night, so I was up around 5:30am MT. I sat in bed for a while, but the sun comes up pretty early (or so it felt), so I was out and about not soon after taking pictures around the ranch...
OK, you get the idea. It was just this serene sort of wide open space that said...RELAX! Oh yea...Ms. Twila's husband did all of the wood carvings. He's no longer able to do them, but they add a certain cute factor to the whole place.
In the process, I also met one of the other guests staying at the B&B. He and his wife were in the area from Minnesota. We'd eventually hit that point where it was time for breakfast where we all got to sit down and get to know each other. There was also a third couple there from Alberta. Breakfast was great...fresh fruit, an egg dish that involved cottage cheese, homemade scones (caramel, I think), etc.
We did have some drama before hitting the road. There were a number of honey bees around the property...makes sense with the flowers. Both girls are fearful of bees (wasps, yellowjackets, etc.), but we gave them this whole talk about how honey bees rarely sting and it's really only if they feel threatened when there's an issue. So, we're walking down the boardwalk path to our car and all of a sudden, there's this blood curdling scream behind me.
"IT'S ON ME!!! IT'S ON ME!!! IT'S STINGING ME!!! IT'S STINGING ME!!!"
I thought it was Kendall at first, but it was Samantha. My mind immediately went to allergies. Sam used to have allergic reactions to ant bites and mosquito bites. She outgrew it, but her old pediatrician always told us to be ready since she may also be sensitive to bees. No, I didn't grab any of Kendall's auto-injectors, but I did get a Zyrtec tab into her right away. David ran inside to see if the B&B owner had any baking soda...which she did. So he was able to make a paste and apply it to the sting. Not even 9am and we already have drama! Thankfully, Sam was OK, but the sting bothered her for a while. She's still pretty freaked out by it though, so I haven't tried to make light of it with this classic Donald cartoon (again- not mine).
We got on the road after we got her comfy, officially waved good-bye to Devils Tower (which we could see on the way out), but stopped pretty quickly because David wanted to grab sodas (caffeiene source of choice). We already had lots of bikers around before we ever even got up on the main highway. I did have a good chuckle with the B&B owner before all of this...her talking about all of the traffic...and realizing she and I have very different definitions of traffic. Oh well...lots of bikers at the gas station where we went to get sodas.
In fact, I took biker pictures all through the trip just to show how it followed us from point to point. Like I said before, I was actually pretty happy they were there...well, most of the time (video to come on my only issue). Look, signs everywhere to watch for the bikers. I guess they must have a lot of problems with them getting hit. Before we moved, we had a lot of bike traffic on our route to Galveston, so it was more normal to us.
It wasn't long before we were in South Dakota. I missed the state sign, but I love how their rest areas have these tepees.
I really just took pics as we went...ya know, terrain changes and all.
I also initially thought this plane was something kitschy, but when we saw another one in another area (later to come this day), I guess these denote an airport. We did see the red ball markers on the wires (I'm sure they have a better, more technical name).
We were still following lots of bikers, but things really ramped up as we passed through the Sturgis area.
Ultimately, it was kind of cool to be there during this and see even the little things on the perimeter of the actual area set up for them...along with all of the camper and tent cities...not to mention all of the cool toy-haulers and mega bikes that we passed.
RIght around this point, you also pass the Black Hills National Cemetary...another somber marker on this trip.
Oh...and no stopping in Belle Fourche or Deadwood. I had to prioritize and it just wasn't in the plans. I did, however, learn who to pronounce Belle Fourche. And thankfully, it was not me saying it incorrectly in front of anyone and making a fool of myself. Nope, just overheard a guy at the B&B and reconfirmed it while watching the local news that evening.
I know we stopped around this time...ya know, restroom, drinks, snacks, etc. I tried to explain to David that it would be a while before we'd be eating (he has all kinds of issues if he doesn't eat often enough), but he thought I was overreacting with my "we're going to be out in the middle of nowhere" concerns. So, I got the kids snacks and took over driving at this point...set the GPS to Badlands National Park...and hit the road. We started seeing signs to turn off for the park well before the GPS directions had me going. So, naturally I disregarded my GPS and turned off according to the road signs. We could see some of it before we ever got to the park entrance and there were already tons of oooohs and ahhhhhs.
I was driving for a chunk of our time in Badlands, so I have to rely on the kids' pics for any points in time where we weren't stopped. Of course, I was the only one who noticed the prairie dog town off to our right before arriving at the guard shack, so I'd have to wait on prairie dog pics. We showed the ranger our 4th grader (LOL) and were in...and pretty much got out at the first overlook.
It's not necessarily an airport....a lot of ranchers are pilots and have their own planes or share one with another pilot rancher. They can keep track of their herds and find any strays that are missing, and a lot of them also do programs like Pilots for Christ where they will fly someone to a hospital in a bigger city for treatment that the smaller hospitals can't do.
Did your husband come to regret his decision not to eat/drink anything? The Badlands are really breathtaking, but they are pretty far away from civilization.
Edit: Now I see what you were talking about with the planes. I thought you saw one of those little planes landing. Wall Drug is a neat little place, but it's usually horrendously busy, and being the ONLY thing for miles and miles, it's quite the tourist trap. EXPENSIVE. You probably did better going to Perkins for the meal.
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That's good to know. Not that I want her to go through another sting, but definitely going to keep a close eye on things if she happens to get stung again.
If I recall correctly, she said he suffers from nerve damage that makes it now impossible for him to sculpt. It's too bad because there were a good number of neat creations around the ranch.
That is interesting. I never knew that about herd management. I mean, it makes sense and seems like a great strategy to combat the issues you noted.
He wasn't pleased with the food situation. He wasn't feeling great during the car ride because of it, but I guess we got him real food soon enough because he wasn't miserable for hour afterwards. Maybe it's an omen that we didn't go to Wall Drug. That Perkins was dead and we were seated right away.
Sorry it's taken me a couple of days. School stuff, work stuff and softball stuff for both kids is killing my time. Oh, and add birthday cake creation for this weekend to that list of things to do. It never ends.
AUGUST 8th- Continued...
So, Perkins was a hit with everyone. No, it's not fine cuisine, but it hit the spot and David was doing much better. We were also only about 15 minutes away from Mount Rushmore and service had been fast, so we were on pace to get a lot more done this day.
We popped across the street to fill up the gas tank. We don't have Sinclair near us, but the dinos (and we saw them all over the place on this trip), made me think of Dinoco and the Good Dinosaur.
I'm not sure why, but I thought these cows on a hill (across from the gas station) were incredibly amusing.
After that, it was just driving to Mount Rushmore. You know you're approaching a heavily visited tourist attraction when you start passing all kinds of eye-grabbing gimmicks from the road. David was particularly fond of the goat on the bridge.
*OK, not really big touristy gimmick, but I wanted to try it...and I don't even normally drink wine!
*because an NFL shop needs a mastodon?
After we passed all of this cheesy stuff, we entered the Black Hills National Forest.
We also passed our lodging for the night...wasn't expecting that. I originally planned going a different way that looked like it didn't pass it and this took me by surprise.
As well as the lodging I ditched a few weeks before the trip. 1. It was under new ownership and I still saw all kinds of issues in the reviews. 2. I really wanted to stay at this other place (where I booked), but they were originally sold out for our date in Keystone.
We then passed through the main area of Keystone, which looked like it would be pretty fun if we were going to be there for more than a night.
You soon leave all of that behind and begin the climb (on the road). I watched the drive a few times on YouTube before traveling, so I kind of knew that an overlook was coming...and right on queue...
It hadn't really hit me yet. As we pulled up to the gate to pay for parking, I kept trying to look around to make it clear that it was real, but I had to intervene with David talking to the girl in the guard shack. I'd already explained that Sam's pass doesn't cover parking at Mount Rushmore, but he insisted on trying. Denied. No big deal...it was already in my plans. So, we parked and headed up.
AUGUST 8th- Continued...
So, Perkins was a hit with everyone. No, it's not fine cuisine, but it hit the spot and David was doing much better. We were also only about 15 minutes away from Mount Rushmore and service had been fast, so we were on pace to get a lot more done this day.
We popped across the street to fill up the gas tank. We don't have Sinclair near us, but the dinos (and we saw them all over the place on this trip), made me think of Dinoco and the Good Dinosaur.
I'm not sure why, but I thought these cows on a hill (across from the gas station) were incredibly amusing.
After that, it was just driving to Mount Rushmore. You know you're approaching a heavily visited tourist attraction when you start passing all kinds of eye-grabbing gimmicks from the road. David was particularly fond of the goat on the bridge.
*OK, not really big touristy gimmick, but I wanted to try it...and I don't even normally drink wine!
*because an NFL shop needs a mastodon?
After we passed all of this cheesy stuff, we entered the Black Hills National Forest.
We also passed our lodging for the night...wasn't expecting that. I originally planned going a different way that looked like it didn't pass it and this took me by surprise.
As well as the lodging I ditched a few weeks before the trip. 1. It was under new ownership and I still saw all kinds of issues in the reviews. 2. I really wanted to stay at this other place (where I booked), but they were originally sold out for our date in Keystone.
We then passed through the main area of Keystone, which looked like it would be pretty fun if we were going to be there for more than a night.
You soon leave all of that behind and begin the climb (on the road). I watched the drive a few times on YouTube before traveling, so I kind of knew that an overlook was coming...and right on queue...
It hadn't really hit me yet. As we pulled up to the gate to pay for parking, I kept trying to look around to make it clear that it was real, but I had to intervene with David talking to the girl in the guard shack. I'd already explained that Sam's pass doesn't cover parking at Mount Rushmore, but he insisted on trying. Denied. No big deal...it was already in my plans. So, we parked and headed up.
First pic to try and snap myself into reality...
But I think this view was the first time it felt like we were really there...
We took pictures with our respective state flags...
And now time for a ton of pics from every little angle that seemed interesting.
Overkill...maybe (and this is only a fraction of them), but it reminded me of how people get when they see Cinderella Castle for the first time. It's one of those places you've seen all over the place for most of your life and now you're right there with it, in person. It's just such a surreal thing.
We wanted to explore some of the exhibits and museum type materials. Samantha was having some issues, so we opted for the elevator. Apparently...the Lincoln Elevator!
All in all, there was a lot of interesting information and items in the historical memorabilia. On top of that, we learned that no one died in the process of creating Mount Rushmore.
But I think this view was the first time it felt like we were really there...
We took pictures with our respective state flags...
And now time for a ton of pics from every little angle that seemed interesting.
Overkill...maybe (and this is only a fraction of them), but it reminded me of how people get when they see Cinderella Castle for the first time. It's one of those places you've seen all over the place for most of your life and now you're right there with it, in person. It's just such a surreal thing.
We wanted to explore some of the exhibits and museum type materials. Samantha was having some issues, so we opted for the elevator. Apparently...the Lincoln Elevator!
All in all, there was a lot of interesting information and items in the historical memorabilia. On top of that, we learned that no one died in the process of creating Mount Rushmore.
I guess the difference with this and the castle (well, one difference)...they want to show you how it was done, which is all very interesting.
We also hit up the book store. I LOVE books like this that wind up at all of the historical sites and parks.
We went back outside to take pictures from the bottom of the amphitheater. I didn't know it at the time, but this would play a huge role in our evening.
We didn't have time to go off on the trails if we wanted to do the other things on our list, so it was time to head out.
My husband had me take this pic for a good family friend from Kansas...wanted us to say that it's been booted out as a state. Silly things you do on vacation, but it's really just friendly sports rivalries between old friends and no bad feelings for Kansas. LOL
I regret not taking the time to stop for ice cream. They sell other flavors, but the big draw is Thomas Jefferson's recipe for vanilla. I have to dig around online, because I think I can make it at home.
I did have to stop quickly in the gift shop. I have a coworker who didn't want my gift for the team (at least for her) to be from Yellowstone or any place else. She just wanted Mount Rushmore. So, I picked this out...just to find that she wanted a post card. Ummmm...those don't travel well...at least not for me.
We also liked the state patches.
OK...more heading out...probably wouldn't be possible without him.
Time for our next stop...
It's not that it wasn't cool to see and isn't interesting, but I probably could have skipped dropping the $30 to get in and just seen this from the road.
As you can see, Crazy Horse is not complete. In fact, it's probably not going to be completed any time soon. It's been under construction since things started up with Mount Rushmore, but just didn't have the same kind of funding. Still, we were there and we paid, so we explored.
We could pay an extra $4 per person to take a bus closer to the site, but I wasn't going to drop another $16 when I already felt silly dropping $30.
So, we went inside to explore...
We also lost David around this time. We each tried to describe where we were, but everything started sounding the same. We eventually found him outside and I got a few more pics from this angle.
The girls thought it was interesting to play in the rock pieces that had been taken down to form the monument during the process.
But it was time to head back to the car. Of course, snapping pics on the way out...
We took the long way back, but got back to our lodging for the night to check in. It was a challenge finding parking since it was bikes bikes EVERYWHERE!
At least our room was ready, we had parking right next to the cabin set up containing our room, and settled in. I was so happy I made this change because I LOVED the whole log cabin vibe of the place. I also love that it was once a place to house blasting powder and bootleg liquor. It gives it a cool factor. The kids were also thrilled to have both tv and wifi, but the tv came with a disclaimer that they don't get all of the stations you might have in your "big cities." Had we stayed there longer, grabbing a bite to eat and sitting out on the deck in front of our room would have been nice too.
We could pay an extra $4 per person to take a bus closer to the site, but I wasn't going to drop another $16 when I already felt silly dropping $30.
So, we went inside to explore...
We also lost David around this time. We each tried to describe where we were, but everything started sounding the same. We eventually found him outside and I got a few more pics from this angle.
The girls thought it was interesting to play in the rock pieces that had been taken down to form the monument during the process.
But it was time to head back to the car. Of course, snapping pics on the way out...
We took the long way back, but got back to our lodging for the night to check in. It was a challenge finding parking since it was bikes bikes EVERYWHERE!
At least our room was ready, we had parking right next to the cabin set up containing our room, and settled in. I was so happy I made this change because I LOVED the whole log cabin vibe of the place. I also love that it was once a place to house blasting powder and bootleg liquor. It gives it a cool factor. The kids were also thrilled to have both tv and wifi, but the tv came with a disclaimer that they don't get all of the stations you might have in your "big cities." Had we stayed there longer, grabbing a bite to eat and sitting out on the deck in front of our room would have been nice too.
Just love that you feel tucked away in the woods at this place...
We also opted to eat at their restaurant for dinner since it got some of the best reviews for Keystone ... not to mention that it was convenient. I took some pics as we waited for a table.
We wound up at a table with a view. Honestly, it's kind of nice to look out at the trees and watch the bikes go by.
Oh, and I saw it on a billboard and had to try it!
(sweet and a juice-like feeling, but I kind of liked it.
Love that the kid's menu has some history.
I didn't eat the bread b/c it's on my list of no-no's, but David and the kids said it was good. We all liked the salad and it turns out, the kids love baby corn.
Kendall got bacon wrapped trout...
Sam got chicken parm...
David got bison prime rib...
And I got a wild game sampler with bison short ribs as well as elk, bison and venison sausages.
All in all, I think this was one of our better meals this trip. After dinner, we had some time before our evening plans, so the girls played on the playground and I took pictures.
I also took video to showcase the bike noise. I don't mind the bikes, except when I'm trying to sleep. We were hoping and praying that the traffic died down overnight so we weren't kept up all night with rumbling hogs.
It was getting dark and time to figure out our night...
We had the option of going back to Mount Rushmore for the Illumination or heading to Crazy Horse for the laser show. We opted for Mount Rushmore. We parked and started making our way up when we heard the dialogue and music for the show starting. Sadly, this is also when we'd discover we missed out on ice cream. Oh well. We rushed up to the top, but this was really all we saw at first.
It wasn't until one of the kids had to run to the restroom did we go down and see what was going on from the lower level.
The memorial, which was dark at first, was illuminated towards the end of the presentation.
The last segment of the video presentation ended with America the Beautiful, and that's when I started choking up. Then, they asked everyone who could to rise, so that we could sing the Star Spangled Banner. Here I am, standing beneath Mount Rushmore, singing the National Anthem...or trying to. Me...a trained singer who hopes to get back into it once the kids get older...so choked up that I can barely get out the notes. And then they asked all of the military in the crowd to come down and take the stage...which turned into a formal flag lowering ceremony. Now, I have never seen all of Flag Retreat at WDW and DLR, but this...this was so incredibly powerful. I mean, it was nearly hear a pin drop level of silence in there. And not only did I take pics...I remembered that I could take video.
Sorry it's just excerpts, but I was trying to record yet also experience...and that meant putting down the camera a bit.
We left, all feeling very moved by the experience. Only regret was not getting back in time for ice cream. So we headed out and headed back to our lodging.
Oh yea...I think paying for parking had us good for like the next year. I even saved the pass...not like we're going to be able to go back any time soon.
We drove through Keystone on the way back...looked a little less crazy.
And thankfully, the bike noise quieted down for the night and we all got some decent sleep.
It was getting dark and time to figure out our night...
We had the option of going back to Mount Rushmore for the Illumination or heading to Crazy Horse for the laser show. We opted for Mount Rushmore. We parked and started making our way up when we heard the dialogue and music for the show starting. Sadly, this is also when we'd discover we missed out on ice cream. Oh well. We rushed up to the top, but this was really all we saw at first.
It wasn't until one of the kids had to run to the restroom did we go down and see what was going on from the lower level.
The memorial, which was dark at first, was illuminated towards the end of the presentation.
The last segment of the video presentation ended with America the Beautiful, and that's when I started choking up. Then, they asked everyone who could to rise, so that we could sing the Star Spangled Banner. Here I am, standing beneath Mount Rushmore, singing the National Anthem...or trying to. Me...a trained singer who hopes to get back into it once the kids get older...so choked up that I can barely get out the notes. And then they asked all of the military in the crowd to come down and take the stage...which turned into a formal flag lowering ceremony. Now, I have never seen all of Flag Retreat at WDW and DLR, but this...this was so incredibly powerful. I mean, it was nearly hear a pin drop level of silence in there. And not only did I take pics...I remembered that I could take video.
Sorry it's just excerpts, but I was trying to record yet also experience...and that meant putting down the camera a bit.
We left, all feeling very moved by the experience. Only regret was not getting back in time for ice cream. So we headed out and headed back to our lodging.
Oh yea...I think paying for parking had us good for like the next year. I even saved the pass...not like we're going to be able to go back any time soon.
We drove through Keystone on the way back...looked a little less crazy.
And thankfully, the bike noise quieted down for the night and we all got some decent sleep.
The way these pics uploaded is really driving me crazy, but one of the treats is seeing what the kids were doing in the back seat. Apparently, they took a lot of pictures of each other to pass the time.
I will not be sharing all of the less than flattering pictures they took of me without my knowledge.
Aug 9-
I woke up kind of grumpy. I really liked the area and just wasn't ready to spend the better part of a day driving from Keystone, SD to Cody, WY. Oh yeah...it was also my birthday (extra points if you heard that in Rapunzel's voice), and it just wasn't feeling like a very celebratory thing to do.
Oh well, I got up, packed up and convinced Sam to not get into the coffee in the room...even though it had some fun names.
We decided to head back to the Powder House Restaurant for breakfast.
It gave our server a good laugh, but we decided to indulge Sam with her coffee wishes...
I honestly can't remember what David and Kendall ordered (not important enough to photograph!), but I had a bison patty and eggs. I was really happy that I could order this a la carte so that I wasn't having to order a meal that included things I couldn't eat.
Samantha had the real head turner. She was going to order their cinnamon roll and something else (like maybe bacon or pancakes) because we were afraid that a cinnamon roll wouldn't be enough food. Yeah...it was PLENTY of food! I mean, she even took off the Mickey hoodie to tackle this beast.
I also had to deal with something I wasn't anticipating. Not really a bad thing, but I don't think all of the bikers in for breakfast were expecting a 9 year old to be so in awe of all of their gear. Sam loves that look...often wears a crystal skull and crossbone necklace...fave softball socks are skulls, etc. So, she loved all of the ornate vests and shirts.
After breakfast, we checked out and headed back up to our room's parking area to get the vehicle. I also took a pic of the terrain behind the structure we were staying in because I thought it was neat with how much rock there was in the natural landscape.
We hit the road and started to make our way out of town...well, not before driving through a chunk of Rapid City. I couldn't take pics while driving, but I really liked the area. David did too...like buy a summer home in the hills "like." Not that we did...but it's a thought for down the road. We eventually got to 90 and started on the way...well, until David decided he needed soda, which had me stopping in the Sturgis area.
And not that I meant to capture these people in the shot, but I do think it's funny that I got the Sturgis sign in the hills right above their helmets.
*I figure we just got done with breakfast, so bacon to hide his face seemed appropriate.
The kids managed to get what I really wanted...
I took some pics from the rest area we stopped at right after getting back into Wyoming and the kids took other random pics along the way of the drive to our first stop (I'll spare you the kid pics...mainly fields). Oh, and I had to take a Disney reference pic...who wouldn't want to go to Aladdin?
A different WY rest stop picture...and no service here.
Ultimately, the first real stop was really just for lunch. I remember looking at this drive weeks before we traveled and it made me nervous. It looked like a lot of wide open spaces with very little civilization for miles upon miles after we hit a certain point. So, we stopped in Buffalo, WY for lunch.
Lunch was really nothing exciting. We had a few other options, but we wanted quick...yet also not something we get at home. So, this worked. David gave the chili a thumbs down, but the milkshake got better reviews.
We topped off the gas tank and got back on the road.
We'd debate for miles over whether or not we should have followed the GPS. He felt we should have continued on 90 to Sheridan and start heading west from that point, but the GPS wanted us to get off in Buffalo and cross the Bighorn National Forest on a more southern route. We kept seeing signs telling us to go the other way...the safer way (which may be a consideration if you're in bad weather or driving an RV), but it also implied that the GPS was right and that we were taking the faster way.
So, we decided to go with the GPS and entered Bighorn NF via 16...and it was beautiful.
I will not be sharing all of the less than flattering pictures they took of me without my knowledge.
Aug 9-
I woke up kind of grumpy. I really liked the area and just wasn't ready to spend the better part of a day driving from Keystone, SD to Cody, WY. Oh yeah...it was also my birthday (extra points if you heard that in Rapunzel's voice), and it just wasn't feeling like a very celebratory thing to do.
Oh well, I got up, packed up and convinced Sam to not get into the coffee in the room...even though it had some fun names.
We decided to head back to the Powder House Restaurant for breakfast.
It gave our server a good laugh, but we decided to indulge Sam with her coffee wishes...
I honestly can't remember what David and Kendall ordered (not important enough to photograph!), but I had a bison patty and eggs. I was really happy that I could order this a la carte so that I wasn't having to order a meal that included things I couldn't eat.
Samantha had the real head turner. She was going to order their cinnamon roll and something else (like maybe bacon or pancakes) because we were afraid that a cinnamon roll wouldn't be enough food. Yeah...it was PLENTY of food! I mean, she even took off the Mickey hoodie to tackle this beast.
I also had to deal with something I wasn't anticipating. Not really a bad thing, but I don't think all of the bikers in for breakfast were expecting a 9 year old to be so in awe of all of their gear. Sam loves that look...often wears a crystal skull and crossbone necklace...fave softball socks are skulls, etc. So, she loved all of the ornate vests and shirts.
After breakfast, we checked out and headed back up to our room's parking area to get the vehicle. I also took a pic of the terrain behind the structure we were staying in because I thought it was neat with how much rock there was in the natural landscape.
We hit the road and started to make our way out of town...well, not before driving through a chunk of Rapid City. I couldn't take pics while driving, but I really liked the area. David did too...like buy a summer home in the hills "like." Not that we did...but it's a thought for down the road. We eventually got to 90 and started on the way...well, until David decided he needed soda, which had me stopping in the Sturgis area.
And not that I meant to capture these people in the shot, but I do think it's funny that I got the Sturgis sign in the hills right above their helmets.
*I figure we just got done with breakfast, so bacon to hide his face seemed appropriate.
The kids managed to get what I really wanted...
I took some pics from the rest area we stopped at right after getting back into Wyoming and the kids took other random pics along the way of the drive to our first stop (I'll spare you the kid pics...mainly fields). Oh, and I had to take a Disney reference pic...who wouldn't want to go to Aladdin?
A different WY rest stop picture...and no service here.
Ultimately, the first real stop was really just for lunch. I remember looking at this drive weeks before we traveled and it made me nervous. It looked like a lot of wide open spaces with very little civilization for miles upon miles after we hit a certain point. So, we stopped in Buffalo, WY for lunch.
Lunch was really nothing exciting. We had a few other options, but we wanted quick...yet also not something we get at home. So, this worked. David gave the chili a thumbs down, but the milkshake got better reviews.
We topped off the gas tank and got back on the road.
We'd debate for miles over whether or not we should have followed the GPS. He felt we should have continued on 90 to Sheridan and start heading west from that point, but the GPS wanted us to get off in Buffalo and cross the Bighorn National Forest on a more southern route. We kept seeing signs telling us to go the other way...the safer way (which may be a consideration if you're in bad weather or driving an RV), but it also implied that the GPS was right and that we were taking the faster way.
So, we decided to go with the GPS and entered Bighorn NF via 16...and it was beautiful.
Still seeing a number of bikes...
It was about this time that my fears with steep cliffs and driving kicked in. Don't get me wrong...this was some of the most stunning scenery of the drive...but I'm more of a grandma driver when it comes to things like this and with David behind the wheel...well...
Thankfully, it was all OK. My only disappointment was that I didn't see any wildlife while we were driving. Although, we saw plenty of signs about how many have been killed by vehicles this year, so far. We also passed a beautiful lake area before we drove out of the forest...looked like there may have been a Boy Scout Camp down there too. Unfortunately, we were also passed up by an ambulance a few miles back and that ambulance was now at the lake. So, I really didn't want to take pics of someone's misfortune. Hopefully, everything turned out OK.
*Best lake pic is more a nice pic of David's arm!
We went through the town of Ten Sleep after leaving the forest.
We'd been seeing Crazy Woman this and that everywhere we'd driven during the trip and David likes to call me a crazy cat lady...even though I've never owned a cat and am definitely a dog person...but this was my chance to finally snap a pic of one of the Crazy Woman signs.
Oh, and I liked the story behind the town's name. I guess before autos and highways, this point used to be 10 sleeps to a handful of key spots in the area (one being Yellowstone).
After we left Ten Sleep, we went through a whole lotta nothing. I mean, I was expecting it, but I wasn't expecting it to feel so empty. Some of the fencing and the occasional corrals suggested that at least some of this may be someone's land for livestock purposes. Still, it was making me nervous and this was our first taste this trip of going through longer stretches with no phone service (started in the forest).
After making a northern turn, we'd go through towns like Worland, Washakie Ten, Manderson, Basin and Greybull. It all felt very off the beaten path, but we at least saw more farms during this stretch which made me freak a little less. After David not agreeing with the GPS's definition of what constitutes a few short turns, we took a western turn onto 14, which would take us into Cody. At least Kendall had a growing map collection...in case we got really lost and needed them.
Everyone also really needed to find a place to stop. I think this was in Emblem, WY. Official population is around 10, but it's surrounded by unincorporated areas that brings that number up over 100. Regardless, we needed a bathroom...they had a bathroom. We were buying sodas and snacks...they had sodas and snacks. I did notice how this was one of those stores that also does a bit of everything...convenience store, super market, hardware, etc. The kid behind the counter was sweet, but we got some stares from some locals coming in...like our appearances screamed TOURISTS! LOL Did the cameras give us away?
On a side note, one of the things I liked driving through the three states on this trip was all of the local rodeos. I knew about the Cody night rodeo, but I saw a number of smaller rodeo arenas in more populated spots along our various drives. I don't love or hate rodeo, but considering Houston has the what is supposedly the largest of them (and it can be a real pain with all of the crowds), it was cool seeing all of these other venues.
There wasn't much of anything between Emblem and Cody, but the mountains ahead were now much clearer and that got the girls excited about what was to come. Heck, it got me excited that we were much closer to our next destination.
*And sadly, since these are the kids' pics, I'm not 100% if these are them taking pics of the mountains ahead of us, or the ones to our east that we just left. I just know we could see them to the west at this point.
I didn't take many pictures on our first pass through Cody because I had to navigate. In fact, none of mine were from the downtown/commercial area...same with the kids (not sure what their excuse was LOL). We saw the little airport we would have flown from had I made my original plan work, we saw the hotel in town I was considering but nixed over bed size (Buffalo Bill Cody had called it a "gem"), and even passed the Walmart we'd be visiting later for some essentials. It was around that time when David was wondering what I'd booked and if it was even in Cody. It was from what I'd read, but it was far western Cody...almost in the Shoshone National Forest. Their address comes up as Cody, but basically, the lodging was about 14 miles west of downtown Cody.
So, David was getting annoyed, but I was getting excited. The terrain had started changing again, I could see a river running along side of us...and we were driving through tunnels that were going through the mountains (Sheep Mountain area). Sorry...bugs on the windshield did not make for good pictures and some of these are on the kids' camera.
It was about this time that my fears with steep cliffs and driving kicked in. Don't get me wrong...this was some of the most stunning scenery of the drive...but I'm more of a grandma driver when it comes to things like this and with David behind the wheel...well...
Thankfully, it was all OK. My only disappointment was that I didn't see any wildlife while we were driving. Although, we saw plenty of signs about how many have been killed by vehicles this year, so far. We also passed a beautiful lake area before we drove out of the forest...looked like there may have been a Boy Scout Camp down there too. Unfortunately, we were also passed up by an ambulance a few miles back and that ambulance was now at the lake. So, I really didn't want to take pics of someone's misfortune. Hopefully, everything turned out OK.
*Best lake pic is more a nice pic of David's arm!
We went through the town of Ten Sleep after leaving the forest.
We'd been seeing Crazy Woman this and that everywhere we'd driven during the trip and David likes to call me a crazy cat lady...even though I've never owned a cat and am definitely a dog person...but this was my chance to finally snap a pic of one of the Crazy Woman signs.
Oh, and I liked the story behind the town's name. I guess before autos and highways, this point used to be 10 sleeps to a handful of key spots in the area (one being Yellowstone).
After we left Ten Sleep, we went through a whole lotta nothing. I mean, I was expecting it, but I wasn't expecting it to feel so empty. Some of the fencing and the occasional corrals suggested that at least some of this may be someone's land for livestock purposes. Still, it was making me nervous and this was our first taste this trip of going through longer stretches with no phone service (started in the forest).
After making a northern turn, we'd go through towns like Worland, Washakie Ten, Manderson, Basin and Greybull. It all felt very off the beaten path, but we at least saw more farms during this stretch which made me freak a little less. After David not agreeing with the GPS's definition of what constitutes a few short turns, we took a western turn onto 14, which would take us into Cody. At least Kendall had a growing map collection...in case we got really lost and needed them.
Everyone also really needed to find a place to stop. I think this was in Emblem, WY. Official population is around 10, but it's surrounded by unincorporated areas that brings that number up over 100. Regardless, we needed a bathroom...they had a bathroom. We were buying sodas and snacks...they had sodas and snacks. I did notice how this was one of those stores that also does a bit of everything...convenience store, super market, hardware, etc. The kid behind the counter was sweet, but we got some stares from some locals coming in...like our appearances screamed TOURISTS! LOL Did the cameras give us away?
On a side note, one of the things I liked driving through the three states on this trip was all of the local rodeos. I knew about the Cody night rodeo, but I saw a number of smaller rodeo arenas in more populated spots along our various drives. I don't love or hate rodeo, but considering Houston has the what is supposedly the largest of them (and it can be a real pain with all of the crowds), it was cool seeing all of these other venues.
There wasn't much of anything between Emblem and Cody, but the mountains ahead were now much clearer and that got the girls excited about what was to come. Heck, it got me excited that we were much closer to our next destination.
*And sadly, since these are the kids' pics, I'm not 100% if these are them taking pics of the mountains ahead of us, or the ones to our east that we just left. I just know we could see them to the west at this point.
I didn't take many pictures on our first pass through Cody because I had to navigate. In fact, none of mine were from the downtown/commercial area...same with the kids (not sure what their excuse was LOL). We saw the little airport we would have flown from had I made my original plan work, we saw the hotel in town I was considering but nixed over bed size (Buffalo Bill Cody had called it a "gem"), and even passed the Walmart we'd be visiting later for some essentials. It was around that time when David was wondering what I'd booked and if it was even in Cody. It was from what I'd read, but it was far western Cody...almost in the Shoshone National Forest. Their address comes up as Cody, but basically, the lodging was about 14 miles west of downtown Cody.
So, David was getting annoyed, but I was getting excited. The terrain had started changing again, I could see a river running along side of us...and we were driving through tunnels that were going through the mountains (Sheep Mountain area). Sorry...bugs on the windshield did not make for good pictures and some of these are on the kids' camera.
I was kind of smitten with the pictures of these cabins when I booked (and is why I booked), but there was that part of me that was starting to wish I'd paid the extra and stayed at the nice Best Western we'd passed when driving through downtown Cody. Here I go second guessing myself when it's too late. Maybe it was because we'd already be there if I'd gone with something else? I even felt a bit uneasy when we pulled up. We were definitely in the right place...I saw the sign and the address...but we had to drive up past the cabins to find the owner's house for check in. And when we got there, there as a sign that they'd be back in 5 minutes. So...I waited.
Then a dog came to say hi. Looked like a black lab mix. While a bit cautious, she seemed friendly enough and we were all missing our dog, so naturally the kids came out to say hi to her too...well, after going through the unfamiliar dog reminders. The owners pulled up shortly after, checked us in, told us we had the best cabin, and we were on our way. They even offered to get us some bug spray in case we thought the mosquitos were bad. Now, the WiFi was spotty since we were far from the main house and limited cable, but this was probably my most favorite "room" view for the entire trip. Powder House in Keystone was the fave interior, but this...just WOW!
And it had enough of a kitchen that we could really have stayed there for a while if we were doing more in the area. Oh...and David no longer questioned my judgement and choice after seeing it. I mentioned liking the Powder House room interior better, but this one was still pretty cool too.
So, we settled in for a bit. Sam even gifted Kendall the top bunk as an early birthday present. Too bad Sam developed this strange fear that the top bunk would fall on her (totally stable), Kendall had a fear of heights kick in...so K slept on the bottom and Sam slept on a small couch in the room. They also loved all of the plush left as accents in the room.
It was time to head out and find some place for dinner. The first place we went to was a reservations only sort of thing, but said they could work us in probably in about an hour and fifteen minutes...nope moved on. Since it was my birthday, they decided to let me pick. We wound up going to a German place. The menu looked good, but I misread it and all of the special dishes were only offered on weekends and it was strictly one special per weekend. So, everything that looked good was a big fat no. They were also out of a number of things on the regular menu. There were a lot of schnitzels, but I couldn't eat those. At least this kids and David could. So, I settled for fish.
Long story short...the fish was gross. And the veggies they gave me clearly came from a frozen bag...which is fine for home on a rushed night, but not in a restaurant.
Sam and David enjoyed their schnitzels. So that was good. Although, the spaetzle was awful (looks decent though). I'm not supposed to eat it, but I tried a teeny tiny bite and it was nasty.
Kendall enjoyed the big pretzel in our appetizer and I liked the sliced brats that came with it.
I was the only one that enjoyed the cucumber salad. It wasn't like any I'd had before and reminded me more of tzatziki, but it was tasty to me.
Oh...and no pictures of it, but Kendall decided to skip schnitzel for her entree and got shrimp. MISTAKE! Not sure of the odds, but the stupid shrimp ended up breaking one of her brackets for her braces. Shrimp!?!?!? She's avoided all kinds of foods that were on the no-no list...but not shrimp! This meal was cursed!
It was an odd looking place for a German restaurant, but I did get a cute pic of the kids on the way out.
Although, their "rare" white bison pic is pretty good too.
And clearly, it's Buffalo Bill everything around here.
So, to make things better and make up for missed ice cream the previous night, I found this adorable soda saloon just up the street. (found it on Yelp during dinner)
I could even see the Irma Hotel from outside the window...and lots of bikes.
So, here we were at Annie's Soda Saloon and the kids were so happy. Even David got pie. Unfortnately, I can't eat anything...but that's OK. It still had that amazing smell that was a blend of baked goods, candies, and ice cream. They also had really great allergy practices and made sure Kendall got some ice cream as well.
*Mom of family behind Sam kept turning and staring at her, like she knew her. We have no idea who they were, but it kind of freaked her out.
If you're wondering about what I can and can't eat and why...it's a long personal story, but I'm trying to avoid certain types of dairy, wheat/gluten, and anything with sugar that doesn't occur naturally. Needless to say, it's not easy and later on in the trip, you'll see me get really frustrated and pay the price.
After ice cream, we got back to the Jeep and headed to Walmart. Lotion and chapstick were in order because of the dry air, we needed wax to try and hold Kendall's bracket, some breakfast for the next day...and bear spray! It's one of those things that you don't want to need, but would hate to need it and not have it.
After Walmart, we drove back to the cabin with a beautiful sunset up ahead of us.
Long story short...the fish was gross. And the veggies they gave me clearly came from a frozen bag...which is fine for home on a rushed night, but not in a restaurant.
Sam and David enjoyed their schnitzels. So that was good. Although, the spaetzle was awful (looks decent though). I'm not supposed to eat it, but I tried a teeny tiny bite and it was nasty.
Kendall enjoyed the big pretzel in our appetizer and I liked the sliced brats that came with it.
I was the only one that enjoyed the cucumber salad. It wasn't like any I'd had before and reminded me more of tzatziki, but it was tasty to me.
Oh...and no pictures of it, but Kendall decided to skip schnitzel for her entree and got shrimp. MISTAKE! Not sure of the odds, but the stupid shrimp ended up breaking one of her brackets for her braces. Shrimp!?!?!? She's avoided all kinds of foods that were on the no-no list...but not shrimp! This meal was cursed!
It was an odd looking place for a German restaurant, but I did get a cute pic of the kids on the way out.
Although, their "rare" white bison pic is pretty good too.
And clearly, it's Buffalo Bill everything around here.
So, to make things better and make up for missed ice cream the previous night, I found this adorable soda saloon just up the street. (found it on Yelp during dinner)
I could even see the Irma Hotel from outside the window...and lots of bikes.
So, here we were at Annie's Soda Saloon and the kids were so happy. Even David got pie. Unfortnately, I can't eat anything...but that's OK. It still had that amazing smell that was a blend of baked goods, candies, and ice cream. They also had really great allergy practices and made sure Kendall got some ice cream as well.
*Mom of family behind Sam kept turning and staring at her, like she knew her. We have no idea who they were, but it kind of freaked her out.
If you're wondering about what I can and can't eat and why...it's a long personal story, but I'm trying to avoid certain types of dairy, wheat/gluten, and anything with sugar that doesn't occur naturally. Needless to say, it's not easy and later on in the trip, you'll see me get really frustrated and pay the price.
After ice cream, we got back to the Jeep and headed to Walmart. Lotion and chapstick were in order because of the dry air, we needed wax to try and hold Kendall's bracket, some breakfast for the next day...and bear spray! It's one of those things that you don't want to need, but would hate to need it and not have it.
After Walmart, we drove back to the cabin with a beautiful sunset up ahead of us.
We also passed the Cody Nite Rodeo. I'd really thought we would want to do it, but we were tired and it was getting chilly (for us), so we just headed back to the cabin for the night. It wasn't the most exciting birthday, but I was still thankful we made it through our big driving day without any real issues and were surrounded with such beautiful scenery.
Coming up...August 10th- We arrive at Yellowstone National Park
ajrwdwgirl
Premium Member
I'm really enjoying your report too. It bring back memories of our road trip to Yellowstone. You are traveling basically the same route we did from South Dakota to Wyoming!
Tick Tock
Well-Known Member
LOVE the cabin you booked and the surrounding views. I bet you all were glad you didn't opt for the Best Western up the road. BW's are nice, but you can stay in those anywhere, and they're pretty much the same anywhere. What you picked was truly fitting for the theme of the trip and that area.
Thank you! It's funny, because we had so many conversations along those lines during this trip. When we got back, or orthodontist (who seems to dabble in a bit of everything and has friends everywhere), told us about his friends from these parts. They had stories passed down for generations about how both rugged terrain and Indian attacks made it incredibly difficult to visit these parts back in the early days. I can't begin to imagine.
I'm hoping to have day 1 of Yellowstone added by tomorrow. It's going to go slower after that though, since we took more pics and did more on subsequent YNP days.
Thanks! It's funny how isolated these areas can feel, yet we all take so many similar paths in the process. I guess at least a greater level of isolation means more stays unchanged...well, to a certain degree.
The cabin was amazing. The BW had a cool lodge look on the exterior, but we would have never had these views. It has to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever stayed.
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
Oh man, I want that cinnamon roll!! Decades ago, before they redid Mount Rushmore (The visitor center was separate from the giftshop and restaurant, the walk of flags was in a different place, there was no huge archway at the entrance...they changed that all when I was a senior in high school) they had a little restaurant and there was a breakfast option for each president...One was a sweetroll, (I think Jefferson) one was standard eggs and sausage or bacon, I think one was probably pancakes? I don't remember the other....I always got the sweetroll. We'd go there first thing in the morning and have breakfast, and then go exploring.The way these pics uploaded is really driving me crazy, but one of the treats is seeing what the kids were doing in the back seat. Apparently, they took a lot of pictures of each other to pass the time.
I will not be sharing all of the less than flattering pictures they took of me without my knowledge.
Aug 9-
I woke up kind of grumpy. I really liked the area and just wasn't ready to spend the better part of a day driving from Keystone, SD to Cody, WY. Oh yeah...it was also my birthday (extra points if you heard that in Rapunzel's voice), and it just wasn't feeling like a very celebratory thing to do.
Oh well, I got up, packed up and convinced Sam to not get into the coffee in the room...even though it had some fun names.
We decided to head back to the Powder House Restaurant for breakfast.
It gave our server a good laugh, but we decided to indulge Sam with her coffee wishes...
I honestly can't remember what David and Kendall ordered (not important enough to photograph!), but I had a bison patty and eggs. I was really happy that I could order this a la carte so that I wasn't having to order a meal that included things I couldn't eat.
Samantha had the real head turner. She was going to order their cinnamon roll and something else (like maybe bacon or pancakes) because we were afraid that a cinnamon roll wouldn't be enough food. Yeah...it was PLENTY of food! I mean, she even took off the Mickey hoodie to tackle this beast.
I also had to deal with something I wasn't anticipating. Not really a bad thing, but I don't think all of the bikers in for breakfast were expecting a 9 year old to be so in awe of all of their gear. Sam loves that look...often wears a crystal skull and crossbone necklace...fave softball socks are skulls, etc. So, she loved all of the ornate vests and shirts.
After breakfast, we checked out and headed back up to our room's parking area to get the vehicle. I also took a pic of the terrain behind the structure we were staying in because I thought it was neat with how much rock there was in the natural landscape.
We hit the road and started to make our way out of town...well, not before driving through a chunk of Rapid City. I couldn't take pics while driving, but I really liked the area. David did too...like buy a summer home in the hills "like." Not that we did...but it's a thought for down the road. We eventually got to 90 and started on the way...well, until David decided he needed soda, which had me stopping in the Sturgis area.
And not that I meant to capture these people in the shot, but I do think it's funny that I got the Sturgis sign in the hills right above their helmets.
*I figure we just got done with breakfast, so bacon to hide his face seemed appropriate.
The kids managed to get what I really wanted...
I took some pics from the rest area we stopped at right after getting back into Wyoming and the kids took other random pics along the way of the drive to our first stop (I'll spare you the kid pics...mainly fields). Oh, and I had to take a Disney reference pic...who wouldn't want to go to Aladdin?
A different WY rest stop picture...and no service here.
Ultimately, the first real stop was really just for lunch. I remember looking at this drive weeks before we traveled and it made me nervous. It looked like a lot of wide open spaces with very little civilization for miles upon miles after we hit a certain point. So, we stopped in Buffalo, WY for lunch.
Lunch was really nothing exciting. We had a few other options, but we wanted quick...yet also not something we get at home. So, this worked. David gave the chili a thumbs down, but the milkshake got better reviews.
We topped off the gas tank and got back on the road.
We'd debate for miles over whether or not we should have followed the GPS. He felt we should have continued on 90 to Sheridan and start heading west from that point, but the GPS wanted us to get off in Buffalo and cross the Bighorn National Forest on a more southern route. We kept seeing signs telling us to go the other way...the safer way (which may be a consideration if you're in bad weather or driving an RV), but it also implied that the GPS was right and that we were taking the faster way.
So, we decided to go with the GPS and entered Bighorn NF via 16...and it was beautiful.
And yes, I think the parking tag is good for a year. If you ever decide to go back, look into things like the 1880 train, Spearfish Canyon, the fish hatchery, and the needles drive...although if you don't like twisty roads with sheer dropoffs the needles highway might not be for you.
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
Wow....I don't think I've ever heard of Emblem, Wyoming. I'd guess the stares you got were not necessarily how you looked....just the fact that you were there screams tourist. In most of those smaller towns, everyone knows everyone, so anyone you don't recognize must be a tourist. Funny story: Every year, our town held a celebration of the incorporation of the town. There was a parade, bed races, a street dance, craft fair, etc. (Think the fair in Pollyanna) One year, they decided they were going to find a tourist family coming through and make them honorary town members for the day and they'd have VIP access to everything...a ride on a float in the parade, tickets to the rodeo, etc. So the way they planned to do this was to have the local highway patrolman sit at the intersection on the highway by our town and pull over the first out-of-state license plate car they saw. Only they sat there and sat there and sat there and the only out-of-state car that came by, they pulled over, and it was a family heading to a funeral, so obviously they couldn't be delayed and weren't in a celebratory mood. The best laid plans. The point being that you stood out from the locals just by being there in the first place.Still seeing a number of bikes...
It was about this time that my fears with steep cliffs and driving kicked in. Don't get me wrong...this was some of the most stunning scenery of the drive...but I'm more of a grandma driver when it comes to things like this and with David behind the wheel...well...
Thankfully, it was all OK. My only disappointment was that I didn't see any wildlife while we were driving. Although, we saw plenty of signs about how many have been killed by vehicles this year, so far. We also passed a beautiful lake area before we drove out of the forest...looked like there may have been a Boy Scout Camp down there too. Unfortunately, we were also passed up by an ambulance a few miles back and that ambulance was now at the lake. So, I really didn't want to take pics of someone's misfortune. Hopefully, everything turned out OK.
*Best lake pic is more a nice pic of David's arm!
We went through the town of Ten Sleep after leaving the forest.
We'd been seeing Crazy Woman this and that everywhere we'd driven during the trip and David likes to call me a crazy cat lady...even though I've never owned a cat and am definitely a dog person...but this was my chance to finally snap a pic of one of the Crazy Woman signs.
Oh, and I liked the story behind the town's name. I guess before autos and highways, this point used to be 10 sleeps to a handful of key spots in the area (one being Yellowstone).
After we left Ten Sleep, we went through a whole lotta nothing. I mean, I was expecting it, but I wasn't expecting it to feel so empty. Some of the fencing and the occasional corrals suggested that at least some of this may be someone's land for livestock purposes. Still, it was making me nervous and this was our first taste this trip of going through longer stretches with no phone service (started in the forest).
After making a northern turn, we'd go through towns like Worland, Washakie Ten, Manderson, Basin and Greybull. It all felt very off the beaten path, but we at least saw more farms during this stretch which made me freak a little less. After David not agreeing with the GPS's definition of what constitutes a few short turns, we took a western turn onto 14, which would take us into Cody. At least Kendall had a growing map collection...in case we got really lost and needed them.
Everyone also really needed to find a place to stop. I think this was in Emblem, WY. Official population is around 10, but it's surrounded by unincorporated areas that brings that number up over 100. Regardless, we needed a bathroom...they had a bathroom. We were buying sodas and snacks...they had sodas and snacks. I did notice how this was one of those stores that also does a bit of everything...convenience store, super market, hardware, etc. The kid behind the counter was sweet, but we got some stares from some locals coming in...like our appearances screamed TOURISTS! LOL Did the cameras give us away?
On a side note, one of the things I liked driving through the three states on this trip was all of the local rodeos. I knew about the Cody night rodeo, but I saw a number of smaller rodeo arenas in more populated spots along our various drives. I don't love or hate rodeo, but considering Houston has the what is supposedly the largest of them (and it can be a real pain with all of the crowds), it was cool seeing all of these other venues.
There wasn't much of anything between Emblem and Cody, but the mountains ahead were now much clearer and that got the girls excited about what was to come. Heck, it got me excited that we were much closer to our next destination.
*And sadly, since these are the kids' pics, I'm not 100% if these are them taking pics of the mountains ahead of us, or the ones to our east that we just left. I just know we could see them to the west at this point.
I didn't take many pictures on our first pass through Cody because I had to navigate. In fact, none of mine were from the downtown/commercial area...same with the kids (not sure what their excuse was LOL). We saw the little airport we would have flown from had I made my original plan work, we saw the hotel in town I was considering but nixed over bed size (Buffalo Bill Cody had called it a "gem"), and even passed the Walmart we'd be visiting later for some essentials. It was around that time when David was wondering what I'd booked and if it was even in Cody. It was from what I'd read, but it was far western Cody...almost in the Shoshone National Forest. Their address comes up as Cody, but basically, the lodging was about 14 miles west of downtown Cody.
So, David was getting annoyed, but I was getting excited. The terrain had started changing again, I could see a river running along side of us...and we were driving through tunnels that were going through the mountains (Sheep Mountain area). Sorry...bugs on the windshield did not make for good pictures and some of these are on the kids' camera.