Young Bucks and Towering Water, Part 1 - Sun., June 11, 2017

Clouds blanket the high plains between Meeteetse and Cody, Wyoming, as we drive to our start point for today's 10k walk in Cody. A chill is in the air, necessitating jackets and gloves, as we head out on the trail. Today is the first day in our 12 days of travel that I wear a sweatshirt under my windbreaker, and I'm happy for it until almost the end of our walk.

Moody clouds descend over Cody and we have a good view of them from the upper plateau/shelf/bench(?) where our walk takes place.

Overlooking Cody, Wyoming from an upper neighborhood

Strolling through beautiful neighborhoods with park-like backyards, we enjoy the view toward the northwest. Other walkers ahead of us, who have gone to the checkpoint and are coming back toward, tell us there are two deer across the river from the checkpoint. Sure enough, when we arrive, the two young bucks are still there, as content as can be.

Two young bucks in the 'hood.

The neighborhoods here are peaceful; we encounter no barking dogs or raucous children. Interesting sites in yards are few and far between, but we do see a few things we like.

A whole hedge of gorgeous yellow roses

Ford Falcon "Time Machine"

A new Retro White Water travel trailer

Pretty Glendale neighborhood park

About this time, I'm really needing a restroom, but none are mentioned in our walk directions. We head up a small hill to Markham Reservoir recreation area. Certainly, there must be restrooms here! 

As we come up to the main maintenance building, we see a sign for restrooms at the far corner of the building. Could they be open? 

Alas, there is a key code on the door. I see other Volksmarchers coming out. I try the door and the door opens. Apparently, no key code is needed this morning. Yay, relief!

Our walk takes us all the way around Markham Reservoir. The sweeping vistas, birds, and sidewalk chalk statements give this otherwise flat trail some local interest. 

Let me explain the sidewalk chalk statements. Someone had a whole lot of fun with the chalk. It looked like maybe there had been a run or bike ride through here, maybe over the weekend. The chalk statements said things like, "Throw your arms up in the air and shout 'Yahoo!'," "Yell happy birthday to the person you're with," "Do some zig-zags" [zig-zag pattern to follow on the trail], stuff like that.

"Enjoy the view"

"It's a beautiful day!!'

Markham Reservoir seating
for resting or birdwatching 

Markham Reservoir

Volksmarchers

Big vistas with dramatic skies

Volksmarchers going around the reservoir

An osprey fishing

View of Absaroka Bay Campground

We stayed at Absaroka Bay Campground in 2012 when we were on our Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Thermopolis swing through Wyoming. It's a perfectly nice campground, well-maintained, and clean, but there's not a lot of room on the sites. We were there for only one or two nights.

At Markham Reservoir there is an awesome bicycle course.

A very cool race course

This course is well cared for by volunteers

I love this sign...so true

Volksmarchers on the opposite side of the reservoir

"These boots are made for walkin'!"

Again, a stunning vista

After our walk, we went to breakfast/brunch/lunch with Mike and Kathy Schwencke. Yelp helped us choose our restaurant and it didn't disappoint. We went to Rocky Mountain Mo Joe. Turns out they had something for everyone: gluten free, low glycemic, breakfast or lunch. We ordered at the counter and, when the food was ready, they brought it to our table. Hint: The oatmeal is fantastic!

After food, it's time to head to Yellowstone National Park. "Go west, young man, go west!" and so we do, both men and women.

This is a good spot to transition to Part 2 of our day. To be continued...

Education and Entertainment -- Fri., Apr. 5

It's Friday, a day we like to think about entertainment for the weekend. Will it be movies, a walk, museum or scenic drive? So many options and so much information.

I started out writing only about entertainment, but then I felt guilty because education is important. Education made the cut too.

Really, wouldn't it be wonderful if school education could be considered entertaining? Throughout my school years only a handful of teachers made history come alive. Elementary school was the most fun. We made Indian villages, forts and missions out of Popsicle sticks and glue. In order to do that, we had to learn how the people lived in order to accurately recreate their life in Popsicle sticks. Am I saying I want to do history with Popsicle sticks now? Absolutely not. It was fun while it lasted.

In 9th grade I learned more about the Civil War reading and watching "Gone with the Wind" than I did in class. How sad is that?

I love learning, so it's great to be traveling the country, going to historic sites and museums. In museums I want to read everything and look at all the displays to make up for high school history which left me cold.

Mission Concepcion, San Antonio, TX

Missions tell the stories of the Indians and the Roman Catholic Church, how they were interrelated, and what happened to the people. You can walk the grounds and feel how people lived. The movies tell their stories.

Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Bob tying one on, er, I mean,
trying one one.

Cody, Wyoming's Buffalo Bill Historical Center impressed me so much the first time I saw it on a familiarization tour, I "dragged" Bob there in 2012. Buffalo Bill Historical Center is five museums in one: Buffalo Bill, Western Art, Firearms, Plains Indians, and Greater Yellowstone Natural History. Allow five to six hours if you plan to see all of this in one day. You will be exhausted! This museum's staff definitely combines education and entertainment under one roof.

National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK

With the same high standards and quality of the museums mentioned above, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, OK, is a stand-out. This museum also requires many hours. Their permanent collections include: American Cowboy Gallery, American Rodeo Gallery, Art of the American West, Fine Firearms Gallery, Museum of the Frontier West, Native American Gallery, Silberman Gallery, Western Performers Gallery (think John Wayne, Tom Selleck), Prosperity Junction (indoor, life-sized replications of old cities with rooms furnished the way they would have been in the past), monumental sculptures and, for the kids/grandkids, a Children's Cowboy Corral and an inspiring sculpture garden outside. Also, don't miss the five triptych (three panel) paintings of Western landscapes in the large meeting room.

Triptych painting of Grand Canyon in huge conference room
at National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. You can't
appreciate the scale until you stand in front of it.

I have learned so much about the WW II  and War in the Pacific from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (now called World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument) and the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas (allow two days).

Bob in front of National Museum of the
Pacific War, Fredericksburg, Texas.

As for entertainment, wow, again so many choices. Entertainment for us can be an evening in watching movies/TV, playing games/cards or reading books and magazines, but we also love to get out and about. Going out to national parks, the ocean, hiking, movies, dinner, a play, festival, Volksmarch, concert, sporting event or just walking keeps us happily in each other's company. We like being near a large city from time to time, but nature is near and dear to our hearts too. 

What are your favorite museums, historical sites and entertainment? We haven't spent much time in the midwestern and eastern states, but I have a bucket list going.

Welcome to new followers Mary and Kevin at Heart of Carrot who are semi-retired. They have a Jayco Eagle travel trailer, their kids are grown and gone, but they have a dog. Until last month they also had a precious cat named Neerah (for 16 years) who has now crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Currently they are in Austin, TX. Maybe we'll get a chance to meet!

Have a great weekend. Travel Bug out.