Day tripping around Lander WY

Off to South Pass via #28, 19C and sunny at 8:30. We saw the first snow at about 8000 ft from near South Pass City. 

We had no detailed map of the area so stopped in Atlantic City to look for a map of the local back roads. A nice waitress made a photocopy for us of one they had, wouldn't take any $ for it. She also gave us some tips about where to go in the area, there are lots of back roads.

Willie`s Marker (??) Almost 200 people froze to death here one winter. They started their journey too late in the season, without enough supplies. Our dog had a quick swim in the Sweetwater R, then we were off exploring dirt roads, with great views of the Wind River mountain range. 

We saw so many antelope we lost count. Stopped for a picnic lunch with a view, watched dark clouds dumping rain on the mountains (could have been snow).

It's a somewhat historic area. The Pony Express route went right through here:

A nearby pass made this a popular route for the Oregon Trail:

Red Canyon was spectacular. Elk herds winter here, and the interior road was not yet open for the season, as it's calving season for the elk.

On to Lander for gas, and out to Sinks Canyon. There are some camping areas here, but day use is free for non-campers. Some rain fell but it was still a great place to visit. We saw mountain sheep, huge trout, a small but great interpretive center.

It was a short walk to the Popo Agie River. Lots of water still, but less than the spring peak. The river still disappears underground for a bit now, but flows overland in spring flood stage.

The river disappears underground for a bit, then comes out here, where the big trout hang out:

Re-entry from underground

Then back to our cg for a beer and a sit outside to enjoy that view. Real nice day trip.

Alliance NE to Lander WY

Lots of train noise overnight apparently, as Alliance is a major train maintenance area. It bothered Cathie, but I didn't hear it. Away at 8:40 am, 21C. Another sunny day. 

We saw a number of fields with just bulls in them, yesterday and today. That seems to be a Western thing, we rarely see bulls in Eastern fields unless it's one with a herd of cows.

Yesterday at Broken Bow they gave us what we though was a DVD on the Sandhills drive. It was really a CD self-guided trip, wish we'd know that yesterday. It points out things as you're going that we'd have liked to know. We listened to it all today; it was interesting and would have added to the trip yesterday.

It was a beautiful drive up 385 to Chadron, where we had a Walmart grocery stop then turned west on 20 towards Casper WY. Fort Robinson looked like it would be a good stop. They have tours and camping there. We hadn't planned on stopping though, and it was only 11:30. 

We met an oncoming motorcycle gang:

Soon we stopped at a rest area where a number of these tough-looking bikers were also stopped. Of course our Lab ran around introducing herself to everyone, and got lots of pats. It turned out this was a local group, mostly professionals like doctors etc, doing a run for a hospital charity drive. Appearances can sure be deceiving!

25C at 12:30, nearing Douglas WY. We've seen many antelope and some deer. Douglas claims to be the home of the jackelope, and we did see a huge one on the skyline of a ridge. It looked black. :)) No time for a pic though.

It rained on and off around Casper, and dropped to 23C. Elevation 5490 ft. The North Platte runs through here.

We called ahead for a reservation at Twin Pines park near Lander, as we intend to stay 3 nights. It's been a spectacular drive since we turned on to #287 N.
Arrived at Twin Pines cg in the rain, about 5:25 MT. $18 per night Passport America.

Pioneer Village to Alliance NE

Off at 8:45, 17C, not a cloud in the sky. We went up to #2 again to head west, right to Broken Bow this time. We stopped at their new Tourist Info, and it turned out we were their FIRST Canadians! It's a nice new place, fresh and clean. I'm standing with the artist that did the train wall mural behind us.

The Ogallala Aquifer supplies water to a huge part of the US Southwest

Windmill behind the Tourist Info supplies their water

It got up to 29C at 1:30 MT (Mountain Time already). The road climbed steadily as we headed west on #2, starting about 1800 ft and up to 3600 ft by afternoon. 

Lots of 100-car 3-engine trains full of coal heading one way and empties heading the other.

There's quite a bit of ground water around in places but the grass is pretty sparse on the hills. The land is very sandy, so groundwater tends to drain quickly. 

We couldn't find any "official" picnic areas so finally stopped for our lunch at a scenic pulloff beside Middle Loop river. Of course we came across 2 picnic areas just after the lunch stop. Antelope sightings were pretty common, often in groups of 3 for some reason. In the middle of all this dry land we came across Pelican Lake Golf Course near Hyannis NE, 3700 ft! It's kept green by more Ogallala Aquifer water likely.

Gas is running $2.25 - $2.50 for regular 87 octane. Mid-range 89 is 10 to 15 cents cheaper due to ethanol content.

The afternoon warmed up, reaching 31C at 2:30 MT. We stopped for the night at Sunset Motel & RV Park in Alliance NE. Full hookups, WiFi, indoor pool (we used it, had it all to ourselves), hot tub. $15+tax with our Passport America membership.

More Village touring and relaxing

It reached a sunny 82F today! 

We toured the PV again today and likely saw most of it. It would take days to really see and digest it all. 

A few sample pictures:

Button craft

Amazing detail carved from nut shells

More miniaturized crafts

A tractor wheel, NOT a miniature

Building was full of buggies of all kinds

Then we just lazed around the site the rest of the day, except for a trip out for gas. Warm and sunny, with nice shade from the canopy of mature trees.

Touring Pioneer Village, Kearney, and Sandhills Scenic Byway

It was only 11C at 7am, but not raining. We stopped at the office and registered for 2 more nights, as it's a pleasant place to camp and we figured it would take us 2 days to see the PV displays.

Apparently there are 50,000 items in 26 buildings, and I don't doubt it! 

An early car. The drive wheel was the middle (5th) wheel at the rear.

Many early autos and flight attempts

This "soddy" was surprisingly comfortable inside, not damp.

We went around for 2 hours, and were tired enough to call it a day. Back to the site for email and laundry.

After a good soup and sandwich lunch at the PV restaurant we headed to the Kearney Walmart. We had a Net10 US phone from a previous trip, and wanted to reactivate it with a new time card. We got the new phone card, then the poor clerk spent about ½ hr on a store phone struggling to reactivate our phone, with limited success. We never were able to make calls to Canada, in spite of many later  calls to Net10 support. There has to be a better way for us to get basic US phone service on trips.

(2017 note: Koodo Prepaid works well with US add-ons!)

In the late afternoon we headed up to hwy 2, to have a look at the Sandhills Scenic Byway. We drove a section from hwy 10 west to Broken Bow, then back down #21, past a HUGE beef feed lot, which really stunk of cow (no surprise there). Then onto #40 back to Kearney, and on to our Minden camp. 

The Sandhills area was nice rolling grassy hills, lots of cattle and horses, very pastoral settings:

We saw a work train along #2, with backhoes on top of the cars, unloading new rail ties:

The backhoes could move themselves along the cars and even move from one car to the next. 

Instead of a regular train engine, the work train was pulled by a large truck, with adapters to ride the rails.

The sun came out about 3pm, making it a nicer drive. It got up to 20C today.

Avoca Iowa to Pioneer Village, Minden NE

A quiet night, we slept well. Oatmeal for breakfast again. Away at 8:40 CDT, 16C with light rain.  Rain stopped about 20 minutes later.

Good stop at the Nebraska Tourist Info in Omaha. Many buildings looked  tornado-proofed, likely real useful in this area. Easy I80 traveling again, partly due to the absence of construction workers. Lots of signs about lane closures and slowdowns, but not today!

We stopped about 2:30 at Pioneer Village (PV) in Minden NE, about 13 mi south of I80 near Kearney NE. They have a campground, motel and restaurant there as well as the Pioneer Village. 

A full-hookup campsite was the equivalent of about $30 Cdn/night, with WiFi. Camping included 1 admission to the PV exhibits too, with free entry next day for both of us. All in all, very reasonable. We just took it easy this aft, some rain around. 

We did drive in to see the Archway over I80. $10 each to go in so we didn't, as it was almost closing time. 

I80 runs right under the Archway

The bearded ones