in Deadwood SD

August 25, 2010

After leaving Jasper, then Golden, we spent a couple of nights in motels as we traveled through the Okanagan Valley in southern BC, and then stopped to view Dry Falls in Washington and stayed in Kinnewick WA and then on to Boise ID. Visited our friends Jim and Judy there and also visited the capitol.
Then we spent the next night in Idaho Falls and then to the Tetons and Yellowstone for 7 nights of camping, not even a phone signal in most areas. Met Cathy and Larry there and spent 3 days with them, went on a couple of hikes and out to the Lamar Valley to view the herds of buffalo.

Yesterday we left the Fishing Bridge area (in Yellowstone) and drove out the east entrance to Cody, a spectacular scenic drive, then continued east through the Bighorn Mountains to Sheridan WY where we spent last night. the road from Greybull to Sheridan was about a 30mph road, twisting and winding up and up and through the mountains, one of the most awesome scenic drives anywhere. Stopped at the viewpoint at Shell Creek to view the waterfalls. Surprised to see a couple of hummingbird feeders and about a dozen hummingbirds there, watched those for about 20 minutes.

This morning we left Sheridan on I-90 driving east to Gillette where we spent about 3 hours, wanted to go on a coal mine tour but they stopped tours Aug 20, so we went to an overlook and watched the big, I mean big, trucks hauling dirt out, I suppose for the beginning of a new strip mine. Tires on the trucks are 16 ft diameter. Then went to the Rockpile Museum, so named because it's next to a huge rockpile. Had all sorts of memorabilia, rifles, pistols, coal mine history etc, old wagons from wagon trains, a caboose we could go in and look around, fossils, and much more. Had some natural "cannonballs" formed by water, were about 20 inch diameter. Ate lunch and continued on to Deadwood where we are tonight. We are in a Hampton Inn and 4 Aces Casino. Walked up and down the old western town. An old car show is coming in to start tomorrow and many of the old cars are already in town and were interesting to see. Tomorrow we plan to tour a few things in the area, maybe go on a gold mine tour.

Tomorrow... don't know where or how far we'll get.... but we are back to travels and motels, don't plan to do any more camping.