Cody at last

Monday evening and we finally reached Cody, Wyoming. We checked into the Cody Motor Lodge and the first thing we both did was enjoy a hot shower after three days on the road.

Recap:
We left Kohler on Saturday at about 8:30 and drove through rain all the way through Wisconsin and most of Minnesota. We literally "blew" through Miinesota. It was extremely windy and now I understand why they have so many wind generators all along highway 90. By the time we stopped in Blue Earth for lunch, it stopped raining. Passed into South Dakota and it was sun and warm temps. We spent the night in a great little campground at the Big Sioux Recreation area in Brandon, just east of Sioux Falls. It's on the Sioux River. It favors RV campers but has a few tent spots.

Daylight comes early for tent campers. Up at 6, hit the road, stopping for breakfast before heading back out onto highway 90. We would be on 90 all the way for La Crosse to Cody. South Dakota is non stop grassland until you hit the Missouri River. Then the terrain changes and becomes more hilly. We took the Badlands loop, seeing pronghorn, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and white tail deer along the way. The Badlands is a lot like the Painted Desert...extreme rock formations. Drove to Sturgis and south to Deadwood. Great western town. We didn't stop but hope to hit this town on the way back. We wanted to get to our campsite before dark. We drove down the Little Spearfish canyon and ended up staying at the Timon campground. Beautiful, quiet campground right next to the Little Spearfish creek. Trout abound! Cold night!

Up at the crack this morning and drove to Devils Tower on the way out of South Dakota and into Wyoming. What an awesome formation. Most Native American stories have a bear clawing the formation of this mountain. Very spiritual.

Big mountains rise up on our way to Buffalo but we head north to Sheridan to take the pass over the Big Horn range. Lots of switchbacks until we reach those beautiful alpine meadows that were awash with flowers everywhere! Stopped for a picnic at Sibley Lake. It's kind of a letdown coming down off the mountains and driving for seemed like forever through desolate nothingness to Cody. There aren't a lot of options driving through the mountains. You take what roads you can get.

Dinner at Wyomings Rib and Chop House tonight. Great ribs! Walked the main drag to check out the local fly fishing shop but it was closed. We'll check it out tomorrow along with the boot shop. Want to find out the good streams to fish before we head to Yellowstone and Teton Parks.