Abraham Lincoln's head on a stick monument. Built to mark the highest point on the Lincoln Highway in honor of Lincoln's 150th birthday even though he had nothing to do with building the highway. Moved to it's present location along I-80 so it would not be sitting in a field in the middle of nowhere.
The Ames monument. Built at the highest point along the transcontinental railroad to honor Oliver and Oakes Ames--Two shovel makers from Massachucetts who were recruited by Abraham Lincoln (see above) to finance and build the railroad and who were later accused of fraud. When the railroad relocated, the monument remained, leaving it sitting in a field in the middle of nowhere. (The Ames brothers went on to sell shovels and axes to California gold rushers.)
Curt Gowdy State Park. Judging from the grand entrance, this is the Wyoming equivalent of DisneyLand. Named for native Wyomingite Curt Gowdy. A mecca for fishing, mountain biking, and a place you can camp with your horse.
We just took a walk, looked at hoodoos*, and took some windy ussies.
Turtle Rock trail at Vedauwoo*. With somewhat less than an adequate trailmap (or perhaps a less than adequate map reader) we ended up at the wrong parking area in search of Turtle Rock. (There are rock climbers in this picture, but the STP and I are not among them.)
Not to worry, as our search for turtle rock led us on a beautiful hike on a beautiful day. And maybe this is turtle rock.
The Sinks of the Popo Agie* River. A river which disappears into a 'sink' hole in the ground and reappears 1/4 mile away at the 'rise'. Spring is a great time to visit Wyoming because there are no tourists to get in your way. On the other hand, all the visitor centers (and their restrooms) are closed. Something you might want to consider if you plan to be around a gurgling river.
Talk like a local:
Hoodoo: a natural column of rock in western North America often in fantastic form
Vedauwoo pronounced (vi də vu:) : A popular rock climbing area with no apparent rocks shaped like turtles.
Popo Agie pronounced (puh - Po Shuh): A Crow Indian word meaning 'gurgling river'
1 comment:
It was a wonderful trip. And just to add one more thing we got to see Alex as well. He may not be a natural or historic Wyoming treasure, but we love him just the same.
Post a Comment