Sunday, May 28, 2017

This delayed report is for yesterday, Day-29, May 27, of our Utah Trip.  We traveled 184 miles, including side trips, from Lander WY to Cody WY where we will be until Tuesday.  Along the way we drove through the Wind River Canyon where there have been many recent rock slides, some with bus-size boulders that rolled right across the road.  The signs warn of rocks on the road and they really mean it.  Further along we stopped to view the hot springs in the town of Thermopolis, which also has an exciting very bouncy footbridge over the Big Horn River.  The cable bridge sways and bounces as you walk.  Fun.  Next, we drove on a small back-country road, partly dirt, to Legend Rock Petroglyphs, almost hitting deer and antelope that seemed to be playing chicken in front of the jeep.  The best of the petroglyphs, ranging in age front a few hundred years to 11,000 or so, was a "Thunder Bird", among many deer, antelope, buffalo, turtles, etc.  This archaeological site is in a very remote area and seems little visited.   After exploring around Cody during the afternoon we spent a very pleasant couple of hours having dinner at the Hotel Irma, once owned and lived in by Buffalo Bill himself..  The saloon and dining rooms there are right out of the Old West, decorated with many dozens of animal mounts and interesting Western memorabilia.  It's the most popular place in town and very lively in the evening, with live Western music and lots of folks clinking beer bottles and having a raucous good time.  Great fun.  You almost expect Buffalo Bill to come striding in with the troupe of Sioux Indians from his Wild West show.  We definitely recommend a stop for Buffalo burgers, or more, at the Hotel Irma.  (Irma was Bill's daughter.  He had no interest in naming the place after his wife...but that's another story!)  Now we're off to the huge Buffalo Bill Museum complex just down the road apiece -- a favorite of ours and one of the finest groups of museums in the country, second to none when it comes to western heritage.

1 comment:

  1. I'm glad you did not have to dodge a rolling bus sized boulder! Sounds like another incredible day. I think it's awesome that you've been able to pack so much in. What a treasure of amazing history in that part of the country.

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