Well, I did get a good night's sleep, partly because last evening we had a semi power outage here at the motel. They had a planned shut down on Tuesday, but I guess what they fixed didn't get fixed, so some of the lines were not working. We had started some laundry, but had to finish drying it here in the room. TV, wifi, and satellite were out, so a bit of knitting, reading, and I was out. Slept quite well.
Today we set off for Devil's Tower. A big rock, that you can see from almost any where near Hulett. I thought we might be a bit disappointed to go and see it, but I was wrong, so very wrong.
This is where we had dinner last night- right on main street, Hulett, WY., pop 379.
Now, don't judge a book by it's cover. Ken had the best rib eye steak, and I had an outstanding chicken Madeira. OUT OF THIS WORLD. They had a menu similar to a fancy city restaurant. Great place, and since it's the only place open for dinner, I think we will return there tonight.
Off to Devil's Tower.......
Another business on main street.
A few shots on the way to the tower, about 8 miles away from where we stayed.
Red rock formations add so much to the scenery.
Here is my favorite man, collecting the perfect pine cone to take home and put on our tree as an ornament this Christmas. It was so much better than most of the souvenirs in the gift shop.
At the visitors center (yes, they had one there, too!) you could use the binoculars and look up at the huge rock in front of you.
See what I mean? It is huge, roaring straight up to the sky. It actually isn't moving at all, never has. It is a volcanic plug, molten magma that cooled and hardened, in long multi-sided spears of rock. Over 500,000 years, the earth around the volcano eroded, and left this much harder plug. Erosion, wear and tear, have caused pieces of the plug to break off, and fall to the base.
We decided to walk closer and see more.
Here you can really see the pieces that have fallen off over thousands of years. It would have been so cool to see one small piece break off, but it didn't happen.
This kind of gives you an idea of how mammoth the plug is.
I am surrounded by rock that has fallen. The tower is the nations' first National Monument. They have a wonderful paved path (and a longer dirt path for avid hikers) that takes you all the way around the base of the tower. It was 1.3 miles. Wasn't sure the old knee would let me, but we make it. So glad we did. There is a different view on each side. Also, the views away from the tower were amazing, as well.
Wild buffalo used to roam in the valley below, now cattle. I found it peaceful, emotional, and very moving. At some places, we were the only ones around, just the breezes talking in the trees.
In the picture below, you can really identify the individual spears of rock.
In this photo below, a close up of the one above, you can make out 2 climbers! They are both in blue, one near the bottom, between the 2 trees, above them. The other is straight up from him, just above the center of the picture. Harrowing, that is the only way I can describe watching these climbers. I can't imagine what they are feeling!
A good example of the layers of rock. I really love the red rock. Reminds me of Arizona.
A prairie dog having a lunch. We stopped by this field that was filled with these dogs, and their homes. As you look across the field, you think you are just looking at a field, but the longer you look, you can see these guys, tails in the air, or sitting up like this one. Hundreds of them.
This is one of my favorite shots to date on this trip. It's a great image of a national icon, and an icon of our nation. Just love it. Makes me a bit emotional, so much we have, so much to see, right here in our USA. (Great shot, Kenny!)
We had lunch at the Feed Bunk Cafe, located inside the Tower Valley Ag Supply Store. You could get grain, saddles, groceries, flowers, gifts, corrals, lumber, and almost anything else you might need to get through the day. I had to snap this shot of Kenny, with the stuffed buffalo hanging above him, right next to the poster and balloons of the high school football and volleyball teams. It is Homecoming at the high school this Friday night. Hulett may not be very big, but it has it all.
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Just returned from dinner at the Ponderosa. Another outstanding meal. We got a chance to take some pictures of the quaint town that has so much.
We figure these small towns have to have it all, because they are so isolated, and remote, that you have to have what you need, or you won't make it. Looking forward to what tomorrow will bring us. The weather looks iffy for tomorrow, but the rest of the stay looks perfect. Unseasonably warm here, and I love it.
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