All Hail To The Class Of 1952

During the last week of August I participated in another Passport In Time project. The purpose of this project was to find evidence/artifacts related to the 1849 migration of pioneers from Arkansas to California on the trail that came to be known as the Cherokee Trail. The area we were searching, with metal detectors, was a very remote area in Wyoming along the border with Colorado. The closest town to our search area was Laramie and it was about 35 miles to the east.

On the third day or our search I found the high school class ring pictured above. It was about three inches down in the dirt in a wooded area. In the picture you can plainly see the “G” on the top of the ring, presumably indicating the school’s name started with “G”. On the panels next to the “G” is engraved the class year of 1952 and then on the panels to the outside of the class year are the initials C P which is presumably the initials of the owner. In the same general area we found horse shoes, mule shoes and wagon parts but nothing else modern except a few empty rifle cartridges. How the heck did this ring get there and who is/was the owner?

Artifacts found on these projects are normally recorded and then left in place unless they are historically important. This ring certainly is not historically important but I was intrigued. I’ve heard a lot of stories of metal detectors finding and returning personal property to owners who thought their prized possession was long gone and I wanted to give it a shot. The Forest Service Archaeologist agreed to let me keep the ring for a while and try to find the owner….who, if she were still alive would be about 76 years old.

To make a long story short, I have contacted every public high school in Wyoming and Colorado that starts with the letter G. Amazingly, all were able to check their records and tell me that there was no girl student in the class of 1952 with the initials C P. I also checked but found no private high schools in Wyoming or Colorado that started with the letter G and was active in 1952. Finally I contacted the manufacturer of the ring, Josten and was told that their records do not go back 58 years so that was a dead end as well.

I don’t think I’m prepared to check out every public/private high school in the remaining 48 states so unless I can think of another option I will return the ring to the Forest Service Archaeologist. She will either archive it or perhaps take it back to where I found it and rebury it for posterity.

I thought it was a noble idea and I realized when I started that it was an extreme long shot for me to successfully find the owner but it was a fun project. I was amazed at helpfulness of each high school I contacted after I told them the story of how I found the ring…..so C P who ever you are, your ring has caused many people to think about who you are and where you are and what your life was like. Where ever you are, I wish you the best!

Thanks for visiting.

Alive and Well

It has been a very long time since my last post. I guess I should have posted an explanation but to tell the truth I’ve been very busy and at the same time a bit burned out on writing for the blog. I’m happy and healthy and have been “adventuring” quite a bit. The adventures have included several more Passport In Time projects, a vacation with The Bride in the Black Hills and several metal detecting expeditions. I can’t explain why but the blog seemed to become more like work than fun and I’ve decided to take a hiatus for a while. Hopefully the “urge” will return as I’ve really got some good stories to tell….In the meantime here’s some random pictures from the past couple of months.

 

Thanks for visiting

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Lest anyone think that my last post was making fun of Wyoming....well it was, but in a good way. I don't want to get hate mail from the coal coalition or the antelope society. I'm not against either one. I really like antelope! Some of my best friends.....nah, that doesn't fit. Anyway, antelope are cool. I'd rather have antelope than prairie dogs anytime. There actually were antelope around my house in the suburbs of Denver, before the other 50,000 people moved in. As for the coal cars and coal trains, I'm not against them at all. I made a big deal out of having A/C during the last week. I realize that coal trains allow me to have A/C....I just kinda wonder why they ALL have to go through Wyoming....AND why they stalked me for the last week.

Look, if you had a choice between...











and....











Which would you choose???

I live in a cool place with lots of people and cars and other things. This place allows me make a living and hopefully have a retirement that will allow me to count antelope whenever I want.

Unlike W.C. Fields and his proposed obituary, "On the whole, I'd rather be living in Philadelphia."

I'd rather be living......














I luv ya Wyoming!!!!

Thanks for visiting.

Will The Real Wyoming Please Stand Up?

Is it.....













or.............













or...............













or..............

Headed South

June 14 - Yes, it was a pleasant night. Earlier last evening a bunch of cars pulled into the park around Bivouac and I thought my Joe Btfsplk was kicking in again. After looking at the cars again I noticed that they were all Vws. Seems like the local VW club was doing an evening drive and pulled in the park to chat. There were about 5 Beetles, one dune buggy and one van. Pretty cool. Since I was “roughing” it I turned in when it got dark at about 9:00 pm and consequently I was up at light…about 5:00 am. That was alright with me as I wanted to cruise the downtown area to see if there were any neat buildings and with Bivouac behind me, earlier is better.

Sheridan has a very nice downtown area. Not large but neat and clean with several notable buildings including the Mint Bar. When I saw the sign I kicked myself for not looking downtown last night so I could get a shot of the sign with the lights on. As I stood there at 6:20 am the “opening” crew walked up to the front door. Some sweet talk by me (ah yes, His-Self still has IT!) and they turned the sign lights on just so I could take a picture….not as good as at night but you get the picture...see above

After a couple of pictures it was on the road south to Buffalo, WY. The guide book says it’s a pretty neat downtown area….they are right. Central to the downtown area is the Occidental Hotel. This is a restored old hotel that Teddy Roosevelt stayed in at one time. The hotel has won the honor of "Best Hotel in the West" from True West magazine.

I was there at about 8 am and there was hardly anyone on the streets. I wandered into the hotel and looked at the lobby, bar, barber shop and restaurant. Breakfast was being served on the outside patio so I sat down and had a cup of coffee which they gave me for free. My kind of place!

After spending about an hour downtown it was time to head south…gotta make it home sometime tomorrow so I can be with Guitar when he gets his “caboy” hat!

The guide book said there is a city park in Wheatland, WY that offers free overnight camping with electric and water. I’m getting into this “free” stuff. I didn’t mention it the other day but my one night in the KOA at Devil’s Tower cost $40!!!. I could almost stay in a motel for that. Anyway, free is good.

I arrived in Wheatland and found the park at about 1:30 pm, set up Bivouac and had some lunch. Today’s training schedule included a session of taking an afternoon nap in Bivouac……which I completed in fine style. The campground has a pay for use internet hotspot which I signed up for ($9.95) since I wasn’t paying any camping fees. It’s proving to be quite a hassle as the reception fluctuates quite a bit. If this doesn’t get posted on the 14th you’ll know why.

This is my last night on the road and this trip has surpassed my wildest expectations. I suppose tomorrow night I’ll start Rvers post partum blues but I have to keep reminding myself that this is practice for the big event. When that time arrives I will be able to go when and for however long I like, if I can get it byThe Bride. I expect, however, that after about a month of retirement she'll be the one suggesting I go somewhere!

Thanks for visiting.

Big Sky Country and Back to Antelope Land

June 13 - My plans to hike around the tower the very first thing this morning was a bust. After a very fitful sleep, without the sounds of trains screaming through the trailer every 30 minutes or so, I got up at about 5:30 rarin’ to go. I fixed a light breakfast with the thought that I’d eat a little more after the hike. When I opened the blinds in the trailer it looked like someone draped the windows with cotton?….Cotton?…no, fog. I might as well walk around the trailer with my eyes closed. Rats!!

Alright the heck with it, Little Big Horn beckons. I was out of the campground by 7:30 on my way to arguably the second most famous battle site in the United States. Only Gettysburg in my mind is more famous.

I took somewhat of a back way by going north into Montana and then west on Highway 212. It was a great ride. I saw a little bit of everything. Pine forest, verdant valleys, prairie, buttes, wild turkey, mule deer and antelope….plenty of antelope. I’m thinking’ after spending several days in Wyoming we should change the state symbol to either an antelope or a coal car!

Montana is truly the “Big Sky Country” At one point I drove 30 miles without seeing another vehicle of any type. Man it was great driving down a road being able to see 10-15 miles off and not a car on the road. Oh, Big Sky Country is also Pay Attention to Your Gas Country as well. Wyoming has nothing on Montana in that regard. If you’re at a half a tank it’s time to start lookin and maybe worrying. I had learned this lesson on Sunday so I was never in a situation to start worrying.

The Little Big Horn National Monument is not marked real well. Maybe it was because I came in on a “back” road but I just happened to see the monument on a distant hill before I saw any signs at all. It must be marked better on the Interstate approaches because there were a lot of people there for a Wednesday. Parking is very limited and I was lucky enough to get what looked like the last RV spot.

What can I say about the site itself? It was not at all what I expected. I guess my expectations were not that great. I’ve visited some of the worlds great battle sites and in my experience a lot of them are a bit of a let down. Not this one. This was simply overwhelming. It was a stunning day, clear, not a bit of haze, high 70’s. You could see the entire area from Last Stand Hill. The hill itself was steeper and much more pronounced than I had pictured. The markers indicating where soldiers fell, looked like little white soldiers grouped frantically together. As the Ranger described the movements of the participants you could clearly see in your minds eye, soldiers and Indians moving over the terrain. I spent about two and a half hours there and didn’t even drive the road over to Benteen hill. I’ve just gotta come back to this place. It was more of an experience than I ever thought it would be.

After spending all the time I could there it was time to head south and start making my way back to Colorado. I decided to spend this night in Sheridan, WY. One of my RV resources indicated that there was another city park here that allowed free overnight camping. This one (Washington Park) does not have any electric or water hookups so I am more roughing it that I have yet on this trip. The good news is that the temperatures are pleasant and the park is wooded, providing shade. It should be a pleasant night.

I’m not sure exactly what tomorrows plan is….there is none. I’ll decide in the morning and you’ll hear about it when I figure it out myself.

Thanks for visiting.

Wide Open Wyoming

June 11 - After watching a DVD last night I was in bed by 10 pm. I slept fitfully although the guide book was right…..coal trains rumbled through town about every half hour. Even though they woke me up 3-4 times I really didn’t mind and fell back to sleep almost immediately.

I was up at 5:30 and fixed a breakfast of oatmeal, breakfast burrito and French press coffee. Can’t beat that with a stick! While eating I read up on my plans for the day, foremost of which was a visit to Fort Laramie. It was only 10 miles down the road and didn’t open till 8 am so I took my time eating and hooking Bivouac up and straggled in to the fort at 8:15 am. What a great place! I spent almost 4 hours walking around and looking at all the restored buildings and displays. The National Parks Service has really done an outstanding job here. While walking around I saw a bunch of Parks employees so it looks like they are getting enough money to support this historic place.

In 1834 mountain man extraordinaire, William Sublette and a group of trader/trappers constructed the first “fort” in the area. The military took over in 1849 and the fort was finally decommissioned in 1890. If you want to get the feel of military life on the frontier, this is a great place to come. I won’t go into great detail because you can read it here.

The best story of the day isn’t about the frontier army, the cavalry, Indians or all that glorified western stuff. The best, most poignant story of the day is a story of a nobody, a woman who died traveling with her family across the west to Oregon. Mary Homsley really was a nobody to everyone in the world but the few that were related to her. Her husband, mother and father, ten brothers and sisters and two daughters.

Mary Homsley died as a result of both a case of measles and from being thrown into the Laramie River while crossing it in a wagon. She was buried in a land her surviving relatives knew they would never return to. She was buried and left behind as the others struggled to get to Oregon. Her resting spot was forgotten and lost for 75 years when cowboys stumbled upon it. Look at these pictures and you will see and feel the true story of the west, the countless forgotten people that made this land what it is today.

The grave site is on a dirt road about four miles from the old fort. You really have to want to go there to get to it. I ended up parking Bivouac on the side of a little dirt road and walking the last mile to get there. I’m glad I did.

The rest of the day was spend in getting to Newcastle. The temperatures we in the mid 90’s again so I wasn’t up for a lot of outdoor activity. I was going to stay at a primitive campsite but with the weather forecast calling for mid to upper 90’s until tomorrow, I opted for a commercial RV place in Newcastle that had electricity so I could have A/C. Man I love this camping stuff….close to nature and A/C and all of that!

Newcastle is a very small town of about 3000 and it’s claim to fame is that it’s close to Sturgis of motorcycle rally fame and gets the overflow crowd every summer. There is also the Accidental Oil Company a Beverly Hillbillies story about a rancher who struck oil at 21 feet while hand digging a well to see if he could…. Won’t get to see that because it opens at 9 am and I’ll be long gone by then.

Tomorrow I’m gonna get to Devil’s tower.

Thanks for visiting.

Let The Practice Begin!

June 10 - This morning bright and early, I took The Emmer to work at the hospital. On the way home I stopped at Safeway for a few last minute items and a Starbucks coffee. I had intended to eat a leisurely breakfast, load up the trailer and leave sometime in mid-morning but “road fever” kicked in and to aggravate things, it was a beautiful sunny June morning! I just couldn’t sit there when Wyoming was calling! By 7:30 I had buttoned up Bivouac, kissed The Bride goodbye and I was headed north. I you ever want to drive through the Denver area without stress try Sunday morning at 7:30. Hardly any cars, crisp air and beautiful view of the front range of the Rockies!

My goal this day was Torrington, WY,220 miles. About half of that on Interstate 25 to Cheyenne and then north and east across the high plains to Torrington. I haven’t been too far north of Denver for a couple of years and I was struck at how much development had occurred in that area. The development didn’t really disappear until about twenty miles from the Wyoming border and it’s only about 10 miles from the border into Cheyenne. I suspect in another 20 to 30 years it will be pretty solid development all the way from Denver to Cheyenne.

When you start seeing more antelope than cars or people, you know you’re getting to Wyoming! A short stop at the Wyoming Welcome Center and I was off the interstate and on Hwy 85 towards Meridian, Hawk Springs and Torrington. A word to the wise. If you ever take this road, make SURE you have enough gas to go 77 miles because there ain’t nothing’ between Cheyenne and Torrington. Meridian and Hawk Springs are indeed towns but there’s no law that says towns have to have any stores or gas stations….and they don’t! For a while I was wondering if I was going to have to use the 2 gallon gas can I have for the generator.

Luck was with me however and I cruised into the metropolis of Torrington at about 11:30. I say metropolis because in this part of Wyoming, 5,800 people all in one place is a big deal! The city of Torrington provides free - “donations accepted” - camping at their city park. Electricity is available along with picnic tables and grills. I didn’t care about the tables or the grill because with electricity my dinner was promised to the microwave. Electricity was also important because the temperature steadily rose during the day to the point that it was 90 ° by the time I got to the park. Bivouac came equipped with an air conditioner but I had never really used it before so I was hoping everything would work ok…and it did.
After setting up Bivouac I toured the town to see what kind of weirdness I could discover in small town Wyoming. Torrington is the campus for the Eastern Wyoming State University. Being a "university town" I thought my chances of stumbling upon weird was pretty good. Sure enough I found a Jetson's flying saucer.....your guess is as good as mine!

In the late afternoon I heard a bunch of commotion around the trailer and saw a bunch of cars pulling in around the trailer?? Turns out that the park also serves as a training ground for the volunteer fire department and the members were practicing various routines for an upcoming competition among area departments…..So not only did I get a free, “donations accepted” camp spot with electricity, but I also got several hours of entertainment watching them go thru their paces. The only thing I’m missing is internet connection so this post will have to wait till I find some place to connect…..

Thanks for visiting.

Why is This Man Calling Me?

Ever since I made the decision to do a road trip to Devil's Tower, all the options for the rest of the time have been turning over in my mind. In the previous post I said I'd play a lot of the week "by ear" but as I thought of of all the possiblilities, playing "by ear" time decreased. All the time I was looking at the general area maps, I kept looking northward to Montana, to the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument.

Readers know I'm a Western history fan. I always have enjoyed the hisory of the West. I did research papers on George Armstrong Custer both in high school and college but I have NEVER been to the Little Big Horn Battlefield. I know, I know, I lived a deprived childhood....but I can come to terms with that! I can right decades of deprivation! I can fill that empty spot in my psyche!

Dad gum it, I'm goin' to the Little Big Horn!............and Devil's Tower too! I've got a full blown plan and it will definitely fill my week.

I've been working overtime looking at maps and searching the internet. If I were a womanfolk I'd have a giggly fit! This is gonna be soooo fun. Here's the full blown (minor details excepted) plan.

Day 1 - As described before...get to Torrington, WY

Day 2 - See Ft. Laramie, Jay Em and try to make it to Devil's Tower area. If not, arrive at Devil's Tower the following day.

Next Day - Drive great back roads to either Ashland, MT or Lame Deer, MT and make night camp.

Next Day - Visit Little Big Horn and make night camp somewhere in the area.

Next Day - Take I-90 south to Casper, Douglas or Wheatland area and make night camp.

Next Day - End of trip....Get home and start planning the next practice session. As I said in the last post "Practice Makes Perfect" and I intend to practice until I get it right!





Thanks for visiting.

Practice Makes Perfect

As I mentioned in a recent post, I'm gonna keep practicing this "retirement" thing until I get it right and I've only got 787 days to get it right! That thought and the constant strain of the hit song by The Animals, "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" playing in my mind, convinced me it's time for another road trip. I had actually thought about this trip for a while but just recently decided that June would be the month.

Being at the advanced stage of my career that I am, I get a ton of vacation. Much more than does The Bride, so I have started doing some solo trips with the trailer. After travelling extensively, business-wise for the last 10 years she doesn't notice the difference!

Here's the plan for the trip.

Leave sometime Sunday mid-day and drive to Torrington, WY (about 225 miles)

Stay at the free city park in Torrington with complimentary electric and water hookups, Sunday night.

The rest of the week play it by ear and wander around eastern Wyoming and western South Dakota.

A list of places I'd like to see, not in any particular order, is as follows:

Fort Laramie National Historical Site

Jay Em Wyoming

Stagecoach Museum, Lusk Wyoming

Accidental Oil Company, Newcastle, Wyoming

Devil's Tower National Monument

All of this time I will also be relatively close to The Badlands National Park, Mt. Rushmore, Deadwood and a host of other things so I don't think I'll have any trouble eating up a weeks worth of time.

I'm ready...my back is almost ready and Bivouac is ready to hit the road too. Hopefully I'll be able to post while I'm on the road so stay tuned.

Thanks for visiting.