Trip #102 (33): Wyoming and Montana, Farewell to Katy

Trip #102 (33): Wyoming and Montana, Farewell to Katy

July 7 – 27, 2019

Wyoming is beautiful!

2019

Tuesday, July 16 – Drive to Big Sky, planned ahead to stay at an RV camp, elec and water. Lucked out to be on the backside, away from the noise of the interstate. Went to town to walk the boulevard, this place is busy. Started to rain so good time to duck into one of the many coffee shops. Found a decent farmer’s market was right in town at the park so checked that out in the mud. Later went to Belgrade to go to the Mint for dinner. Place seems to have been updated and cleaned up. Still raining lightly.

Tuesday, July 16

Went for a bike ride in the neighborhood behind us, gradual uphill, about 4 or more miles. Back to town for dinner with a stop at the antique store – more books. Dinner outside at Montana Brewery and another walk on the other end of the boulevard.

Thursday, June 18

Drive to Big Sky, with a stop at Garden Barn after Gallatin Gateway (scored 2 self-watering pots). Beautiful drive and weather, high 70s. Set up camp at Red Cliff, boon docking. Made a stop at O’Connor’s and met Kevin and family, then took a drive to the Town Center. Looked around and asked a bike shop about a bike trail and ended up riding a bit around the golf course – steep return!!! We see there will be a meadow concert later, sounds good. Went back an cleaned up to have dinner at the Corral, then on to the concert. Huge turnout, it is the event of the week or month, however often it happens. Lots of good food, had we known we would have eaten here. Called it an early night – the memorial is tomorrow at noon. This was a funk band from Calif, not bad but kinda disco-ish.

Friday, June 19

Beautiful morning, hung out before time to leave. Watching we don’t bring inch worms into the trailer on our shirts… Great turnout at Bucks T4, nice service and talks by the brave, including Dan and Amy. Took a drive up to Lone Mountain afterwards, not much going on except families playing in the big lake. Hung around the trailer until the 6pm service of spreading the ashes. Another good turnout, emotional time for all, everyone took some ashes in Katy’s favorite teacup and spread them across the three dog headstones. Chatted with a life-long friend of Katy who happens to love Santa Fe. Small world. Another beautiful weather day, did my best to get some good photos for Jim.

Saturday, June 20

Went for a hike at Bison Horn, behind 320 Ranch. Chosen at random, it was more of a multi-purpose trail, with hikers, mountain bikers, horses and even dirt bikes. But nice gradual hike with gorgeous wildflowers – the wild geraniums and roses were especially brilliant. All in all we did 5 miles, surprisingly. Didn’t think we could – been a while. Later we, most of the out of towners, went to dinner at Bucks again, but first a stop a O’Connors. Turned to be 14 or 16 people, and Bill found out he should ask before ordering – Mezcal margarita, $26 x 2. Ouch. Went back to the house to play with Newt, much to Jim’s chagrin, and enjoy some time with Amy and Don, Kevin and Michelle and Jim. Our last night here.

Sunday, June  21

Want to try to get into Yellowstone. We did! Mammoth campground. No reservations and lucked out with a great spot up high. Another nice cool-ish day. Did the back hike up to the village, checked it out, then came back and had dinner. Took an evening ride hoping to see some critters, and did b a r e l y see two (I only saw one) bear cubs on the Blacktail Drive. Pretty lucky. I did see black fur. Not much else but a large herd of elk on a mountainside.

Monday, June 22

Got up and headed out for a north loop drive. Pretty busy out there, but saw the Grand Canyon and water fall, view of artist paint pots PARKING LOT—too busy to park—just kept moving. Everything is so green and beautiful, tried to get pics but tough out the window on the move.

Tuesday, June 23

Left the park out the East Roosevelt exit to Lamar Valley hoping to see Bison. Well we sure did, and they felt like walking in traffic, and so we crawled. Some impatient motorcyclists tried to pass him and he gave them a charge! Needless to say, his friends stayed back. We must have crawled along for an hour before we got some open road. Ut was their road hiking day I guess. First time out that excit – gorgeous! We want to camp on that side next time. Next thing was the Chief Joseph drive, more beauty!! A bridge over Clark’s Fork gorge, a mountain pass (with nice shoulders), just green and PINE SMELLING beauty. Town of Meeteese, and a wild history, just did a drive thru. Continued down the Wind River Canyon and found a camping spot along there at Boysen SP. It was very nice, with the river, but it was HOT with no electric and our worst night yet. Ambien helped end the restlessness.

Wednesday, June 24

A long day of driving, but still heading south out of Wyoming, figuring on visiting Jeff in Steamboat Springs, but they are out of town, so focused ourselves on Oregon Trail RUTS! Going from Shishone down to Riverton and Lander, we followed the historic markers and got so bold as to dump the trailer near South Pass and actually drive the ruts. Pretty cool, how in hell they did this is beyond me. It was super windy which made it annoying, but we did a couple miles and turned back. Since cars are allowed over it, it’s pretty smooth in that part, but imagine being the first few groups over, I do not think so. But they  had a guide with landmarks. Pretty warm now, 88, so kept going south to Flaming Gorge, ending up at Dutch John’s Resort. Again, lucked out getting a FULL HOOKUP spot, as rain threatens all around, it’s good to have electric, I must say. And Laundry – and on that note, I now stop typing to check my washer.

RIP: Art Neville, Rutger Hauer