Our next stop was Sheridan, WY, but on the way we stopped to see Devil's Tower. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt established Devils Tower as the nation's first national monument.
There's a short walk around the base. This is a sacred site to the Native Americans, and along the way they have tied prayer cloths.
You can also see some of the many climbers who go to the top of the 5,112-foot high tower.
There are many theories from geologists and Native Americans as to how the tower was created. This is my favorite, though --
According to the Native American tribes of the Kiowa and Lakota Sioux, some girls went out to play and were spotted by several giant bears, who began to chase them. In an effort to escape the bears, the girls climbed atop a rock, fell to their knees, and prayed to the Great Spirit to save them. Hearing their prayers, the Great Spirit made the rock rise from the ground towards the heavens so that the bears could not reach the girls. The bears, in an effort to climb the rock, left deep claw marks in the sides, which had become too steep to climb.
In Sheridan, we had special permission to stay at the Sheridan Gun Club.
We had a gorgeous view of the snow-covered mountains.
Sheridan is a real cowboy town. The Mint Bar is over 100 years old.
They are also murals and many statues in town. There is even a "Custom Cowboy Shop." I had to think long and hard about what I wanted, but the most important thing was that he said "Yes, dear." Can you believe they just laughed at me when I put in my order?!?
Unfortunately, they also have a lot of hail here - 3 days in a row for us. This was the first day - forcasted as dime-size hail, but combined with 60-mile per hour winds.
Uh-oh...
By the third day, the forecast was up to ping-pong ball-size hail. Although it was bigger, the winds weren't as strong, and I had no more damage. I replaced the broken vent lid with an "unbreakable" one, so we'll see...
I have a magnet of the bear climbing up Devils Tower on my frig...my favorite theory too!
ReplyDeleteThe Devils Tower is really cool...and so is that story of how it was created!
ReplyDeleteWOW that hail got you...hope the new vent cover works out.
So, you DIDN'T get a Custom Cowboy? Shucks!
ReplyDeleteWhoa on the hail!
Devil's tower is definitely on the list. We have been close a couple of times:(
ReplyDeleteyep that sure is some nasty hail glad the big winds didn't come with the larger stuff
ReplyDeleteLove Devils Tower! An unbreakable vent cover, huh? Glad I wasn't there for the hail.
ReplyDeleteWe were just at Devil's Tower on June 29th, and stayed in Sheridan that night, overnight. While we were in Spearfish the week of June 22nd to June 29th we got hit with nickle size hail which destroyed the vent cover on my cargo trailer....I, too, replaced it with a CAMCO unbreakable one....we'll see.
ReplyDeleteGlad that's all the damage you got, it surely could have been worse! Ouch anyway. :c(
ReplyDeleteGlad you got special permission to camp on that gun range, don't think you'd want to be targets!
Too bad on the custom cowboy failure, I hope you have better luck next time! :cD
Glad that's all the damage you got, it surely could have been worse! Ouch anyway. :c(
ReplyDeleteGlad you got special permission to camp on that gun range, don't think you'd want to be targets!
Too bad on the custom cowboy failure, I hope you have better luck next time! :cD
Sorry about the damage ... hope the new vent cover will hold up.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely legend ... and the bear scratches fit the setting.
Whoops... I knew that didn't sound right. Thanks for straightening it out.
ReplyDeleteI just was reading about the Native Americans in that area in National Geographic in the waiting room at physical therapy today. What they've had to go through brought tears to my eyes, not only the tragedy at Wounded Knee and other instances, but the more recent troubles on their reservations as well. Next time I'm out that way I'll look at it all a little differently I'm sure.
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