Cody Gunfighter on the 28th

The first day in Cody we arrived and got parked

found that the Cody Gunfighters had and evening show.

 So we went down into town and sat by the Irma Hotel!



We parked right in front of the City Park~
Parking here is along side of the road and
the best part is it is FREE!

This town is built on Buffalo Bill Cody History!
This is right next to the park!



Walking down the street in Historic Downtown Cody!
There is the Irma Hotel which Buffalo Bill built for
his daughter, Irma!

There is Dave and this is the front porch area.
Inside was a dining room, lounge, bar,
emporium and the hotel~



At 6:00 p.m. every night they have "The Cody Gunfighters"
Put on a show in the street in front of the Irma Hotel!



Here is the cast!

Buffalo Bill on the right~
Shootin' the bank robbers~



Shot~em' Dead!
They were bank robbers....
The show was corny but cute...
They are trying to keep the old west alive!



On to Cody , WY

We were sad to say good bye to Hart Ranch

but then Happy to be heading further west!

Enjoy the trip with us!





The day before we left Hart Ranch we
were blessed with being able to see
a cattle drive! It was awesome!



Sights along the way!

A little hazy but beautiful country!



We made it to Gillette, WY and decided to spend
the night as it looked like a storm coming on!
Never did storm but this was our view
in the Walmart Parking Lot for the nite!



There are all kinds! this parked behind us for the night!

Great sites in the mountains.
No two the same!~

That is snow and it is at the highest points in
going over the Powder River Pass

We are getting closer and really climbing!
The motor home is a real champ!
 We call her "Betsy"
and she worked hard this day!

It was just so awesome and different every turn
we made! Can't say that one was better
tan the other~ it was all amazing!

This was at the Powder River Pass and it was
at 9,666 ft. above sea level.
Yes , it was cold but we had to get
 a picture of us there!



We passed a beautiful lake in the mountains!



And more mountains!

Enjoy the views as much as we did!

Well we followed google directions when we got int o Ten Sleep, WY
and this is the washboard road that it put us on with
no where to turn around. The farmer on the 4 runner came out
to see if we were lost! But the good news was after about
15 miles of washboard we ended up on the right paved road!
I prayed us thru this! Thank God for safety!
The next town we entered had a self car wash
that a motorhome would fit thru so we used it..

This was a really neat formation on the mountain!
This is what nature does in the mountains out here!

This mountain looks like it has a set of eye lids on the top!
Dave said I have a good imagination! :-)

Next stop Cody, WY

Gold Panning in the mountains!

Well the next day we were up for another adventure!

we went up in the mountains with my high school

buddy, David and his wife Mariann and their 14 year old , Buddy

to pan for gold!

What an awesome day we had! No we didn't strike it

rich but having friendships and doing stuff together

 we sure feel a  lot richer than some!

Now how often would you meet up with someone from back home

way out here in Rapid City, South Dakota~

David and Dave navigating our way into the mountains
what an awesome day we had!



Dave and David panning for gold and other gems!

David,Sharon and Mariann panning
 for gold and other gems

We turned the corner and saw these baby birds
inside of the paper box! How awesome is that!

Do you think Buddy as having a rough day
riding between Mariann and Sharon

Three amigos and Buddy
and the Florida  jeep!
The fourth amigo was taking
the picture!

Mariann and Buddy Panning for Gold!

The four Amigos at the end of the day we
stopped at the Mangy Moose in
Hill City, S.D. and  had a
beer and some wings!

What a better way to finish a day with our
friends and No we didn't hit the
Mother load when panning!

I guess we will have to pan in many more places
Never giving up!

Live ~ Love ~ Laugh
Always!

Our day with New friends~ Dan, Mary and Gavin! :-)

The day after Rushmore we rested!

We had met some really neat folks on
face book and have been corresponding with them
over the past two years~ Well, they live in Rapid
City , S.D. and they told us to let them
know if we ever make it to south Dakota!
We did let them know and
 today they came to visit us at Hart Ranch!

It was so awesome! Thanks for helping us make new
friends and memories along the way!Now how many people
say they will look you up and never do!
Not us! We love meeting great folks!

Dan, Mary, Dave and Sharon

inside of the motor home!
Let's not forget Gavin, he took
the picture!










Here 's to you Dan, Mary and Gavin!
All great people to meet!
If we would live in South Dakota we would
want y'all for neighbors!





There we all are sitting outside getting to know
each other! Had a great visit!
They brought us a bottle of

Sturgis Black Hills Merlot Wine

with the instructions to drink it in the heart of winter

while we are sitting somewhere warm and think of
them freezing their butts off in South Dakota!
So we decided on New Years Eve and we have to
post the picture of us drinking it!

 


Dave, Dan, Gavin and Mary

 

Custer State Park and Mt. Rushmore

On Saturday the 23rd we went to Custer State Park

and Drove the wildlife loop and then the Needles Hwy.

then we ended up at Mt. Rushmore.

Wow what an awesome time we had with our friends

 Ron and Nancy from Florida!

Ron and Nancy put on an awesome T-bone
 lunch for us! Great food and great company!
Nebraska Beef ~  ~ Yum!

Sitting around catching up and talking about
the ride we are fixin' to take to the Parks!

Just inside of Custer state Park coming on at Rt. 36
there were two herds of buffalo on both sides
of the road! ~Free Roam~

More Buffalo in the wild!

Even more buffalo in the wild!

A View of the mountain rocks we drove by!

Just awesome views!
More than we ever imagined!

A Pronghorn Antelope along the way!

This tells how they corral a certain amount of buffalo
a year to sell at auction or they would have an
over population of buffalo there!

These are the corrals where this happens!

Then we came up on some donkey's and burro's!
We weren't sure if we would make
it by then unscathed!

And more!

They were friendlier than we thought!
~ Free roaming ~



Dave had to check it out also!
Neither of us got kicked!
Ron and Nancy watched
from the car!




But then you had to dodge the Donkey Poop!
This is their land !



There is a family of Pronghorn Antelope
 ~ Free Roaming ~

Then we made it to Prairie Town!
these prairie dogs are so humorous to
watch. First the lookout comes out
to see if it is safe to come out of
the community and play!

Here is the lookout!
Too Funny!



Lake Sylvan up in the mountains
Beautiful clear Blue water!



Now we are on the Needles Parkway and there is NO WAY
we could have brought the motor home up here!
Look how small that tunnel is! There was three of
them on our route through!

Stopped at a mountain  port~o~let and this creek was
 nearby. How peaceful a resting place!
The mountain port~o~lets are like a small building
 with a commode that sits over a hole!
Fancy way of saying  "Outhouse"



My favorite flower and it grows wild all over!



Coming up to the Cathedral spires along
the Needles Highway!



Sites alongside of the road!



More sights along the way!

Then another tunnel even narrower!

The Eye of the Needle!

Another Lake up in the mountains!
Just beautiful!

And last but not least the third tunnel we went through!

We made it to Mt. Rushmore!
Yeah ~ what a ride!



Avenue of the Flags ~ Every state flag
lines this walk!



A little cool up this high in the mountains at night
Dave, Sharon, Ron and Nancy!
We had such an awesome day!

We ate in the Cafe here at Mt. Rushmore..
Sharon was the adventurous one and she ate a buffalo burger!
It was really good tasting just a bit dry though!
Had to try something new!



Here they are~
Washington~Roosevelt
Jefferson~Lincoln
This was so impressive!
We've seen pictures but not like seeing
it in person~ we were in awe!

Then after dark they lite it up!
even more awesome!

This is a bronze bust of the sculptor
Borglum

He had a dream and then a design
then a mountain!