Cheyenne - Frontier Days

18^th July 

Cheyenne Frontier Days is the largest outdoor rodeo; referred to as the “Daddy of ‘em All”.  Thousands of people and animals come to the city for this International event which is held over the   It didn’t start until the following day but already there was a lot more traffic when we went into town for supplies.

next 10 days.

19^th July Fort D A Russell Day

The Warren Air Force Base hosted this event with Living History displays and performances.  We watched a demonstration by Security Dogs. There was also the opportunity to try our hatchet throwing skills – Paul did well and hit the playing card on the target.

Paul throwing the hatchet

 We saw people dressed in uniforms and period costumes from the different eras.

Alison hatchet throwing

In the evening we were joined by Bill and Grace at the Bit-O-Wyo Ranch for a BBQ and western band entertainment.  We had some cowboy poetry too, and Alison was brought up on stage whilst the singers sang a song. 

20^th July Parade Day

We were up early and into town as Bev had to be on the Cowgirls of the West Float for the Big Parade around the city.  We watched horses and wagons and bands and cars pass along the streets for an hour and a half.

In the afternoon we went to the rodeo which started just after noon with a loud BANG!

21^st July Rodeo

We went along to the rodeo again and watched Bronco and Bull Riding, Barrel Racing, Steer Roping/Wrestling and the Wild Horse Riding.  It all looked pretty rough and tough on both human and animal participants and definitely for the fearless!

Ride 'em cowgirl!

Alison, however, plucked up the courage to have a go on the mechanical bull (in between shopping sessions with Bev).

22^nd July Cowgirls Brunch

Bev took Alison along to the Cowgirls of the West Annual Brunch whilst Paul chilled out at home.  This was a significant event with 550 people attending including the State Senator and several Rodeo Queens from other states.  There was a Fashion Show and a Silent Auction was held to raise funds for the organisation.

23^rd July Parade Day

Bev & Alison

This time Alison was dressed up as one of the Cowgirls of the West and rode the Float waving and shouting “Yee Ha!” at the crowd – Great Fun!

We also put the car into the garage as the brakes were ‘not quite right’.  After replacing both front brake callipers, one front tie rod and a full service, we departed the garage in the afternoon $1200 poorer……!!  We had been thinking of replacing the car but now we’ll keep it a bit longer to get our money’s worth.

24^th July Back at the Ranch

We had a quiet day ‘back at the ranch’ and caught up with a few things.  We joined Bev and friends for a meal at the Bunkhouse after they came back from their day’s ride up in the hills.

25^th July Ladies in Pink

Bev and Alison went to the rodeo again.  This day everyone was encouraged to wear pink – including the cowboys –(Paul staid at home-he didn't look good in a pink tutu) in acknowledgement of breast cancer.  Bev and Alison also enjoyed lunch in the VIP tent with the other ladies.

We did some shopping in the Indian Village and watched some traditional Indian dancing.  We watched some more of the rodeo including the ‘Dinner Bell Derby’.  This entailed Mares being taken down to one end of the arena and then the foals being let loose to race down to them to see which could get there first for their lunch.

26^th July Pancake Breakfast

Cement mixer used for pancake mix

We were up early again, and into town just after 8am for the Free Pancake Breakfast.  This is provided on 3 mornings during the CFD event and they feed thousands of people.  The queue stretched for what seemed like forever. Any number from between 7000 to 12000 people are served 3 or 4 pancakes (or in Paul’s case 5) + syrup + ham + coffee, for free.  It was an amazing bit of organisation. Look closely at the photo, can you see the cement mixer? that's what they use to mix the pancake batter.

We sat in the sun eating our breakfast whilst a band entertained us with some western music.

Afterwards we went onto the Behind the Chutes Tour where we were taken around the back of the rodeo arena.  Over the 10 days of the rodeo 1500 cowboys compete for up to $1M of prize monies.  Entry fees are in the region of $300-500 per event.  Bulls and horses ‘perform’ for approximately 8 seconds per day on two consecutive days, which requires a lot of fresh stock coming in every couple of days.

27^th July Tractor Boy

Paul got to try out Dave’s ‘boy toys’ and earned himself a new nickname – Tractor Boy. 

Tractor Boy at work

Using the tractor he did some weed cutting in the horses’ field.  In the afternoon he then took the tractor out onto the dirt road leading to the ranch and did some road smoothing. 

In the evening we all went out for a Mexican meal.

28^th July Sunday

This was to be a quiet day doing domestic chores etc.  The weather had turned cold and was overcast all day (just like back home in UK).  Just after lunch it rained which was unfortunate for the rodeo as this was the last day of competitions.  Events held during the week lead up to the final Championships with the top prize money.  Winners also get awarded embossed leather saddles.  I had thought these competitions were for the young and fool-hardy but I learnt that the runner-up in the Steer Wrestling was 62 years old (and he only missed out by 1 second).  Apparently up to 250,000 rodeo tickets were sold for this 10 day event.

29/30^th  July Home on the Ranch

We spent the last two days on the ranch helping with maintenance tasks such as weeding and grass cutting.  Having been travelling for a year these sorts of tasks are a novelty which we can enjoy knowing that we don’t have to keep doing them as we will be moving on again.

On Tuesday afternoon we took the horses out for a ride with Bev.

31st July Wednesday morning on the move again.

Hot Springs

14^th July

Everyone in the campsite had had a bad night.  To begin with it was too hot to sleep; then the wind blew up, which caused issues for those in tents; then a loud clap of thunder overhead and the heavens opened, along with lightening etc.  The morning temperature was almost a shock after yesterday’s heat wave; it was a cool 75F! The two university students moved out of their tent into their car during the night.

We said our goodbyes to everyone and then set off for Hot Springs, travelling through some more areas of Badland Nat Park.  When we got to Hot Springs Alison got in the car and the brake pedal went straight to the floor – the brake fluid reservoir was empty!  We replaced the brake fluid but would need a visit to a garage to get the air bled as they were still very spongy

15^th July Mammoth Dig and Wind Cave NP

The garage checked out and bled the brakes in the morning, although why the reservoir should be empty was a mystery. . We found out later that the offside front wheel had got so hot that it had boiled the brake fluid. (More expense)

 

We then visited the Mammoth Dig Site.  This site was discovered when an area that was to be developed for housing had a digger unearth a Mammoth Tusk.  Excavations since then have identified up to 60 individual Mammoths along with other animals from that period. 


The belief is that this was a water-filled sink hole that the odd animal slipped into and could not get out of over a period of 300-700 years.There are several programmes were you can come and help with the “digging”.  We thought they may be volunteers but apparently they pay to come here to work.

In the afternoon we visited Wind Cave National Park and went on their Fairgrounds Tour.  This took us into the underground tunnels to see formations called “Boxwork” which is very unusual and we hadn’t seen this before. 
Wind Cave is considered the longest systems of underground tunnels in the USA measuring over 140 miles of known tunnels so far.

16^th July Cold Brook Recreation Area

We had a quiet morning and then took sandwiches down to Cold Brook Rec area and spent the afternoon on the lake with the kayak.  Paul caught a couple of fish but they were too small to eat.  We could see the ‘big ones’ swimming through the clear water but they just did want to get caught!

17^th July Cheyenne Again

We spent 6 hours driving back down to Cheyenne in Wyoming to stay with Bev and Dave for the Cheyenne Rodeo ‘Frontier Days’ which is the biggest in the country. More on this in the next blog.

 

 

Badlands National Park

12^th July

The drive east on the I-90 took us along the edge of the Badlands National Park and introduced us to the scenery we were going to be exploring. 

We camped in the park itself and after lunch went to explore.  The hike up to The Notch was well worth it.  It took us up a wooden ladder and along a ledge to an opening high in the rocks where we could see to the south of the park.  It reminded us a bit of Bryce Canyon but without the   The rock is pale and looks like liquid mud which has been baked hard in the sun. The rain and wind have eroded it to form peaks and pinnacles and spires. 

colours.

The Badlands NP is surrounded by Buffalo Gap National Grasslands and the rocks suddenly jut up like a wall from the flat grass plains.  It was named the Badlands because it was a tough place to travel through and live in.  With approx. 18 inches of rain each year, there is enough for grass to grow, and a few trees at the base of the hills, but not sufficient to grow crops.  There are as many as 60 species of grass in this area and it used to support the vast herds of bison.  Many fossils continue to be found throughout the park. 

We returned to our camp site as the temperature was getting too hot for any more hiking. (It was at least 90F in the shade, if you could find any).  Despite using the air conditioning the RV just didn’t seem to cool down.  We got chatting to a couple, on holiday from Germany, with an RV they hired in Canada.

13^th July Wall Drugstore and Wounded Knee Museum

We travelled through the Park in the morning stopping at various overlooks.  We hiked up Saddle Pass trail which was only ¼ mile – but it went straight up!  It was clearly going to be a hot day as it

was already around 90F by 10am.

The road goes through Big Foot Pass which was where the Indian Chief “Big Foot” and around 300 Sioux (mainly women, children and elderly) travelled into the Badlands in the winter of 1890 on their way to Wounded Knee, some 65 miles away.  Anyone familiar with the Indian Wars history may have heard of the massacre at Wounded Knee.

On the way to Wall we stopped at the Fossil Trail to listen to the Ranger presentation, and learnt how this area was once under the sea, we also learnt about the fossils that have been found in this area.

The town of Wall, on I-90, is one of those enterprising success stories that America is known for.  In order to attract customers the owner of the drug store put out a sign saying ‘free iced water’.  Suddenly from being a one horse town, doing little business, they now have a booming high street full of gift shops, cafes and tourists.

Although the Wounded Knee Massacre Site is several miles from here the Story of Wounded Knee Museum, is in Wall.  It was a small but informative museum and there were some people in traditional Sioux customs performing some traditional dances. The museum concentrated on the native side of the massacre, it was a very depressing place to be.

On our way back through the Badlands Park we saw some Bison and several Prairie Dog Towns, as the little animals popped their heads out now and again.  We later spotted some Bighorn Sheep, with young, on the hills. 

The day just got hotter and hotter.  By the time we got back to the RV it was 98F inside.  Somehow the air conditioner unit was not achieving the desired effect as we sat outside in the shaded picnic tables provided in the campground.  Paul made a mental note to check the A/C at a latter point.

Paul spotted another Union Jack and went and chatted to the family who were from Stockbridge and Winchester of all places!  They are working in Detroit for a few years.  Then we met two University-students from Leeds camping in a tent. 

The Ranger presentation that evening was about the Black-footed Ferret  which is the most endangered mammal in USA.(for the HOV hashers, please check that our Ferret does not have black feet?)  At one point there were only 18 left but a controlled breeding programme has enabled the release of the ferrets into several national park areas along the Rocky Mountains.  We learnt they feed primarily on Prairie Dogs.  Prairie Dogs live in “Towns” which are burrows under the ground, similar to rabbits and can cover a vast area.  A form of Plague spread by fleas has been a problem for both these animals over the years and has been tackled by squirting flea powder down the holes of the Prairie Dog Towns.

Black Hills of South Dakota

5^th July

Off we set for South Dakota.  The rolling grass plains continued, although once we got into South Dakota we started to see the odd bush or tree.  Eventually we arrived in the town of Custer in the Black Hills.  We spent the afternoon wandering around Custer.  They have a number of life size Buffalo statues, painted by different artists, all along the main street.

 

 

In the evening we sat under the RV awning as a thunderstorm came over.

 

 

 

 

 

6^th July Bismark Lake

We spent the day on Bismark Lake with the kayak. Paul had no luck fishing but there were several ducks and geese to watch.
There were also four Blue Herons and a pair of Osprey with a nest that we could just about see the heads of the two chicks.
 

7^th July Custer State Park and Mt Rushmore

We drove the loop road in the upper half of Custer SP – Iron Mt road and the Needles.  The road is amazing.  It twists and turns up and down the hills.  In several places they have built the road to spiral downwards, underneath itself like a corkscrew, they have also dug tunnels through the rock.   Our first sight of Mt Rushmore and the President’s Heads was through one of the tunnels.

We did a quick detour to see the Crazy Horse Monument.  This was first started in 1948 and you can see the carved face of Crazy Horse (Lakota Sioux leader) and the horses head has been outlined on the rock below. 


Unfortunately the sculptor commissioned to do the work died in 1982 but his family  
are determined to finish the carving to become the world’s largest mountain carving.

We stopped at Needle Rock to watch some rock climbers.  At the Cathedral Spires formation overlook we spotted some white mountain goats at the top of the mountains; four adults and a baby.

8^th July Stockade Lake

Another day spent on Stockade Lake.  Being a Monday it was much quieter than the weekend and was very peaceful paddling around the lake and watching the geese and ducks. Fishing was a little more successful this time.

Back in camp, sat having our evening meal two wild turkeys passed in the long grass.  They had about 15 youngsters with them. After they had passed by we realised that one of the youngsters had flown up into a tree and was being left behind.  We tried to persuade it to come down but it just flew higher up into the tree.  The two adult turkeys had disappeared into the woods. 

Later in the evening when Paul was fishing on Bismark Lake we saw two beaver swimming the length of the lake.

9^th July Little Devil’s Tower and Harney Peak.

We drove up to Sylvan Lake and set off to hike to Harney Peak, the highest point between the Alps and the Rockies at 7242ft.  But first we took a detour up Little Devil’s Tower, which was not a Tower but a rock formation which required climbing on our hands and knees between a crevasse.


From the top we could see the other side of the Needles rocks and Cathedral Spires that we saw on Sunday and also across to Harney Peak which is a Fire Lookout Tower. At the top of Devils Tower we came across a Mountain Goat.

 

We hiked on to Harney Peak another 3 miles or so.  We were pleased to get to the top where there was a much appreciated cool breeze as temperatures rose to around 30C.  We passed many other visitors on this trail including horse riders, although they have to get off and walk the last part which is a series of steps up to the Lookout Tower.

The whole trial was very enjoyable.  The scenery was lovely as we walked through the pine forests and meadows of grasses and wild flowers.  Sadly the Mountain Pine Beetle is having a detrimental effect on the trees.  The beetle larvae underneath the bark, hinders the tree’s ability to send nutrients from the roots to the needles, which start to turn brown and eventually the tree dies. Various ways of tackling the problems include the removal of infested trees before the larvae pupate and fly onto other trees.  Spraying the trees with chemicals is effective but expensive.

10^th July Hermosa

We packed up camp and drove to Hermosa on the edge of the Custer SP. On the way we stopped at the old stockade just outside of Custer. Once we had parked up we went into Rapid City to do some shopping. 


Mid-afternoon there was a thunderstorm with hailstones the size of small pebbles.
After the storm had passed we had a quick dip in the campground swimming pool.
 

11^th July Custer SP Wildlife Loop

We had a short drive back into Custer SP to drive the Wildlife Loop in the lower half of the park.  We saw Pronghorn Antelope, Prairie Dogs, Deer, Burros and a lot of Bison.  The park has a large heard of around 1300 bison. 

They have a round-up every September and auction off some of the stock; some of which go to other bison breeders.  There were many calves as well as the big bulls, and some adults were still shedding their winter coats; the ratio of bulls to cows is around 1:4.


At the visitors centre we came across a family of Swallows that had
yet to fly the nest. 

Tomorrow we move to the Bad Lands.