Road Trip TwoGether: Day 11 Saturday 9-19-15 Rapid City, SD to Devils Tower, WY

Day 11 Saturday 9-19-15

Saturday morning we went to a Shopko (like a mini Walmart) for some sundry items. On the way in we were surrounded by a pack of Bobcats, Tigers, Wolves, and Bears. It could have been a scary incident but they were Cub Scouts selling all sorts of snacks (except Girl Scout cookies). We decided on the bag of trail mix. $20! Well 70% goes back to the local Den so it’s for a good cause.

Then we looked for a better fan to cool things down in the evening. ShopKo, sold out; Best Buy, sold out; Lowes, sold out. OK we didn’t need a fan that bad.

Back on I-90 headed west for Devil’s Tower WY.

The trip on I-90 is quite scenic.

We found this quaint little fixer-upper and thought we should make an offer for a super summer holiday home.

Driving past Gillette, WY we saw a whole sting of railcars loaded with coal. Then we realized it was several trains. We assumed it was to supply the power plant. Then we noticed across the road was a coal mine. The railcars weren’t there to deliver, they were there to ship it.

At the town of Buffalo we left I-90 and turned onto US-16. This would take us through the Big Horn National Forrest. What a beautiful drive.

Near Greybull it was time for a pit stop. We pulled into the rest stop and the first thing I noticed was a C119 cargo plane behind the restrooms. Just behind the rest area is South Bighorn County Airport which is the home to The Museum of Aviation and Aerial Firefighting. All of the aircraft on display have some connection to aerial firefighting as firebombers or fire-jumper planes. Unfortunately the museum is closed.

We turned north from US-16/14 at Sundance toward Devils Tower. They have an unusual wind direction indicator for the Schloredt Airport A little grass strip. Instead of the usual wind sock or tetrahedron they have a Twin Beechcraft mounted on top a pole. I believe if I was on the approach and saw that airplane not knowing it was mounted on a pole I would have done some evasive maneuver.

Almost every town has a sign stating its name, population and elevation. One of the smallest towns we saw (don't remember the name) had a population of 10.

Not long before reaching the Tower is the small town of Hulett. Linda liked it so much we turned around and drove back through so she could get pictures.

Arrived at Devils Tower mid-afternoon and signed in at the KOA.

Then a trip to the tower. It is visible on the horizon about 30 miles before you get there.

The KOA is located on the Campstool Ranch. Campstool Ranch is one of the oldest ranches in Wyoming and the Driskill family has been ranching at Devils Tower since 1851. The ranch is now under the care of the sixth generation. It covers 30,000 acres and encircles the Devil’s Tower. One of the Driskill men rode with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders. He invited Roosevelt to visit the ranch. Roosevelt was so impressed with the tower he and Driskill struck up a deal. The Tower was to become the first National Monument and was established in 1906. However if the government should decide to discontinue supporting the monument it will revert back to the Driskill family.

There were seven rock climbers on the north face of the tower. We watched them for at least an hour.

The KOA gives a wagon ride in the late afternoon on part of Campstool Ranch along the Belle Fourche River and around to the back side of the Tower. We took the ride and saw over a hundred white tailed deer, and quite a number of wild turkeys.