I’ve been slow to update due to a serious lack of internet. We’ve had a great time exploring over the past several weeks. In addition to a short trip home at the end of August, to welcome a new Daughter and Grandson into the family, we’ve had some great stops and are continually making great memories!!
Cheyenne, WY
From Fort Collins, we headed a short distance to Restway Travel Park Cheyenne, WY. Getting right into the local culture, we were invited to attend a small local Rodeo event; “Barrels & Bulls”. Our campground owners’ kids both participate in these fun events! I loved this because it was small, and we got to be up close and personal with all the action!
Our second night, we were amazed by the best light show ever! The sky lit up with lightening IN the clouds and it lasted over an hour…
Glendo State Park Wyoming
After leaving Cheyenne, we headed to Glendo State Park for a couple of nights….we had the most beautiful full moon and twin rainbows here!! More Pictures
We had to abandon our original campsite due to Bertha being too lazy to make it up the hill! We ended up staying at Two Moon, which was at the lower end of the park. The day after we arrived, we spent lounging around on the beach and Dad and I even built a sandcastle!! It was a great relaxing day on the beach.
Casper WY
‘Big Bertha’ started acting up again… Our neighbor, Linda (‘lying Linda’ or ‘lucious Linda’) helped us find a great mechanic and the work on Bertha was quick and painless (mostly painless to the wallet)!
While we were here I found a broken shock mount on Bertha and had to go back to Casper to find a welder to fix my broken shock! This was quite the adventure as we were stopped getting gas and giving the vehicles a car wash and I started chatting with the car wash owner. He was telling me what a bad week he’d been having and I commiserated with him and told him about my broken shock. He knew a ‘guy’ that could fix it and after we finished washing the cars, we went over to the welders place. Nothing like finding a welder on a Sunday! Good Karma!
This guy was AWESOME!!! He did a great job and his little grandson is a mechanic in the making. Dad says that he is one of the best welders he’s ever met…
Then the guys came out to the campground that evening to hang out and have a drink with us!
Black Beach Campground @ Alcova Reservoir WY
Linda (who we met at the campground in Casper WY, decided to join us and led us out to the Reservoir, she was gracious to take us on a little side trip to explore the Canyon area surrounding the reservoir. The camping opportunities are tremendously beautiful out here (although most are boon docking). It was a great time and one of my favorites to date.
On our way to Thermopolis, we found Hells Half Acre and had to make a short pitstop to grab a view and a few pictures. See Photos
Thermopolis, WY
From here, we made our way to Thermopolis, WY where I got to lounge in the hot springs and Dad got to see the Dinosaurs! (See photos). Not really a lot to say about this small town…if I had it to do over, I’d probably pass it by.
Next Stop: Cody WY
This was a fun stop. Dad & Dan explored some of the local attractions (Wild Bill Museum) while I strolled through the shops and galleries. There were some great photography galleries and I had a great conversation with one of the photographers. He clued me in to a website for anyone that does night photography. The Photographer’s Ephemeris. Check it out, it’s full of interesting information for the committed photographer – not those like me that just do it for fun!
The group camped next to us were friendly and one of the women has a son that’s looking to get into Travel Nursing! This isn’t the first time that I’ve wandered across someone in the field.
Just outside of Cody, we visited a really authentic looking Old Trail Town! (see photos).
The ‘Gun Fight’ that they do in the town center isn’t worth standing around for – unless maybe you have small children with you. It was poorly composed and acted and was more of a ‘commercial’ for the local businesses than entertainment.
Buffalo Bill Dam was a sight to behold. I think the hight may have made Dad’s toes tingle! The museum is worth a visit and the guy that shuttles from the parking lot to the visitors center was full of a wealth of local information.
Heart Mountain Relocation Center
Horseshoe Bend in Bighorn National Forest, WY
One night was spent at Horseshoe Bend Campground with a drive and some excellent vantage points. Chatted with another tourist from Paris (France) that was in the area to do some marketing for a new product coming on the market….a battery powered airplane!! Not just a play airplane, one to fit an actual human being!! I don’t think I’m brave enough to fly is something that takes batteries to stay in the air!
Reed Point MT (An unexpected stop)
We’ve still been having very hot temperatures pretty consistently and with this comes some issues from Dad’s Falcon. When combining the elevation, pulling the trailer and the heat…it sometimes want’s to overheat. Due to this, we occasionally have to stop for a bit just to let it cool down.
This particular stop was perfectly enjoyable. A town of about 180 people, it appears a bit of a ghost town. It was full of interesting photo opportunities! I love rust and old and this town fulfilled my needs! In addition, it’s right along the Yellowstone River so Dad and I wandered to the riverside to soak our feet for a bit while waiting for the Falcon to cool down. The locals were quite engaging and full of questions about the entourage we call the #hipgyptrip.
Spring Creek Campground, Big Timber MT
This was another of my favorite spots! Secluded, quiet and riverside on the Boulder River. The campground facilities are top notch and the staff very friendly. Sites are a bit close but sit right up next to the river for a great view!
While at Spring Creek, we took a day trip and visited Gallatin National Forest Natural Bridge falls and did a little light hiking. See Photos
Dad continuously looks out over the landscape and exclaims “This is beautiful” or ‘Do you see how pretty that is?” This site was no exception.
Flathead Lake, Polson MT
Flathead lake is purported to be the “largest natural freshwater lake by surface area that is west of the Mississippi River..“. The photo’s I saw online were amazing…crystal clear water, calm surfaces and beautiful sunsets. This place didn’t disappoint. We stayed at the Finley Point Campground on the southeast side of the lake. The campground had super close spaces so you were very close to your neighbors. This might have been an issue on a different day with different neighbors but for us, it worked out great. We met some amazingly friendly campers here. The beach area right outside our doors gave a great view of the lake day or night.
I was mesmerized by the rocks/stones in the lake. The colors were so diverse and beautiful! A few might have made their way into my pocket…
“Cherry Jerry”
While staying at Flathead, we took a drive around the entire lake. This area is know for it’s Cherries! The climate is just right for growing and there were little shops all along the lakeside road. Our favorite, was meeting with ‘Cherry Jerry’, owner of Bowman Orchard and Winery. He has not only cherries, and huckleberries; but makes his own wine too! Dan grabbed a bottle or two of wine while I toured the orchard and picked up some fresh cherries and some huckleberry honey on my way out.
We spent over an hour here chatting, exploring and watching the sorting process. If you are in the area, stop by and say hello to ‘Cherry Jerry’ and tell him the #hipgypTrip (with a Falcon from Indiana) folks said hello!! (See More Pictures here)
The Hip-Gyp Trip began on June 3, 2016 and who knows when and where it will end… If you would like to see all of the photo’s from the trip, please visit Hip-Gyp Photo’s.
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