Crossing the Bighorn

Another beautiful day unfolded in the caldron, under mostly clear blue skies.  We would only be permitted to enjoy part of it though, but that did not keep us from dragging our heels just a little.  We paused again to look out across the golden expanse of the Hayden Valley before pushing on to views previously unseen.

The small expanse of the park beyond the Fishing Bridge enabled a few moments of quiet beside the lake, a pause to gawk at another grizzly that really did not want to be bothered, and a few more quiet moments beside Sylvan Lake before winding our way through Sylvan Pass and out of the park.

If it had not been for the gates at the entrance, we would likely have never known we had left until we reached Cody.  The scenery was equally as dramatic tracing along the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway, which did its best to follow the North Fork of the Shoshone River.  As many pullouts along the way offered the chance to view fantastic formations such as those near Clocktower Creek, a random Shoney's boy, and the Smith Mansion.

Pre-Cambrian Granite, some of the oldest in the world, became much more prominent beyond that.  It is emphasized in the landscape surrounding the Buffalo Bill Reservoir.  It was mostly still and clear on this date, though still held fast by what was once the highest dam in the world.  Our desire to pause and examine this masterpiece of innovation proved thwarted by ongoing renovations though.  We had to find satisfaction in simply passing through the surrounding rock face.

Emerging on the other side, we immediately encountered the Rodeo Capital of the World, though it was closed for the season; the rodeo, that is, and not Cody.  The town itself offered an opportunity to enjoy a taste of decent coffee, as well as other items of importance further down the road at the visitor center.  It facilitated needed relief and presented a view into the arts community of the area. 

Endless two-lane highway stretched out across as far as the eye could see and proved to be the perfect level of solitude in almost every way.  Nicely finished blacktop surrounded by scrub and occasional cropland evoked the feeling that we might just have entered the Twilight Zone.

Near Greybull and the beginning of the southward movement we encountered an interesting feature in the lowly rest area. A lot of thought is put into this perfect setting for geodesign; a south-facing orientation, the right kind of thermal mass, insulation and circulation, and of course, lighting.  Get it wrong and it is a worthless seasonal structure.   Get it right and afford travelers the perfect oasis in the depths of a Wyoming winter.

Just behind the Passive Solar Rest Area, the Museum of Flight & Aerial Firefighting waits to amuse and entertain those recently afforded relief.  This would definitely be interesting affair, if it had not just closed for the season the day before.  The most enjoyment it offered were a few snapshots from behind the fence.  

The second half of the journey across the Bighorn Basin found the peaks of mountains of the same name quickly rising up from the plain.  Fields of gold skirted all around this range, with wide open blue skies above, encouraged temperatures to remain solidly comfortable near 25 °C.  Approaching Ten Sleep, a glimpse of an intriguing formation flashed by to the south, disappearing into the horizon just as quickly as it had appeared.  

Approaching Ten Sleep, a glimpse of an intriguing formation flashed by to the south, disappearing into the horizon just as quickly as it had appeared.  While considering an about face and retreat to have another look, a sign appeared, encouraging departure from our intended path.  About 6 km later, we stood in the middle of nowhere, gazing up at the formations of Castle Gardens Scenic Area.  It did not take any encouragement to go creeping about the complex, climbing to the top for a look around, while keeping an eye for wiggly bits with rattles.

Satisfied and back on the road, we took the Bighorn Mountains by storm.  One of the more intriguing parts of these mountains is that the state of Wyoming has taken the time to go through and explain the various geological aspects at play here.  Signs along the way identified formations and their relative age, making for not only an awe-inspiring journey, but one educationally oriented, as well.

We landed in Buffalo, after sliding down the eastern slope of the range, in short order.   The quaint little roadside motel on order ended up every bit as expected, and even included its own little park area, complete with picnicking facilities and implements.

We were unprepared for all of that though, and taking a raincheck on the playground equipment, unloaded our gear and headed deeper into town to discover sustenance.  To our surprise and delight, we discovered so much more than that.

The evening ended much later than we had initially anticipated, but not too much so.  We had a relatively good meal, served slower than a 7-year itch, while enjoying some incredible music from an army of talented musicians.  It just doesn't get any better.