July 30 - Prospectors Cabin Cache

We found a neat geocache that was supposed to be a half mile from the main road. We weren't sure there would be a place to turn our big truck around so decided to walk it, but the GPS figures distance as the crow flies and we had to walk around a large hill. Two pronghorns stood at the top and stared at us.  After walking more than a mile we found the old prospectors cabin and the nearby cache.  I was glad we walked so we could better enjoy the scenery but wished we'd brought some water.

July 30 - South Pass City Jail

South Pass City had a jail for a while, but it was eventually moved somewhere else and the jail building became the school.  You can still see the alphabet written on the wall.

July 30 - South Pass City

South Pass City is the home of the Carissa Mine and is now basically a ghost town.  The five people who live here all year maintain buildings and keep the 30'-40' drifts from collapsing them.  Amazingly, they aren't trapped there all winter long.  These hilly, winding, gravel roads are kept plowed in the winter.  There are a number of interesting displays in South Pass City in addition to the buildings.  Gold was first discovered here in the 1840s but the boom didn't start until 1868 and ended in the 1870s.  The first woman in the nation to hold public office, according to one of the signs, lived here.  Esther Morris was a justice of the peace.

July 29 - Foundry

Pronghorn Antelope

We haven't been yet, but there is a foundry in Lander and the city is full of these beautiful, life-sized sculptures.  Galen couldn't resist taking one of them on.

July 26 - Swingin'

Galen Psyching up to cross the bridge.

After our visit to The Sinks, we drove further up the road to have a picnic and look for a geocache.  The trail to the cache included one of Galen's least favorite things - a swinging bridge.  Swinging bridges aren't good for people prone to motion sickness.  He did fine, we got a nice view of the river, but didn't find the cache.

July 26 - The Sinks

The Po Po Agie River rushes over the rocks, down to The Sinks, and disappears into the side of the mountain.  Two hours later it reappears 1/4 mile further down the hill in The Rise.

Even I can go faster than 1/4 mile in two hours.  :-)   A die test was used to determine that the water from The Sinks is the same water appearing in The Rise, but there is more water going into The Rise than is coming out of The Sinks and no one knows why for sure.  I think it is fun that you walk UP to The Sinks and DOWN to The Rise.  Entrance to this lovely place less than 10 miles from Lander is free.

July 24 - Lander, WY

Sleeping Bear Campground - Lander, WY

Downtown Lander, WY.  

We are liking it so much here that we signed on for another week and I wish we could stay a whole month.  The people are so friendly and we already almost feel like members of the Methodist Church we have been attending.  There are three book stores in this town of 6800!  And three coffee shops!  I taught them how to make almond joy mocha's at my favorite coffee shop which is also a book store.  We shared a bowl of huckleberry ice cream at Ken and Betty's and ate great salads at the Gannet Grill.   Weather has been in the 90s but humidity is only 20% and it is wonderfully cool at night.  We've done some geocaching and explored The Sinks and South Pass City.  Life is good!  Pictures will be posted soon.