CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE WILD WEST KIND!
Hitting the trail early on our
second day, we watched Rapid City fade into the distance and soon crossed the
border into Wyoming. We would be on the road most of the day, but there was
plenty to see along the way. The first was Devil's Tower.
Devils Tower, America’s First
National Monument
“I know this sounds crazy, but
ever since yesterday on the road, I’ve been seeing this shape. Shaving cream,
pillows…. Dammit! I know this. I know what this is! This means something. This
is important.” (Roy, as played by
Richard Dreyfuss in “Close Encounters of
the Third Kind”, written and directed by Steven Spielberg)
It’s easy to see why Devil’s
Tower inspires legend, wonder and awe as well as a blockbuster movie. Shooting
out of the earth 867 feet straight into the air, its eerie shape seems sculpted
by out-of-this-world forces. Surely, the gods must live here, or so thought the
twenty-some Indian tribes who believed the place to be sacred. In fact, it just
might be that Spielberg’s movie was inspired by a Cheyenne legend. It tells of
a great hero called Sweet Medicine who had a vision before he died and was
buried beside the Tower. He foretold of “…the coming of white men, strangers called
Earth Men who could fly above the earth, (and) take thunder from the light…”
So, how did this amazing
natural wonder get the ominous name of Devils Tower? Bad translating,
apparently. The Arapaho called it “Bear’s Tipi” and the Cheyenne called it
“Bear’s Lodge” or Mato Tipila.When the Tower was discovered
by a white explorer, Col. Dodge, on a discovery expedition in 1875, his
interpreter translated “Mato Tipila” as “Bad God’s Tower” instead of “Bear’s
Lodge”. Eventually, the unfortunate translation was shortened to Devils Tower.
Devils Tower was
created by molten lava being forced upward into sedimentary rock about 50 million
years ago. As it cooled, the mass contracted and fractured into giant columns.
Erosion exposed the formation over the millennia leaving something mystical and
magical for some, and just plain amazing for others.
View of the valley from the base of Devils Tower.
(Photo courtesy of Larry Miner)
A very nice trail
circles the Tower with a terrific view of the countryside below. We saw a lot
of critters too. I know I saw a chipmunk and I think I saw a roadrunner!
(Photo courtesy of Larry Miner)
On the backside of Devils Tower, a huge chunk of the side has fallen off. The
picture on the bottom right shows just how huge the columns are.
Vore Buffalo Jump
(Photo courtesy of Larry Miner)
Leaving the Bear Lodge
Mountains, we head out into the Wyoming plains, passing the Vore Buffalo Jump. The
plains Indians herded buffalo into the pit where they could be easily killed. Nothing
from the buffalo was ever wasted. They had over 50 uses for the hide, meat,
bones, bladder, muscle tendons, blood, tail, beard, teeth, fat, skull, hooves
and all the organs.
(Photo courtesy of Larry Miner)
The rest of the day we spent
watching miles of Wyoming landscape pass by our bus windows while we head for Sheridon
for the night. Mostly flat and green and capped with endless blue skies, the scenery
is mesmerizingly beautiful.
We stop to
watch a family of Prairie Dogs turn watchful eyes toward us. The young ones
soon forgot about us and went back to frolicking in the grass while the adults stood
like sentries, ready to sound the alarm.
(Photo courtesy of Larry Miner)
Next Time: Battle of Little Big
Horn
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