...continued from Phi's last post

The sudden downpour of massive droplets on our scenic detour had given our Cavalier a much-needed wash, and at the advice of the woman who gave us directions in the saloon, we filled up the tank before taking on the state of Wyoming. Good thing. Besides 1 of every 3 stations being deserted anyway, the vastness of the landscapes was overwhelming.

Neither of us can get over how quickly the scenery changes! We may be driving far and constantly, but still – the voyage through Ten Sleep Canyon changed from red rock outcrops to stratified cliff faces, then could drop off into farmlands of grazing black cows with no building in sight all the way to the distant horizon. Usually you can count the trees in these immense fields on one hand. There we drove into a distant purply-pink sunset last night, dulled behind a blue-grey veil of rain that stretched 180 degrees. It was eerie.

The wildlife we’ve run into has been impressive, too! Next to the cows deer will graze – does, stags, fawns – and we’ve come within metres of mountain sheep with their huge curving ram-like horns.

Now, when we go through a town with over 1000 people, it’s a bit of a deal! (The state has 490’000 people total - !) Populations will be listed to the individual – and the last “village” was Emblem, WY: pop. 10. Not kidding you. This after no signs of life (powerlines, nothing!) for ages, when our car would drift up to speeds of 100 m/hr (don’t convert that to km, Mom & Dad!)

The roads are surprisingly wide and smooth, and we’ve only spotted one tumbleweed so far, back in SD. The weather has been HOT. Why have we not mentioned that before? Usually when we write we’re in blessed air conditioning. But I’ve had to be forced to slather on the sunblock twice a day! Luckily it gets cool at night, a break for the arid fields too, which sport cacti and tufts of scrubby grass, and we’re never sure how recently they’ve been touched.

Now we’re out of fossil country, and into cowboy territory, shared with bikers who wear Harley bandanas and no helmets (not since Michigan it seems!). The locals really do sport gallon hats and boots to match. You wonder if we’ve driven back twenty years some times, a hundred at others.

So we drove clear through to 11pm last night, and finally found a motel – the Grizzly Bear, whose owner succeeded in scaring the @$#&?! out of us regarding bear encounters and how much we should beware! So if we don’t become lunch on our next hike, we’ll let you know how Yellowstone is, at the foot of the Rockies!

Love, K