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Published: July 26th 2015
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Recently we were able to take a 3 day weekend which was fantastic! We have been so short staffed at work that it wasn’t possible, but for a brief time, all was well and we all got a little extra time off. Jack was able to get the extra day too ( I am so jealous, it is much easier for him to get time off). We decided to abandon the park and the crowds and went to Thermopolis WY and the Hot Springs State Park. Had a nice and relaxing time! Thermopolis boasts the worlds largest single mineral hot spring …. The waters are were said to have healing properties and were used by Native American tribes for health and invincibility in battle. Shoshone Chief Washakie and Arapaho Chief Sharp Nose sold the springs to the United States in 1896 with the provision that a portion of the area would be maintained for use and benefit of the public. The resultant Big Horn Hot Springs State Reserve became Wyoming’s first state park. There is also an assisted living and rehabilitation facility on grounds so that the elderly and disabled can benefit from the healing waters…..however, looking up the facility further,
no mention was made of the healing waters on the state’s web site! LOL.
Anyway, Thermopolis is about 160 miles from Yellowstone, so we arrived in the evening and set off the next day to the hot springs. The park has a free public bath house, so we went there first, liked it, and decided it would be worth a few dollars to go and spend longer at the adjacent Star Plunge, where they have a couple different hot tubs, a large pool, a sauna, and some slides, etc. So, we swam, steamed, soaked, and sunned!
Later, we drove through the Wind River Canyon, which was absolutely gorgeous, had dinner at the country club combo airport- all on top of a butte- and watched the antelope on the golf course.
On Wednesday we went to Legend Rock, an archeological site featuring ancient rock carvings (petroglyphs). I would like to go back there, it was very interesting, out in the middle of nowhere! We didn’t go to the visitor center, which may have had more information than the written guide we took with us. A big storm was coming in and we
were caught in rain and wind on our way back to the parking lot, so we just jumped in the jeep and headed out. Some of these petroglyphs may be as old as 10,000 years. Decided that we could do that job! Greet visitors, warn them about rattlesnakes, give them a guide and let them use your bug spray! There was only one other couple there besides us and the guy who was filling in for the “caretaker” who was sleeping in her motorhome!
We then returned to Cody, found a little church to attend that eve, so we spent the night in Cody and did our Walmart shopping before returning to Yellowstone on Thursday. A nice little break from the crowds at Yellowstone! It is really weird not to be able to find a church with mid week services. And really, as compared to home, there aren’t many churches! Of course, there are less than 600,000 people in the entire state of Wyoming, as compared to 200,000 in Clermont County OH alone, and 2.2 million in the Greater Cincinnati area!
Our friends, Cheryl and Bob have left and I am going to miss
them. They are returning to Rhode Island as their son accepted a new job and had to move, and they were concerned about their home being empty having already had a few things-like flooding- happen while he was still there! We are thinking that maybe this fall we can take a short trip east and see family (ok, Katie?) and swing up to Rhode Island from Philly to see Cheryl and Bob.
Also leaving, a young couple from Columbus, Aaron and Ariel. We all affectionately call them “the kids” as they are, well, I don’t know how old they are. 20’s? They are stuck here with the retirees in a tiny travel trailer, and things just aren’t working out for them. I will miss them as well. Aaron took Cheryl’s place as a “senior” GSA (step up from the bottom rung I am on. Dollar more an hour but not sure its really a promotion!). He is a smart and capable young man, Ariel is cute as can be, and I hate to see them go! Beside the fact that I like them, we will not have more 3 day weekends until everyone gets replaced!
This past “weekend” we had to go to Bozeman as Jack’s work boots gave out on him. So, away we went again. It took well over 2 hours to get out of the park due to traffic and road construction, and still 2 hours to Bozeman from there. Regular errands that we can knock out in a couple of hours at home take a weekend here! But we do like “escaping”, so we just make a weekend out of it and see sights outside of Yellowstone! After shopping we went to the Gallatin National Forest, took some pics and took a short hike to this waterfall. Just a beautiful place. I gave in and agreed that if we do this next year, we will have to invest in a tent (having gotten rid of our old tent some time ago) so we can stay in some of the beautiful national forest campgrounds on our off days. We had a wonderful dinner in Bozeman that night and headed home Wed. am…..a long journey given traffic, road construction, and a 3 mile bison jam. Then did laundry, had supper, watched a movie, and hit the hay!
I am
super excited that our good friends Roxann and Tim are coming out at the end of August! I can hardly wait!
Embarking on a new hobby….. I bought Jack a camera for Father’s day, so now we lug both his and mine around.
Well, I do not lug mine, it is convenient and it is terrific for those moments when you have to grab a camera quickly! His is bigger and heavier but is terrific to set up and use a longer lens to get great distance photos (but sometimes mine are still better, HAHA). Check out the picture of the dark clouds with pink around them. We were headed home from dinner at Roosevelt Lodge one evening and saw this storm coming in and the clouds were amazing, dark purple and red, so we pulled off to get pics. I didn’t have my camera with me, so this pic is from my phone. By the time Jack’s camera was out and mounted the entire sky had changed and the colors were gone. Gotta be quicker! Anyway, Jack noticed how I was always taking close up pics of flowers and stuff, so he bought
me lenses for macro photography. Now I have to buy me a beginner (or dummy) digital photography book to learn more about it. Including some of my pics!
I guess I should hop in the shower and get ready for work now. Until next time! Xoxox
PS. 7-24-15 Just learned last night another couple was leaving today due to health concerns for the husband. They are gone this a.m. already, I didn’t get to say goodbye. Please offer a prayer for Jim and Diane. He has been battling a respiratory condition and our elevation was likely part of the problem.
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