Devil's Tower, Wyoming

We departed from Cody at 6:30 this morning as we have a good drive ahead of us. In spite of a mountain climb from 5016 feet to 9568 ft, the scenery was beautiful. Part way up the mountain we pulled into an overlook area to give our babies a breather and to cool down. I am positive I heard the Road Runner say: " I think I can, I think I can!" Under my breathe I could hear myself say: "I'll be glad to get over the mountains!" It seems like that is all we have been in since Joshua Tree National Park. Yes, that was sometime before the 4Th of July! We have done our share of mountains and are ready for the Plains. But first we have some good hills in the Black Hills of South Dakota!

Lake View from Mountain Overpass

Coming through Buffalo, WY we had a small detour. Seems they were having a parade. We did see some fancy horse units that had already finished the route. We are now in Devil's Tower, WY in a KOA. Shortly after the Tilton Hilton and The Happy Turtle were hooked up to landlines (electricity that is), we took the Road Runner up to Devil's Tower National Monument.

For those followers who have never seen Devil's Tower, let me give you some statistics. The Tower rises 867 feet from its base and stands 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River and is 5,112 feet above sea level. The area of its teardrop-shaped top is 1.5 acres. The diameter of its base is 1,000 ft. It is also the first national monument, so designated by President Teddy Roosevelt in 1906. That's your history lesson for today.

Devil's Tower -West Side

Several Indian nations of the Great Plains share similar legends on the origin of this prominent butte. The Kiowa Indians say: "Eight children were there at play, seven sisters and their brother. Suddenly the lad was stuck dumb, he trembled and began to run upon his hands and feet. His fingers became claws, and his body was covered with fur. Where the boy had stood was now standing a bear. The sisters were terrified; they ran and the bear ran after them. They came to a stump of a great tree and the tree spoke to them. It told the sisters to climb upon it, and as they did so, the stump began to rise into the air. The bear came to kill them, but they were just beyond it's reach. It reared against the tree and scored the bark all around with it's claws. The seven sisters were borne into the sky and they became the stars of the Big Dipper.

If one saw the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", directed by Steven Speilberg and starring Richard Dreyfus and Teri Carr, right away one would remember Devil's Tower played a big part in the movie.

Devil's Tower -South side

Located in the park is a Prairie Dog Town. A sign says "DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS". Well to look at them, I would say they eat very well. Chubby little fellows. If one comes too close, they start this chattering to warn other prairie dogs , and down in their burrows they go.

I'll sit and pose if you take my picture, but don't come too close.

So back to camp, Our chef made spaghetti and sausage with garlic bread for dinner and just as we were about to sit down to eat, a rain storm with hail chased us indoors. We are heading for the Black Hills of South Dakota tomorrow. I hope they are hills, and NOT mountains.

The Terrific Threesome....rolling down the roads.