May 4, Day 4: - You can read the entire blog and view photos on our website. If you enjoy the account, Please . . . share it with your friends. Photos from the trip can be viewed at: http://astilesphotography.com/f390536220 Thanks! We had breakfast at the hotel and a 6:30 departure after which we crossed into Wyoming on I-90. We stopped at the Wyoming Visitor Center and picked up maps and checked highway conditions, then headed for Devil’s Tower via US highway 14 near Sundance and Wyoming highway 24. Driving along route 24, we encountered a small herd of antelope and one seemed to want to race us. I had slowed down to a crawl, and it darted into the road ahead of us and would race down the middle of the road, veer off the road, and if I attempted to slowly move by, it would dart back onto the road and race down the middle again. We arrived in time for some photos of Devil’s Tower with the sun just peeping out from behind it. Backtracked out the same way until we intersected with US 14, where we drove US 14 to Moorcroft and picked up I-90 again. About halfway between Gillette and Buffalo, we stopped at a rest area along the Powder River. Discovered the reason for its name was due to the sediment it carried. An old saying about the water was that it was too thick to drink and too thin to plow. Not far from this location was the famous outlaw hideout of Butch Cassidy, the Logan brothers, and Jesse James. About 30 miles east of Buffalo, Wyoming, near Crazy Woman Creek, we stopped to photograph the Big Horn Mountains in the distance. Drove on to Story, Wyoming for the night, were we stayed in a relative’s cabin. 285 miles 20 MPG
May 5, Day 5: Spent a very peaceful, quiet night in the wonderful little community of Story, WY and left around 7:00 AM this morning enroute to Silver Gate, Montana. After getting onto I-90 we drove north to Sheridan where we turned onto US highway 14 south. If you have never driven this route, I highly recommend it. We drove through Big Horn National Forest, and climbed the mountains to Granite Pass. Along the route through the mountains, geologist had determined the age of the rock and placed signs along the way showing the rock that was 300 to 500 million years old. There was not much traffic and the views were spectacular. I had been disappointed that Beartooth Highway was not yet opened; but this route proved to be just as spectacular in its own ways. Saw and photographed moose and snow scenes along the way. Once out of the mountains, we headed for Cody, WY. Between Greybull and Cody, we detoured off the highway and drove through McCullough Peaks looking for the wild horse band that lives there. No luck finding them; but enjoyed a beautiful but dusty drive. Had lunch from the cooler along the way, and picked up the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway in Cody. Again, another spectacular highway if you have never driven it before. So many beautiful vistas, and just before the end we were treated to a view of Pilot Peak through the trees. Arrived in Silver Gate, Montana and checked into our cabins that would be home for the next 5 days. The Pine Edge Cabins of Silver Gate are the best kept secret for Yellowstone visitors wanting to photograph the Lamar Valley. Henry, the owner loaned us his own personal spotting scopes and binoculars for the entire time we were there. A huge bison was waiting to welcome us, and two moose and an owl came around at night. 285 miles 18 MPG