Black Hills & Wyoming Day 7
Black Hills & Wyoming
Day 07 - July 12, 2011 - Tuesday - Drive Home to Palmer Ridge, CO
After breakfast, we loaded the vehicle and filled the tank with gas at Jackson for $3.49/gallon. The skies were dark gray and the temperature was 59º. A severe mountain storm was predicted for the area.
Driving north on US Highway 191, we had one last look at the majestic Teton Range. At Moran Junction we turned east heading back to Colorado.
Jesper gave the girls a challenge to write down all of the 50 states using the license plates we saw as clues. Because we could not easily read the names on the plates, the rules were amended to just list the 50 states.
It was amazing how many of the states they came up with on their own. Hopefully, our American students would do as well.
There were many road construction projects going on this summer. Several times we waited at least 10 minutes or more before we could go on.
We stopped at Dubois, WY for a restroom break at 10:00. Several more construction delays later, we reached Lander at 11:30 for a snack.
Continuing on US 287, we drove along wide open spaces, rolling hills, giant snow fences, and grasslands. This road is a historic landmark as the road followed the trails of the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, the Mormon Hand Cart Trail, and the Pony Express Route.
As we drove we met a Covered Wagon being pulled by three mules bound for Oregon, There was a sign on the back of the wagon which read “See America Slowly” – what a road trip they are having!
At 1:45 we stopped at Rawlins for an Angry Whopper and chicken sandwiches for lunch at the local Burger King. By 2:15 we were on the road again and then drove on Interstate 80 which took us to Laramie.
We made a quick stop for gas and a restroom break at Quealy Dome Road, WY. From there we got on the diagonal into Fort Collins arriving at Rush Hour joining 1-25 to C-470 to avoid the Denver traffic.
Knowing that we would need groceries, we made one last stop at the Safeway at Castle Pines.
Our list of animal sightings today included elk, buffalo, antelope, and deer. We reached home at 7:45 after traveling over 2,300 miles on our Great American Road Trip, 2011.
Accommodations: Home
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Grand Tetons National Park Sign
Old Building in Lander, WY
Historic Trails of the American West
Covered Wagon on the Oregon Trail
Entering Colorful Colorado
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