Home from the road trip WEST

Sept. 11th.
The commemoration day of the terrible loss of lives in the Twin Towers.

Home from our wanderings WEST!

We just got home last night from a road trip out west, which was truly incredible. We were on the road 9 days. We toured the Yellowstone National Forest, the Tetons, the Shoshone National Park with breathtaking views, and took the Beartooth Highway through WY to Red Lodge, Montana--also did the Chief Joseph Highway. All gorgeous and scenic with the added beauty of snow on top of Shoshone, which made it hazardous and difficult for our driver, Felipe to see, so the next day when it was sunny and clear, we took a two hour detour to drive through it again! What beautiful country we have!!! and thank God some of it was saved as a national treasure for all to see.

We visited Cody, WY, and the Buffalo Bill Historic Center which houses 5 museums--we saw all of them! Buffalo Bill and the Plains Indians were the two I enjoyed the most.

Also saw Devil's Tower--a natural phenomenon, which was in the movie, Close Encounters of a Thrid Kind. We stayed in Keystone, WY, and allows me to saw that South Dakota's Black hills are nothing short of stupendous. There we took in Mt. Rushmore, a magnificent feat. We went back in the evening and the Big Dipper shone brightly straight above. It was a highly emotional and beautiful lighting ceremony. The Vets in the audience were invited to go up on stage afterwards to take down the flag and each of them gave their name and where they had been stationed or seen action on foreign soil.

The next day we saw the Crazy Horse Memorial in Custer State Park--still in construction which will be larger than Mt. Rushmore--they aren't taking any money from Washington. The government took Indian lands and broke all promises but one: the promise to take their lands, offered 10 million dollars years ago when the project got underway in 1948. Now I wonder why they refused??? Still nowhere near completion, but it will be larger than Mt. Rushmore, with Crazy Horse pointing to his lands, "where my people are buried." Most impressive.

Stopped in Cheyenne just overnight so we have to go back and sight-see and also missed Ft. Laramie. But in a week's time, we sure saw and did a lot.

Took a kazillion photographs, but still don't know how to put them on the computer...

Will write more about the trip in days to come with a mention of the foods we ate as well! and before we head to Florida for FR and Nico's birthdays, and dear friend Rita's 80th!!! all at the beginning of October.