June 20th - Cody, WY to Douglas, WY
Long day
We rolled out of Cody a little late - roughly 930am. We gassed up at the Sinclair, mailed some postcards and rolled south and east for Thermopolis via a few stops. To doublestart the day off right we hit construction.
After a brief stop we rolled on amd on roughly 75 miles. The terrain was changing all day.
It was a nice drive and temps were good.
At the road for Hamilton Dome we turned west to see the petroglyphs and visit a few family sites.
There was water everywhere and deere in velvet.
When the road turns south for Hamilton Dome you continue west on dirt to the Newspaper Rock. Sometimes the gate is locked and sometimes not. Today it wasn't, otherwise you have to go into Thermopolis for a key and then back. It would be faster to jump the fence and walk....
The petroglyphs stretch along a small canyon wall.
They have a good guide
Plus everything is easy to see.
Today we had the place to ourselves. The camper and building were empty.
Back on the road we headed for Hamilton Dome and Owl Creek.
Hamilton dome has oil and thermal springs. It is an old oil field so some equipment predates our hobby vehicles.
Cool old riveted water tower.
Antelope and Deer are everywhere. Keep an eye out for them and scenery.
Scenery
When My great Grandfather finished building ships during the war, he and the family moved to a ranch on Owl Creek. My Great Grandmother taught at the Indian School.
It sits just south of the Arapaho/Padlock ranch on the border with the Reservation. Becasue she taught there our family had a good relationship with their Indian neighbors - back then I guess that meant something.
The Willys, The Pioneer Plate and the school:
Right around the corner and the first driveway headed north to the Owl Creek was the family Ranch. Nothing special - they got electricity there for the first time ever around 44/45 - while my Great uncle was in Japan.
They raised sheep and my great Grandfather worked wherever on the roads, oil fields, dam projects etc. He worked machinery and did engineering. It was at this house that he bought his first tractor for hay work and gave up horses. No more harness work, wiping down, feeding, etc. Gas, water, oil check and go. All hay could then feed sheep.
Different times.
Quick tire check on the Samsons
They have been great, quiet, grippy, stable. No real air loss. I would recomend them.
After the Ranch we headed in to Thermopolis for the Dinosaur Museum. It is rated as 6th best in the world.
It was awesome.
From there we went south through the Wind River Canyon to Shoshoni.
End part one - more to come shortly.