How can it possibly be such hard work to load the RV when all we are adding is clothes and food?? I spent a large portion of last Sunday and Monday making trip after trip from house to motorhome. I did do some cooking–can’t go camping without homemade cookies! The Cowboy worked hard too–he did a little irrigating ditch cleaning for a neighbor/friend then loaded the Can-Am and all his tools, etc.
Tuesday morning the 7th, we were on the road bright and early. As we traveled the interstate we both remarked on how the country side is still green–our summer so far has been cool and wet but then it is only the first of July.
Geri and Larry left Rapid City on Monday to find us a camping spot in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming up near Burgess Junction. It’s a good thing they did! As the waitress in the local restaurant said, “the Bighorns have been discovered.” The spot they found was near a gravel road nestled in a grove of trees–think peaceful right?? Not with literally hundreds of vehicles going by every single minute of every single day. Hundreds!!–ATVs, vehicles, RVs of every shape and size looking for a camping spot. Every spot in the USFS campgrounds was occupied. We were amazed and appalled!
When you are with the best of friends and haven’t seen each other in a long time we made the best of the situation. We didn’t even come unglued when arriving at our campsite after a great day of riding to find a motorhome parked 12 feet from us totally blocking our view of the meadow where the moose hang out. TWELVE FEET! They were gone the next day and we took measures to protect that spot which wasn’t really even a spot–we unhooked our cargo trailer and parked it in that non spot.
We spent Tuesday afternoon sitting in the sun catching up. The weather was perfect–lows in the high 30’s, highs in the low 70’s. We rode wearing multiple layers every day. At almost 10,000 feet it was downright chilly!
Emmi watched the squirrels and chipmunks.
The moose were abundant in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming–
We rode over fifty miles on four different days. Larry chauffeured us on evening rides as we looked for moose, ate a couple meals out and traveled a road that seemed built for a 50 inch ATV even though we saw other vehicles!! Larry’s pickup is a newer three quarter ton Dodge–Geri is lucky to have so accommodating a husband! We had coffee in a USFS cabin with a local guy, Mike, who is a retired BNSF railroad conductor and now a cow camp tender. Each day we saw so much “WOW” scenery and here are a few photos from those days.
I took hundreds of photos and will share more in future blogs. The wildflowers were just stunning, the scenery amazing and the company of friends priceless! We were without internet for almost the entire time getting signal only when we rode high enough to catch a brief signal–it was heaven!
Life is good!
Restoration Cowboy Style 
So funny. As I read, I’m taking a break from loading the MoHo, and yes…back and forth. In addition to the meals, there is all the meal support that goes along with the planned food. I didnt manage cookies this time, but made a tri tip, mac salad, chicken fingers, and spaghetti sauce.
I loved all your BigHorn photos. Looked a lot like the country we traveled when we visited the Medicine Wheel. It’s really hard to imagine crowds in those mountains. So sad. We are heading for the chain of Cascade Lakes. I’ll let you know how it goes.
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I took so much food–we weren’t sure if we were staying a week or two weeks. Do let us know how the Cascade Lakes is for people. We were so saddened to see the numbers of people in the Bighorns.
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Wow scenery indeed! Thanks for sharing some cool (in every sense of the word) photos!
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You are most welcome Sharon–is it getting warm in Mexico?
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Wow, is all I can say. When we visited the Bighorns 10 years ago, we hardly saw a soul. Makes me wonder how my boondocking plans for Wyoming and Montana next month will work out. Loved you Moose photos.
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Jerry, boondocking spots were hard to come by–the Bighorn National Forest seems to allow people to leave their campers in place for weeks on end in one spot. A woman we met at one of our stops said they had been told the USFS was going to start limiting this practice–let’s hope so!
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What a fantastic trip! The wildflowers are beautiful as is the scenery. Wow! You saw some amazing bull moose. Lucky you! I love that you are wearing heavy coats especially as we sit at 110 yesterday and 107 today. It was 91 at 5:30 this morning! Your post cooled me down some. The Bighorns are wonderful. We spent the month of July in Buffalo a few years back. We traveled and hiked all over. Glad you had the opportunity to meet up with your friends.
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It was the best of trips Pam–we had such a good time! I simply cannot imagine 91 degrees that early in the morning!
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We are heading to Ruby’s Inn and RV Park outside Bryce Canyon on July 26 for a ten day break from the heat. And the MH needs to take a trip. We won’t hike in the NP with the crowds but hike areas we know others aren’t. And there are lots of Jeep areas. It will be nice to just be cool for awhile and get away. I’ll take food for ten days so we won’t need to be around anyone. Ruby’s newer sites in the back are gigantic with a large green grass area so we can stay away from our neighbors. It was only in the 70’s there today while 103 here. Can’t wait!! But I don’t look forward to packing. As you said it takes all day.
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So glad you guys are getting away–you are always welcome to come here and park too Pam!–we are isolated as you well know!😁
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Oh, how beautiful those bluebonnets are! And the insects sunning themselves on those yellow daisies, just hangin’ out. Thanks for the wonderful pictures!
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You are most welcome Ruth–the blue flowers are common in the western states–lupine–we even have some in our pastures.
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Wow!!! yes beautiful!!! love the wildflowers and MOOSE!!!!
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