Wish I'd been there and done that! About sleeping outside in bear country,
I don't think I would have even with 20lbs of manure on me! Since I've
never been to that part of the country, I'd definitely like to see the
landscape. Hope you post a few shots!
RonS
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Ken Norton
> Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 6:16 PM
> To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [OM] Next Services 67 Miles
>
>
> One thing I learned about Wyoming is that distances between services (gas,
> food, lodging) signs actually are true. Gillette west to the Bighorn
> Mountains is pretty much a wasteland with exits leading off to dirt paths,
> an occasional oil well and lots of cattle grates. It was the
> middle of the
> night and I'm hoping to sack out at some location along this stretch. Had
> I known what was there (or not there) I would have just taken an exit,
> popped down a dirtroad for a couple hundred feet and sacked out.
> I made it
> as far as the Powder River rest area (exit 88) which has the only
> trees for
> I think 30 miles in any direction. I slept for a couple of hours in the
> jeep and after my legs screamed at me to move, I drove the rest of the way
> to Sheridan where there was another nice rest area which I slept an
> additional couple of hours.
>
> That morning I set off across the Big Horn Mountains on Highway 14.
> Wyoming must be pretty limited in population in these parts as I drove
> nearly 30 miles on 14 while encountering only two vehicles coming
> the other
> way. The mountains had plenty of snow at the top and had I had money I
> could have rented snowmobiles to play around on. The wind was
> blowing snot
> (or is that "like snot"), and I accidently left my winter coat at home
> (dumb). Travelling down the Shell Canyon I noticed jeep trails
> heading off
> the road. Aha! Gotta justify the toy somehow. I whip off the road onto
> one of these trails (264) and immediately discover that it is a
> "low-range"
> trail. Cool! Two miles of sliding, banging and crawling and I
> emerge into
> a neat grove of trees with a small stream. Not only that, but there is a
> campsite!!!!! I make lunch and take a few pictures around the area.
> Foolishly I get bored with the spot and decide to head on. I grind my way
> back out and discover that I was camped almost directly above the Shell
> Canyon Falls. That little stream also cascaded nicely about 100 feet to
> the river below.
>
> I aimlessly drift west to Cody across the Big Horn Basin. On the map, the
> Big Horn River is shown about 20 miles wide. Hey, I lived on the
> Mississippi. That little scratch in the earth barely measures 20 meters
> wide. I guess they must turn the river on for the tourists. <g> I
> finally arrive in Cody and must decide which way to go. Yellowstone is
> closed except for the Montana entrances and I had done my research on the
> Shoshone River anyway so I headed west up the Canyon the 50 miles to the
> park entrance (closed). I got a few pictures, but was
> disappointed that it
> took 30 miles to escape the sagebrush and get into "real" mountain
> territory. I ended up camping in a National Forest Campground as far up as
> I could. My tent was pitched about 20 feet from the Shoshone
> river and the
> river sounds put me into a wonderful sleep for nearly 10 hours.
> There were
> warning signs everywhere about Grizzly bears so I carefully checked over
> the soil for any footprints that would evidence bear activity. Failing to
> find any I was still careful about any food odors and was
> probably smelling
> a bit rich for any self-respecting bear to approach anyway. Regardless, I
> find out the next day that there was a bear attack just a little ways away
> from me. That poor guy was fishing and the bear must have heard
> his little
> annoying bells and smelled the pepperspray.
>
> Emblem, Wyoming is shown on the highway maps, but don't expect to find a
> McDonalds or Burger King there. Population 10. Can you imagine
> what those
> city counsel meetings are like?
>
> I head back over towards the Big Horns but off from Hwy 14 I take a road
> called "Red Highway" something. This is a road that travels along the
> perimeter of the basin. Pretty rude terrain and a rough road. I
> reached a
> point where the road hits a T and allows you to travel up to the National
> Forest. I traveled a couple miles up that road until I started blasting
> through 18 inches of snow. I was far enough away from anything
> and I don't
> have a winch or tire chains so I sadly turned around and coasted downhill.
> In 30 miles I encountered one vehicle.
>
> Near Hyattville I saw two coyboys on horses moving a bunch of
> cattle down a
> road. I took a picture of them with the mountains in the background.
> Probably another classic (boring) shot of the Big Horn Basin, but
> nevertheless, special to me. Should be a sellable shot regardless.
>
> Back over the Big Horns on another road, more muddy jeep trails (I think
> the Jeep's color is red) and a burned out headlight. I got some neet
> pictures of storm clouds over the snowy peaks and just managed to leave
> Buffalo as a downpour was heading in.
>
> I drove back east and detoured to Devils Tower. I got there in
> the evening
> and walked the trail as the low sun peaked through the clouds creating a
> nice mood lighting on the tower. Decided to head home as the forcast for
> Friday was cold, snow/rain and windy.
>
> Ken Norton
> Image66
>
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