Day 6 – Wyoming

Miles traveled: 113
Hours on Road: 8
States covered: 2 – South Dakota, Wyoming

As I write this I am sitting under a tree eating crackers and cheese with a clear view of Devils Tower. We’re camped near its base in a clean, quiet, well-run KOA. We’ve already hiked around the base of Devils Tower (1.3 miles) and witnessed several crazy people climbing it. I can see why the Native Americans think of this place as sacred. It’s so peaceful here.

We left Spokane Creek campground around 8 this morning. Our first stop was at Bear Country, a drive-through animal park. A cute young guy who works there cleaned our windshield so we could see the animals through it. It wasn’t messy from dirt. It was gross from bug carnage. As we drive along the highway, giant masses of creatures play chicken with the windshield, and they inevitably lose. Sometimes just smudges are left, but often an entire carcass remains. As he was cleaning he asked what part of Connecticut we were from. He said he’s heading to Bristol (and I bet Jeff can guess why!) He’s setting up an internship at ESPN. I told him it’s a lot different back east. He’s going to find it much more crowded. Even with the masses of tourists out here, there’s so much land, it never seems crowded.

On the drive around the park we saw elk, reindeer, wolves, bears, bison, cougars, and all sorts of baby animals. Frankly, in the baby animal section, we didn’t see anything that you can’t see in Connecticut: bobcat, raccoon, skunk, otter, coyote, fox, black bear. I’m going to be loading pictures to Kodak gallery soon, and I refuse to put photos of skunks, which the boys did take, into the album. Just go camp at Fisherman’s Memorial if you want skunks. One walked right between my feet one evening while I was reading at the table, which also happened to be inside a screened in tent! But the boys loved it. When we first got there we were stuck behind a poke-along camper. The rangers at the gate had handed out papers saying this is the busiest week of the year so we needed to be patient and aware that long lines may develop (it’s as if they knew I was coming). Traffic was so slow, at one point after Parker had taken a picture out the passenger window, he turned around to find me looking into the rearview mirror plucking a few erroneous chin hairs while slowly following traffic. He just shook head and said, “What are you doing?” I explained that I needed the combination of light and a mirror to do the job and I currently had both. It’s not that I’d have a five o’clock shadow by evening, I don’t have to shave or anything, but let’s just say, if I didn’t take the time at some point during the trip, people would start to wonder if it was really me in the photos or if Jeff really took the kids on this vacation.

If I were on “Survivor” and they didn’t let me take my tweezers, by day 25 people would be asking, “Who’s that new guy? I didn’t know they added people partway through the show. That doesn’t seem fair.” I blame all the pumpkin seeds I ate in Italy. I was addicted to them. One of my friends over there told me I shouldn’t eat too many because they contain lots of testosterone. Now I’m paying the price. Damn pumpkin seeds.

But I digress. We were all really patient with the camper, until the bear section, and then they just didn’t move. They caused a line of traffic with about 30 cars behind them. The first chance we got after that we passed them. The Bear Country side trip took a good two hours.

The drive to Devils Tower was the shortest of the trip so far, so we weren’t in a big hurry. We still had that 75 mph speed limit, but with the wind gusts we were experiencing, I kept my speed below 65. Honestly, what is happening to me? I admit I’m starting to get a little tired, but going slower than the speed limit? Am I that old?

We could see Devils Tower from quite a distance, so we kept stopping to get photos from every vantage point. After the entrance there’s a bit of a drive to get to the visitors center. Along that road are thousands of prairie dogs. They pretty much took all the thunder from Devils Tower for a while, but they sure are cute little creatures.

When we arrived at the parking lot, we saw two young guys with climbing gear. I asked them if they’d just climbed the tower, and they had. The boys thought that was cool. There’s a trail that circles the tower, so we walked that. We saw two climbers already at the top and two other sets of two climbers halfway up. I told the boys that Uncle Rod and Mr. Bayers have done climbs like that. They were very impressed.

We went into the store at the KOA where we’re staying. The boys all bought souvenirs. Cal was the only one who didn’t have a vacation collection of any sort. Parker has been collecting crystal cubes with pictures of the places he’s visited inside them. Trey has started (just on this trip) collecting coins of places we visit. I told Cal that everywhere we go, I guarantee they’ll have shot glasses. So that is now his collection goal. The cashier did not think it was a good idea. She said to me, “He’s a little young to be buying a shot glass.” I said, “He’s not going to drink from it. Unless it’s juice or something like that.” Why do some people think the rest of us want their two-cent advice?

The boys are currently out riding bikes. These bikes are low to the ground and have canvas, sling-like seats. The rider’s feet are out in front of him and he steers by leaning. They’re complaining that the seats are uncomfortable, but they’re having fun. When they’re done, I’ll take them swimming then we’ll go watch “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” with Devils Tower as a backdrop.

Tomorrow we head south, and in two days we’ll be in Jackson, where we’ll meet up with my nephew John. The next day DAD will be here!! Yeah!!

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