More From The Traveling Neils

Hi Everyone Out There,

Hope all is well with you. What have you been up to? We love hearing all about your life. Keep those emails coming.

After our adventure in NE Yellowstone with the elk, we drove through several scenic highways to Cody, Wyoming. First we took the Beartooth Highway(US 212) that Charles Kuralt called the most beautiful roadway in America. It was awesome. Then we took the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to Cody where we spent the night and rested up. Yesterday we took US 20 through the Wind River Canyon to Casper where we are now. The 2,500 foot deep canyon with the highway on one side of the river and the railroad on the other reveals millions of years of sedimentary rock. We are staying at the Fort Casper RV Park which is right beside the North Platte River. After we got here we went for a walk along the river and again had encounters with wild life. We were again innocently walking along when 3 very large deer (you don’t realize how large they are until you are right beside them) came bounding right in front of us and luckily veered off on a path along the river. That was a shock but we kept walking and then another deer came bounding across the path behind us. I was getting a bit nervous (not Paul of course) when a dog comes running as fast as he can behind us chasing a rabbit. He also followed the poor little rabbit into the wilds. So that was our walk and I don’t think I want to take that route again. Today we’ll go visit the Ft. Casper Museum and go into town.

We just got back from a day in Casper, which is the 2nd largest city in Wyoming. First we headed for downtown and found a lovely little restaurant where we had a Greek lunch. Took lots home for a snack later. Then we shopped a bit at the Buffalo Clothing Company where I found a Life is Good T-shirt and a present for Paul for his birthday which is coming up. We had to visit Lou Taubert’s, one of the country’s largest cowboy clothing stores but didn’t find anything we had to have.

After that we headed for the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center which was terrific. Carol and Dennis saw it a few years ago and recommended it. It includes displays about the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, Pony Express, Bridger and Bozeman Trails. Between 1840-1870, more than 500,000 people moved across the western plains in search of land, freedom of religion, and gold. We got to ride on a simulated ride across the North Platte River in a wagon. That was pretty bumpy.

Then we did a few housekeeping items such as getting money at the ATM, filling up with diesel, and Paul got a haircut. So that was our day in Casper and tomorrow we’ll continue on our path across the USA.