Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Westward Ho! (Day Six)

by Pa Rock
Wagon Master

(Special Note:  This is posting number 2,500 to this blog.  I think it is starting to get out of hand!)

There were two highlights to today's travels:  the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, and Yellowstone National Park.  The first is essentially an expansive museum housing Buffalo Bill memorabilia and art and implements of the Old West.  Those traveling out this way who are interested in history should plan no less than a full day to enjoy all that this facility has to offer.   With the sole exception of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center is the finest museum that I have ever experienced.

Exhibits include the stagecoach used in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, many of his clothes, costumes, and guns, rooms of original western art by such masters as N.C. Wyeth and Frederick Remington, photographs, posters, correspondence, research facilities, several rooms of firearms including the actual guns used in many old television westerns, and nature exhibits throughout.  It is simply amazing!

Yellowstone remains beautiful, and I was able to drive right in on my senior pass, saving a handsome twenty-five dollars.   (Of course, I spent twenty-vie dollars on table scraps for lunch at a dirty park cafeteria - so the money was a wash.)

We entered through the west gate and climbed high into the Rockies.  The views and snowscapes were stunning!  There were a couple of hours of nice weather which ended just as we were reaching Old Faithful.  There it started to rain, then snow, and, after we were out of the car heading for the visitor center, the hail commenced!  It was quite an experience.   The weather improved a little after lunch and we were able to put in another hour or so viewing the park.  One of the highlights was seeing several buffalo up close as they roamed a meadow alongside of a stream.

Sadly, there were no bear sightings!

This evening the oxen stopped at a Motel 6 in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and refused to go another step.  They seem to be envious of the laid-back lives of Yellowstone buffalo - and they are obviously as tired as I am!

We will plod on toward Oregon in the morning!

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