Sunday, Day 22, June 3, 2012

Good evening from Gillette, Wyoming. Another totally overcast sky last night so no star gazing. Had breakfast at motel, checked out, and entered Yellowstone at 6:30. Beautiful day warmer today than yesterday. You will recall I told you about the buffalo moving from one major meadow to another and how they do this on the road. Well this morning I was moving along nicely looking at the sights, rounded a curve and the car in front of me was stopped and taking pictures of 6 or 7 buffalo that were walking beside him. When I say beside him I mean within 3 - 5 feet. With me behind him he started on down the road and about a hundred yards we caught up with the back end of the major herd of buffalo. There were several hundred of them cows, bulls and babies. They take up the entire road. As they go they are urinating and messing as they go along. Occasionally a baby will want to nurse so mom stops and lets the baby have a meal. They walk perhaps a couple of miles per hour or maybe slower. All the way along the river is on the right. Occasionally one or more of them will want a drink of water and they will cross in front  or behind you. I got to know one old cow pretty well. She was walking beside me and once in awhile she would turn her head and look at me and she would walk a little faster. I would speed up ever so slightly. She would look at me again. She wanted to go in front of me to get to the river. I slowed down, she speeded up and crossed in front of me so close I had to stop to keep from bumping her. That is something you do not want to do. Occasionally one of the bulls would get bent out of shape and start butting another bull. Thought we might see a good fight. People kept trying to pass and get through the herd but would have to fall back in line if people would let them back in line. The big tour buses were the worse but could not get through. I would never have believed it I had not seen it with my own eyes and I might add smelled it. With the window down they were close enough beside me I could smell them. Worse than that the roadway was completely wet with their urine. There were piles of their manure so thick you could not dodge all of them. Some of the older buffalo were having trouble walking on the asphalt and were limping. I suspect the asphalt hurt their hooves. All together I followed these animals one hour and 15 minutes. Finally they reached one place and they all started leaving the road and walking into the forest. What and experience. Later when I got to the place I wanted to go I looked at the tires and they had green manure on the sidewalls and up under the wheel wells. A run through a car wash is in the near future.

Buffalo on Move to New Meadow

Buffalo on The Road

Pretty View Isn't it

Keepler Cascades near exit of Park

Big Horn Sheep Scared by Crazy Driver

Sand Stone Cliffs in Wyoming

Large Peak in Wyoming

Rock Formation in Wyoming

The driving today has been pleasant. I saw one antelope but could not pull over to take a picture. Again I am struck by so much open space with very little vegetation yet there are houses and barns scattered all over the hill. Lots of cattle and lots of horses. The ranches must be enormous to support so much livestock. I have also been surprised by the large number of oil/gas wells I see along the road with more being drilled. There is a kind of beauty in this landscape even though it appears stark.

I am about 2 hours from Mt Rushmore. I may deviate from my schedule tomorrow. I just realized the worlds largest Mountain Carving Crazy Horse and the Indian Museum of North America is not far from here. I may try to go by that in the morning and then to Mt Rushmore in the afternoon. I had planned to spend the night in the Mt Rushmore area tomorrow night.

I guess that's about all from Gillette, Wyoming and I will see you next the Lord willing from Mt Rushmore. Remember I love you all. Grandpa Bill.