August 4, 2006.

After a pleasant visit to Mt. Rushmore, I crossed over into the state of Wyoming and drove slightly out of the way to Devil’s Tower. I would surely get some use out of my National Parks pass on this trip! I hit some traffic coming through this way, as this is a popular destination. I was stuck behind many motor homes and cruiser bikes. When I was finally able to park, I exploded from the car and hit the trail that rings the base of the tower. The other trails were closed due to a high fire danger. I made my way around the tower, smiling at people breathlessly walking the trail, checking out the rock climbers,and eyeballing the talus slopes that looked oh-so-fun to climb. Around noontime, I hit the road for hours of driving. Wyoming was larger than expected, and I had to stop at several of the turnouts to rest, grab a soda, or stretch my legs. It’s crazy how driving through the heat of the afternoon, even with the A/C blasting, is extremely tiring. I know how dangerous it is to drive tired so I napped and recovered often.At 7pm I stopped at the friendliest little campground that ever existed. If you’re ever in Riverton, WY you must check out Owl Creek Campground. The old couple who ran the place were very helpful, the bathrooms were immaculate, and the campsites were relaxing. There was no cell phone reception, so there were no distractions. I listened to the birds and turned in for another night’s sleep.

August 5, 2006.

The highlight of today surely was hiking through the Tetons. That will be the subject of my next installment. Along the drive there, however, I passed through the town of Kinnear with a population of 44! I would also cross the Continental Divide for the first of many times on this trip. Stay tuned for more.