Last night we stayed in a cabin at the Pahaska Tepee, the site of Buffalo Bill’s original hunting lodge (c. 1914). It’s a quiet little place on the highway between the East Entrance to Yellowstone and the town of Wapiti. There is no cell reception and no internet – this must be the way the old pioneers did it!
This morning, we drove down Highway 20 east along the North Fork of the Shoshone River. The river flows through a steep canyon with tall butte-like columns lining the cliffs. We passed several ‘dude’ ranches, as well as regular ranches and farms as the road dropped down into Cody.
Cody is the self-proclaimed ‘rodeo capital of the world’. Our visit to the local rest stop confirmed that we were truly in the Cowboy State.
When we got to the town of Greybull, we turned onto Scenic State Highway 14. This goes up into the Bighorn National Wilderness through Granite Pass (elevation 9000’) and along parts of the Bighorn River.
Just past Shell Falls, and after Granite Pass, we came upon a group of three moose grazing in a boggy area just off the road.
I noticed a few days earlier, at the Iceberg Drive-in in Salt Lake City, Karen had been acting somewhat strangely. It started with the way she prepared her chocolate shake. Then today I found myself sitting in the passenger seat, while Karen drove us up into the mountains north of the Keyhole Reservoir. As we dropped down into the Hulett Valley, it suddenly became quite clear to me what was going on. Off in the distance, a basaltic monolith loomed on the horizon.
We took a walk around the base of Devil’s Tower, and it seemed to soothe Karen (except for the hiking part). I think we’re OK now, but I still wonder about that four-note tune she’s humming, and I’m not sure about that sunburn that only covers one half of her face…
Next: South Dakota
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