"And Now, the Rest of the Journey..."

In two previous blogs ("...Great Faces and Great Places" and "2.1Million Years in the Making") we wrote about the early stops on our Great Westward Ho! Adventure, and about the things we saw and did in Yellowstone National Park, with its amazing hydro-thermal features.  On the morning after Labor Day, we headed out the south gate of Yellowstone toward the rugged, ragged grandeur of the Tetons. Grand Teton National Park was established in 1929 and, through the philanthropy of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. extensively expanded in 1950.

The view of Grand Teton as you drive through Jackson Hole on the way to
the town of Jackson.  "Hole" is a 19th century term which describes the
natural bowl formed when volcanoes in the area erupted

Each corner of the park in the city square has an entrance "arch" made from
elk and deer antlers, collected in the surrounding country by the Boy Scouts

Welcome to "The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse" and Bar

Our campsite at the Virginian Lodge and RV Park in Jackson, WY

Chapel of the Transfiguration in Grand Teton National Park

Sitting in the chapel, looking out the picture window behind the alter,
provides a spectacular view of God's grandeur

The Teton Range from the Chapel of the Transfiguration

One of two stained glass windows, one on each side of the vestibule, as you
enter the chapel.  The other side says "O Ye Spring and Fall Bless Ye the Lord"

Part of the restored home and store at Menor's Ferry, Bill Menor was the first settler on
the west side of the Snake River.  In 1894 he established a cable ferry to cross the river,
charging 50 cents for a team and 25 cents for a horse and rider

On a walk to the Murie Ranch in Grand Teton National Park, a base for
conservation leaders. The Muries' conservation work culminated in
the passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act, 

Lake Jenny, formed 12,000 years ago by the movement of glaciers,
is estimated to be 423 feet at its deepest spot, and covers some 1,190 acres

We had a picnic near Lake Jenny one day...Yvonne's "friend" joined us

Teton Glacier.  Grand Teton is the peak on the left, and Mount Owen is on the right

Under the arch, at one entrance to the town square park in Jackson

A large herd of bison graze near the highway in Jackson Hole

The National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, featured a traveling exhibit
of heads of the Zodiac animals. Mike was born in the year of the Ox.  People
born under this sign are known for strength, determination and dependability.

Yvonne was born in the year of the Dragon.  People born under the sign of
the Dragon are intelligent, ambitious and hardworking.  The sculptures by
artist Al Weiwei were exhibited at the museum from May 9 to Oct. 11, 2015

A coyote stalking prey in the brush in Grand Teton National Park.  The
animal is so large that it could be mistaken for a wolf, but it is a coyote.

Like the Pony Express, the wagon trains bound for Oregon, and the Mormon migration, our travels took us through the heart of Wyoming and a two-night stop in Casper at an RV park within sight of the reconstructed Fort Caspar.  (Yes, the fort is spelled differently than the town.  The fort was named for Lt. Caspar Collins; the name of the town which grew around it was a misspelling of Lt. Collins' first name.)  Prior to being designated as a fort, the first permanent occupation was in 1859 when Louis Guinard built a bridge over the Platte River and a trading post beside it.  The settlement became  a military post in 1862. In 1865 the name was changed from Platte Bridge Station to Fort Caspar. The Fort was closed in 1867 and fell into disrepair, but was rebuilt by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930's.

Fort Caspar, Wyoming, named for Lt. Caspar Collins. This fort might have been called
Fort Collins, but there was already a Fort Collins in Colorado, named in honor of
Col. William Collins, the father of Lt. Caspar Collins

Lt. Caspar Collins was killed during the 1865 Battle of the Platte Bridge Station
against the Lakota and Cheyenne, when he was shot in the forehead with an arrow.

Fort Caspar, originally named Platte Bridge Station, was staffed in 1862 by the 11th Ohio
Volunteer Cavalry whose mission was to maintain the transcontinental telegraph and
provide for the safety of those traveling the various overland trails

Officers' quarters, Fort Caspar, Wyoming

The blacksmith shop at Fort Caspar

When the first Morman wagon train on the way to Utah reached the North Platte River,
Brigham Young ordered the construction of a ferry, like the one pictured above, to take the
wagons across the river.  It was two dugout canoes lashed together, with planking laid on top

The Tumble Inn, somewhere south of Casper, WY, ought to be renamed the
"Tumble Down Inn"

The front range of the Rockies used to be a series of individual towns and small cities from Fort Carson south to Pueblo.  While retaining their names and municipal boundaries, the front range is almost one continuous city, and Interstate 25 is a very heavily traveled highway.  A two-night stay in Wellington, near Ft. Collins, gave us access to the town of Estes Park and to Rocky Mountain National Park, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2015 - and gave us another stamp in our National Park Passport book.

We observed a herd of elk in Rocky Mountain National Park. Two males were challenging
each other for dominance.  Eventually, one drove the other away. We never actually
saw them fight, but they came very close to it a number of times.

Our trek took us south on I-25 to Colorado Springs where our base - thanks to our retired Air Force friend, Ralph - was the family campground ("fam camp") at the Air Force Academy.  From there we enjoyed excursions to Garden of the Gods, Seven Falls and Manitou Springs/ Pike's Peak. There were also day trips to Cripple Creek and the Royal Gorge.

Our camp site at Peregrine Pines, the campground at the
Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs

The Chapel at the Air Force Academy is an inspiring sight

This is the Catholic Chapel in the lower level of the building.  The Protestant
Chapel is on the upper level, but we couldn't go inside because there was
a wedding taking place in the Protestant Chapel the day we were there.

Entrance to the Garden of the Gods, taken from the Visitor's Center across the highway.
The area was originally called Red Rock Coral, for obvious reasons.

Some of the rock formations in the Garden of the Gods.  Garden of the Gods was designated
a National Natural Landmark in 1971.  While many think it is a national park, it is
actually owned by the City of Colorado Springs, and is part of the city's Park Department.

Seven Falls cascades down 181 feet in seven distinct steps,
down a cliff of naturally-carved Pike's Peak granite

On an observation platform overlooking Seven Falls.  An elevator installed in
a shaft drilled inside a mountain takes visitors up to the overlook

Despite his fear of  heights, Mike nonetheless took Ralph's dare and walked down
the steps rather than ride the elevator back down.  Ralph walked down, too.

The main street of Cripple Creek, CO, a town known for gold mining and  gambling.
In 1890, Bob Womack discovered a rich ore deposit here, and the last great Colorado
gold rush began.  The town was named a National Historic District in 1961.

The highway bridge across the Royal Gorge near Canon City, CO, is now closed to most
vehicle traffic, but open to pedestrians and small shuttle vans.  The cable car still crosses
back and forth when the wind isn't too strong,

The Cog Railway, ascending Pikes Peak from
Manitou Springs, began operating in 1891

View to the southwest, toward Cripple Creek, as the train climbs Pike's Peak. The
terraced mountain is an actual working gold mine that is still producing ore.

This shows the center cog rail. Cogs on the bottom of the trains engage this rail and
literally pull the trains up the mountain. The steepest grade on the railroad is 29
degrees. Compare that with a "steep grade" on a highway, that may be 8-10 degrees.

Cog Railway train waiting for passengers at the top of Pike's Peak. Note the
barricade at the left front of the train, right at the edge of the mountain.
Denver is in front of the train, Colorado Springs is off to the right of the train

Of course, you have to get your picture taken a the Summit. Years ago,
we drove our car to the top of Pike's Peak.  The hour-and-a-half ascent
on the Cog Railway is much less nerve-wracking

Miramont Castle, built in 1895 as a residence for Father Jean Baptiste Francolon, a
missionary priest in Manitou, and his mother, a wealthy French woman.
The 14,000 square foot, 30-room castle incorporates nine distinct styles of architecture.
The Francolons left Colorado for France in 1900 and never returned

Miramont was vacant from 1900 to 1904, when the Sisters of Mercy purchased it.  Following a
1907 fire at their sanitarium in Manitou, the Sisters moved  patients into the mansion. This TB
patient room was in a small cottage behind the mansion. The sanitarium ceased operation in 1928.

After a little more than a month on the road, we turned east toward home.  An overnight stop in Oakley, Kansas included a visit to the Buffalo Bill Cultural Center and Museum.  Bill Cody and the other "Buffalo Bill", William Comstock (and many other hunters) almost ended the great bison herds, and this stop seemed a fitting end to our Great Westward Ho! Adventure.

William Cody supplied meat to the crews building the transcontinental railroad. It is
reported that he claimed the name "Buffalo Bill" in a one-day contest with William
"Buffalo Bill" Comstock, by bringing down 69 buffalo to Comstock's 46 kills 

The statue of Buffalo Bill Cody bringing down a bison at the
museum in Oakley, KS is two-and-a-half times life size.  As a
point of comparison, Mike is six feet tall.

The desolation of the Badlands, the unique artistry of Mt. Rushmore, the sobering visit to Little Bighorn, the incredible natural features of Yellowstone, the rugged grandeur of the Tetons and  Jackson Hole, and the majesty of the Rockies...it was an incredible five-week journey, filled with spectacular sights and wonderful memories. 

Yvonne looked throughout the trip for a pair of turquoise boots.  She found these in a
store in Canon City, Colorado.  But she also found the Tony Lama "roper" boots
embroidered with roses...just too darn cute to pass up, so she bought both pairs.

We can't wait to pull on our boots and head out again in search of more Road Stories.