Traveling South, Ghost towns, Stepping back in time and hot springs!

Even being from a Northern state like Massachusetts, it is strange to find other states that are colder.  But Wyoming actually is.  Nothing shows this better than the recently blooming lilac bushes next to my Oasis Motel room in Meeteetsee.  Even though it feels quite warm, it really is not warmer than home is.  Heck, we had lilacs over a month ago.  Long gone in the bloom department.

My spring lilacs

Anyway, I go explore Meeteesee.  I have read that there is quite a bit of history in this town, as well as some ghost towns.  I go on the exploration trail.

One of those ghost towns is Arland.  Founded by a Vic Arland in 1884, it was a lawless town that the likes of Butch Cassidy visited.  Heck, the nearest law was 150 miles away.  So one night Vic shot someone in self defense, then that guy's buddy shot Vic, it went on for a while.  Long story short, the town ended up disappearing, not so much because of the violence, or the criminals, that was common.  What was also common, is that many wild west towns went by the way, usually because the purpose of the town was no longer, be that the ore played out, or the need for the stage stop left when the railroad came through.  There is a story about a woman in blue that haunts the old town location. 

Location of the Former Arland

Meeteetsee itself is basically just a corner, with a few old buildings.  However, it looks like it could be transported right back to the 1800's.  The buildings are wooden, have wooden boardwalks in front of them, and porches overhanging.  They have their own museum, which is actually made up of several buildings, including an old bank building.  Yeah, yeah, I hear you, every town in Wyoming has a museum.  Yep, I think they do, but I think that speaks to the interesting things that happened in a short period of time in these towns, and the huge impact those events made. 

One side of Main Street

The other side of Main Street

Another view of one side of Main Street

I don't know how much history was made in Meeteetsee, but they have this really quite 'famous' chocolate factory that is on the Main Street and run by a real cowboy.  This day, however, he was at the ranch, and, due to a 'power failure' the Chocolatier was not open.  Probably better for my budget and waistline that this was the fate of my visit.  However, I did have a great conversation with an older gentleman who was resting on a bench in front of the saloon on Main Street.  This man's face was so full of expression.

Isn't this just an expressive face?
If this man at 79 is not something to define the West, nothing is

At their visitor's center, I asked about the ghost town I had heard of, Kirwin.  They gave me directions, and asked what I was driving, because they warned me that only 4 wheel drive can get there.  I was also warned that I needed to cross water in several places, first to get to the "Double D" an area at the base of the final mountain, and in several places higher after that to get to Kirwin.  I was told that there was a ranger that had come through just the day before, that said that the road to Kirwin had just become somewhat passable.

OK< remember, I am getting some real experience in the Wyoming idea of passable roads and dirt roads that need to be plowed in June from the winter snows and are limited access to people year round.  I figured I might as well try to go for it.  I can always turn around, hopefully without having to back down a tiny dirt road with drop offs for a mile!  However, they have told me that the road is not 'that bad' when i ask if it has sheer drop offs.  Again, I am getting better at assessing what Wyoming means by that too.

I follow the directions onto a local road that has quite a bit of pretty large private ranches. One is for sale, called "Sunshine Ranch" which i later look up off that Prudential site to find it is listed for 4 Million!  OK, it has 237 acres and about a mile of river front on the wood river, but it also has just one house and is in the middle of nowhere! 

I pass some nifty rock formations - what do you see in them?

I see ahorse, Franklyn says bird.  And you?

There are some road side graves here, they are clearly old, but someone is maintaining them.  this one was pretty neat.  On the way up, it was just an acknowledged pioneer who perished, on the way back, their laid a deer half hidden by it.  By the way this doe was laying, I had no doubt that a little one lay covered by the high grass next to her.  The past continues, the past is remembered, old life gives life to new life.

A well tended pioneer grave

That one the way back sheltered a doe

I crossed two smaller streams where someone, I assume the park's department, since this is National forest also, has cemented the pad where the water flows down the hill over this roadway, so that it would not wash away and that the road could be maintained.  The last water i crosses was bigger and faster, and not maintained, and even though it looked quite like nothing, it was deeper and more difficult for my big butt truck to cross that you would think.

Enough Said!

Climbing upward

Toward Kirwin

Dropping toward the Valley

I came up and around some pretty roads up this mountain, and then dipped into this pretty valley, surrounded by tall mountains, and here i am at the former Double D.  The double D was a dude ranch back 80 odd years ago.  This dude ranch kind of became interesting to some famous people, one being Amelia Earhardt.  She spent several times here at the double D, and enjoyed it so much, that she asked the people there to build her a cabin for her personal vacation use, to get away from the world and fish.  This cabin was started further up the road from the double D, about 6 miles up in the area of the former mine town of Kirwin.  The remains of that cabin still stand (somewhat) to this day, just past Kirwin.  Four rows of timbers had been laid when Amelia left the area for a scheduled trip around the world.  We all know the story, she did not return, so the cabin was abandoned.

An abandoned Cabin

Cozy, maybe at one time

The "Privey"

A One Holer!

What a pretty Valley, this must have been really something in it's day!

 I look at the river that goes through the road up to Kirwin and make a decision that i am NOT going to attempt to cross it and go the last few miles to Kirwin.  Even though I would love to go there and poke around, see if any minerals could be found, I also know that there is no cell service here, and if anything goes wrong, I am SOL unless someone happens along.

Nope!  Not crossing this!

There are several buildings left from the old Double D Ranch.  There is a big common building, that has a porch, and is all boarded up.  There are a few cabins that seems to have been used as rustic living cabins, and there is an fairly intact outhouse.  A 'one holer'.  There is also the remains of a stable, with the corral remains in front of it.  What did bother me about this place were two things.  There was a presence here.  It was male.  It was not evil, but it was not a comfortable feeling either.  Maybe because it was here int he middle of nowhere, a place that was so remote, maybe it was the wind that rustled through the valley, maybe it was the red and white pick up truck parked in front of the lodge building with the windows open and a current Wyoming plate.  but there were no live people around, and I heard nothing.  but i also know that there were 'watch out for the bears' signs, and I was experienced enough in the Wyoming thing to realise that there could be any number of wild animals in the area.  Heck, they tell you to watch out for the wolves and grizz.  What I did do when I first got to the Double D was pull out my gun that was sitting in a suitcase.  And yes, I was carrying:  NOT concealed and loaded.

What's left of the lodge - I wonder why it's boarded when nothing else is?

At one time horses were held here

In some way this sort of defines what had become of the Double D

I really regret that I could not go to Kirwin, but even in hindsight, a smart move.  If I was with a party, and we had four wheelers, than I would have gladly gone, but not alone in my truck!

On the way back down, I met three big 4 wheelers, loaded with at least 4 people each, coolers, both adults and kids that looked like a family on an exploration towards the Double D and/or Kirwin.  I sure wish they had come before, I would have talked to them about hitching a ride up to Kirwin with them!    These were not the little 4 wheelers, these were the mule type, big, with roofs, and areas in the back to carry their supplies and coolers.  Maybe they were camping!

The road, going down

I crossed two of these

In fact, back toward the ranger station are a couple turn offs, one where you can park trailers and stock type things where you can stable your horses, as well as another place where three trucks were unloading more 4 wheelers. 

Anothier example of Wyoming art - there were several huge sculptures in this yard

A creative use of scrap wood - try fencing!

On my way back through Meeteetsee, I stopped again at the visitor's center, to 'check in.'  The woman manning the place said that if I was going up, to please check in on the way back so that she would know I was ok.  I sure thought that was a really nice thing to be concerned about my well being, and thinking back about what I saw up there, I think that I might have been a little foolish to take that myself, but I did watch my back and took no chances.  Smart to do anywhere, especially in the wild.  And, it was a great thing that I waited to get fuel until I came down, in that 4 or 5 hours, the price of diesel went down by 4 cents!  And, the woman behind the counter told me that her ex boyfriend was from Springfield, Mass and that he still lived in Meeteetsee.  Small world.  Again.

























I continue South toward the town of Themopolis, pop 3100, at 4300 feet.  Their whole economy seems to revolve around the hot springs here in town.  These are natural hot springs,, that come out of the earth at around 127 degrees.  They now flow over and through a series of pools, and are used for baths and other water related things.  Like a water slide.  There is a State owned and run bathing pool, which is free to hang out in, and I was told that the water that runs into that bath house is 104 degrees.  I have no idea what the admission is to get into the commercially run bath house with the water slides.  I was not really interested in bathing in warm bath water with strangers, and not when I knew I would have to continue driving a fairly long distance until I got to my destination.

The hots springs are filled with minerals, which make nifty natural scuplture

But I did have a nice conversation with two couples, one from Pennsylvania and one from rock springs with their broken down Nissan pick up.  The PA people had horses, and we swapped a few stories before they moved on to get the truck fixed and I went in pursuit of food. 

I have to admit that is one thing I love about GPS's.  You can plug in what you are looking for and it comes up.  However, sometimes it is not completely accurate, but it told me there was a A & W Root Beer place, and so I was off!

First:  there was a sign saying they were hiring.  Secondly, I think I stepped back in time when I went into this place.  OK, picture this:  you enter a very old style restaurant, with old Formica tables, tons of signs advertising things like "HOME MADE PIE!" and other things.  You sit down, and not one comes to greet you.  Until you see the little sign, that says to pick up the orange phone.  Which you do, and someone asks you fro your order.  I kid you not!  You TALK INTO A PHONE!  Went for the burger, onion rings and the root beer float, heck it is A & W. 

So I am sitting there, taking in the decor, and hear noises.  Sure sounds like a bowling alley, well heck, it is!  Seriously, this place is half bowling alley, half restaurant.  And all loaded with old restaurant stuff that probably is original and has been there forever, and I am just in little deja vu heaven! 

My food comes, and heck, if it isn't in one of those little plastic baskets!  I am in great burger heaven.  OK< not as good as the buffalo burger, but really good.

I savor my food, I get a piece of blueberry pie to go.  I tell them I want the restaurant.  the owner tells me it's not as much fun as you would think.  I know that, I STILL want it.
I am told that there was drive up places to the side that are not gone.  I have visions of bringing the back.  Ok, I slap myself, I am not quite sure how i could run an A & W in Themopolois, Wyoming from the East coast,  but not until after I photograph the three giant people holding food out front. 

I haven't seen anything like this in 40 years! Ah, I miss it!

There are still some flowing trees along the Big Horn river that flows through here.  Hmmm????? Did I tell you about cold?

I am traveling south east from here, through the Wind River Canyon.  What is really interesting about this place is that this is one of the few places int he US where the river (Big Horn) flows NORTH!   Wind River Canyon is now part of the Wind River Indian Reservation, which is Arapaho Indian territory.  This canyon is also a natural wind tunnel, you can feel the wind rushing through the canyon, as you go further and further into the canyon.  You dive down along the river, and then you come back out again.  But not before you see teepee's along the side of the river, watch the rail road tracks follow the natural movement of the river, and travel through three tunnels, burrowed through the rock.  And see signs that say the rock is 600 million years old!

This is one of the most breaktaking places I have ever seen

Andwith the wind, it lives up to it's name

Just breathtaking

The tunnel through the rock

On the southern end is Boysen State park, which is at the head water of the river, and holds the reservoir that is behind the big damn they built there. 

I continue on my way, now going more east but still flowing south.




































I cross the Badwater Creek and wonder, is the water bad?  Hmmmmm.  And then I come to an intersection.  Right will take you to the entrance to the Wind River Indian Reservation and Casino, left, towards Casper.  As much as I would like to see the reservation, I know I need to get to my destination by the end of today, and it is already mid afternoon.  I turn left and enter the town of Shoshone.  Population 635, at 4820 elevation.

Man, if this is not the poster town for what used to be, I have not seen it before or since.  There are a few trailers, lots of rusted metal (again!) and the two gas stations at the T intersection.  Everything seems to be closed here.  Houses, stores, old gas stations, motels.  There is nothing here.  OK, one run down bar, but nothing else.  An abandoned, forgotten ghost town that has seen better times. 

Shoshone - a shame

And there is nothing here but miles and miles of flat land, some sandstone cliffs and signs that warn or high winds.  With nothing to stop it, I can clearly see why the wind would howl here. 

And this is nowhere pretty in some ways, scarey in others

I just keep on driving, finding nothing, but as sign for the town of Momtas, where the only thing I see is one old warehouse and one antelope.  I wonder about something that i happen to see a lot, why is there only ONE deer?  Do they only travel alone out here?  The old western idea of being a loner?  Or am I only seeing the scouting party?

But there is another one of those pesky Wall Drug signs!

I go through Niland, nothing there.

I go through Powder River, home of Hell's Half Acre.  It is closed, so I have no idea  regarding why it is Hell, and how come Hell is only a half acre in size.  Heck, I would think that the BS from just one of the lawyers that reside there alone would fill up many more acres than just that, or  have they all been incinerated so the ashes don't take up much room?  A conundrum to ponder.  The only other thing there is the Tumble Inn.  Which is closed.  Maybe a good think since Hell is right next door.

Natrona has one house, a trailer that appears to have been a former bar, and a junkyard of old trucks.  Other than that?  Zippsville.

I tell you this so that you can see that this is a pretty sparse area.  With areas like this, you can understand why Wyoming is the least populated state in the Union.  And you kind of look at the fact that to get to anything, you will need to travel a LONG way. 

I see one 'farm.'  It consists of a small trailer, a half dozen horses, some chickens, pigs behind a fence, and that is all they have.  No other buildings.  Just that one lonely trailer and the animals sitting out there in the middle of nowhere.  I would bet that the owner loves the solitude of his place. 

I pass through Mills, which is almost 2600 people, and slide into Casper, at long last.  The population of Casper is just shy of 50, thousand, and is at 5100 elevation.  But, I will tell you, Casper is kind of a grubby city.  I had to plod through many of the motels listed on my GPS.  Most were in really scummy areas.  Then some of the ones in the decent area were still dumps, heck, they did not even have security locks on the doors!  I finally go to the Shiloh Inn, which sits right on the highway.  The place is quite nice, secure, and very reasonable.  Even includes a fruit and cereal type breakfast, and it takes dogs!

I do recommend it.  I advise anyone going to Casper to take a good look at your surroundings.  There is a lot of poverty and abandonment there, and I am told several of the sections of town are not safe.  I am thinking that this is one of the worst pl;aces I have seen in Wyoming.

 I am able to talk myself into a good room for less than the rate they were quoting.  Hey, you have to do this when you go across country.   I strongly suggest that you always ask.  By the way, it usually works!

I get a good night's sleep, check out it not until noon, and the AC works well, I can look out the window at my truck, there is security in the parking lot, it's quiet, the people there are nice, and there is a good selection on the TV and the wireless is fast and works well!

I check out of the Shiloh Suites at 11:45am, just prior to the final time before you have to pay for the next day.  I don't have a long way to go, and there are not many places between here and my destination that I am actually wanting to see. 

I go on pursuit of a large liquor store.  I am looking for some local booze to bring home to hubby.  It is a thing I do, I bring home local stuff for Franklyn.  After a couple tries, I find one store that carries the locally made whiskey, something I can not find the name of, since Franklyn drank it and threw the bottle away, but he says it sucked!  And I also found him a bottle of red Wyoming wine.  Let me tell you, the selection of Wyoming wine is Nil, NADA, NOTHING!  In other words, I found 4 bottles.  Two whites, one rose, and one red.  I bought the red.  It ended up being a 'table wine' which I have no idea what that means, but as Franklyn tells me, it SUCKED also!

So, word of warning:  Wyoming makes great cowboys, but cowboys can not make wine (and whiskey either).  by the way, Liquor in Wyoming is highly regulated.  Hmmm?  I would think just the other way, but, the state has it's mitts in it, which makes for not great prices on liquor, and a VERY BAD selection.  But, they have drive up liquor stores, like fast food, they hand the bottle or beer out to you through the window, and most bars also sell liquor.  Or liquor stores also open it for you.  Which ever you want it to be.

I take the road heading south, and pass the giant oil derrick that is the symbol of Casper.  It passed by the former Fort Casper, the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, the Mormon Trail and the Pony Express.  Just so you know, these 4 trails did all travel a fair amount through Wyoming together, and then later branched off to go to their destination.

Buildings in Fort Casper

Fort Casper has a museum, and some old cabins set up.  They also tell the tales of the area and the fort and the development of the area.  Here is the Platte River Bridge,  the Platte river Station of the Pony Express, which ended up being a real important thing to have a bridge over the river here for traveling.  What is kind of nifty is that the river here is actually higher than the land next to it, but there are built up areas next to the river to hold it back.  It is not just due to the high watter everywhere out here, this is clearly always higher than the land.

Stark, but very beautiful

Once again I start following the Sand Creek Massacre Trail.  And yes, I am on the 4-trail route of the Pony Express, Oregon, California and Mormon Trails.  This is also the first day I have ever traveled through the west that is overcast.  I thought it was ALWAYS sunny out here!

I am again following the North Platte River, which is still pretty high.  I see a house that sits fairly close to the river, and it is surrounded in a high wall of sandbags.  Now the river is maybe 50 or more feet away, but I still don't know it it is rising or falling. 

I get to a split in the road, if I take a left, I will go towards m,y ultimate destination, if I stay straight, I will go towards Independence rock.  I check my clock, calculate my distances, and stay straight towards Independence rock.

Again, we are seeing some farmland, and, of all things, a small plane playing crop duster.  I can see stuff coming from the back of it, and heck, some of it gets on my truck!  So i wonder, there must be some sort of an airstrip around here, on their private land?  But more than that puzzlement, I wonder why this idiot is out crop dusting when I see a another of those prairie storms off to my right and these massive bolts of lightening through it.  I also wonder how many times that large metal horse and rider carrying a huge American Flag that sits near the highway has gotten hit!

The town of Alcova comes and goes, at 5366 feet in elevation.  there is a huge lake here and it must be a big destination, since the road seems to be invaded with huge, and i mean huge, RV's mostly towed by pick ups, but some Class A all enclosed ones that are towing a car behind.  There are many signs for camp areas.  But heck, they must have a lot of services there, because to get to any place from here is a bit of a distance!  OK, a huge distance.

I notice along the left side of the road, some signs that say 101 Ranch.  There are little signs periodically, and some larger ones inter spaced.  All along three wire fencing on wooden posts.  This entire ranch follows water in the distance, that may be part of that huge lake I saw previously.  I eventually find an entrance to this 101 Ranch, and see a house and barns in the distance near the water.  As I continue  along, the signs for 101 Ranch finally end, and then I am in sight of Independence Rock.  I estimate that I have followed those signs for at least 15 miles.  Since i saw several groups of cattle along the way behind those fences, i am assuming it is a huge cattle operation.  Rough life. 

Independence rock is this rounded lump that sits in the middle of some fairly flat rolling grassland.  It is not impressive like Emigrant Rock was in the Guernsey area.  I am reminded that whoever passed here, had previously passed the other place, and were now another hundred plus miles along their journey, and that it had probably taken them several weeks to get here.  This rock is know also for the carvings of travelers on it.  However, those carvings are on the TOP of the rock, so you have to CLIMB UP THERE to see them!  You can walk all the way around the rock, which is pretty big, and I am told that there is an easy assent on the other side, and I respond  "That's nice."  Heck, it is hot, and I am NOT climbing up any rock!  The young guys that have just come down are out of breath!  Right, with my knee!  Not going to happen!

I am told that the names carved up there are from the 1850's, and even into the 1920's. 

This is a free landmark to see.  There is no entry fee, and is a popular spot for everything from motorcyclists to buses.  To get to it you need to travel through a small building that is open on most sides, and that has some signs that tell the story of Independence Rock and the Trail Travelers, and then you need to go through a entrance that can only be described as a skinny "N".  I wonder why the difficult entry but think nothing of it on the way in.

On the way out, I figure out why!  To the right of the concrete walkway I see a beautiful steer.  Actually, I think he is a bull.  A very nice specimen that would look very good on a plate, if you can understand my drift.  He's just standing there, he goes to rub his head in the dirt.  He gets up, looks around, and starts to slowly walk.  Two women behind me notice Mr Beef and comment about him being there.  One says to the other, "What's he doing there?"  The other one says, "I'm sure there is some fence to keep him in."  I start to laugh.  And toss back to them:  "Sorry, but there is no fence.  This is free range, ladies."  I don't see the look on their face, but I find them hurry toward the building.    I must be the ONLY person who saw those BIG SIGNS that announced "OPEN RANGE" and things like 'watch out for loose stock' or 'DANGER:  BIG, MEAN COWS!'  Ok, I am kidding on that last part, but I see more open range than fenced areas like the 101 Ranch.   So, that snaky entrance was to keep the cattle from escaping through the parking lot.

Mr Beef

Mr Beef I watch meander across the walkway right in front of a few people, who, in all their wisdom, have decided to give him room, and I notice the unmistakable evidence.  Yep, bull.  And not far behind him comes running after him a small black cow that does not want to be left with the tourists. 

I get back on the road and backtrack something like 25 or so miles to that split in the road, because there is no other way to get to 487 and my destination.

Antelope, deer and cattle are all grazing together out here.  On the way down I saw someone cutting a huge field for hay, and on the way back the field is still getting cut.  It's been about 2 hours, and they still have a LONG way to go.  I have no idea the size of this field, but it must be in excess of 50 acres.  The duster plane is still at it, and heck, this nut flies right over the telephone wires so low, I swear he was going to end up with the nose in the ground.

At the split, i see a sign advertising a soon to be held, are you ready?  MACHINE GUN AND CANNON SHOOT!  I wonder if the local rod and gun's around here would ever DARE to sponsor!  And just how many people around here have a cannon they can tote around to a gun shoot? 

I see the ABSOLUTE best metal sculpture on the hill right near the entrance to a big ranch:  it is an entire group of cowboys around a campfire with a REAL chuck wagon parked next to it.  Now THAT is sculpture!  This state does do it's arts proud.

There are prairie dogs running around here on the sides of the road, and a sign says I have 70 miles to go.

It's not quite the ad, but the best I could do

This area is sandy, and nothing there

All of a sudden, there is another of those big black clouds, sitting along the side of me in the middle of this low area I am in.  I get no rain, but it seems to follow me for a while.  I swear the weather patterns out here are pretty interesting in themselves.

Then I travel through this grove of wind turbines.  These things are huge when you are fairly close to them as I am here, maybe 150 feet away or so?  Some turn, others do not.  I have no idea how these things work.

But I have finally reached my destination.  Entering Medicine Bow, Wyoming.  Population 274, elevation 6263 feet.

My next adventure is to begin.