On the Road Gillette to Cody Wyoming

Nessie and the Minvan on the road with mountains in background
Back on the Road

Plains in foreground and mountains in background
Wyoming landscape
Gulch
Gulch, Wyoming Landscape
Fence and sage brush
Fence and Sage Brush
Snow fence
Snow Fence

We were glad when the minivan was repaired so we could get back on the road again. We didn't get quite as early a start as planned, but we were finally on the move.

The drive from Gillette to Cody took us through a typical western landscape. High plains in the foreground with snow covered mountains in the background. Occasionally we passed a gulch or other low area.

Town with mountains in background

Much of the area we passed through played a part in the history of the west. Much of area was the site of the Johnson County War. The movie Shane and the novel The Virginian were more or less based on the war.

The road took us over some pretty high hills. Many of them had pull-offs labeled Chain Up Area and Chain Off Area. Just a hint of what driving in the winter might be like. The snow fences along side the road provided another hint of what winter driving could be like. It's hard to imagine snow high enough and blowing hard enough to warrant these snow fences. But winter TV coverage of the snows in the plains reminded us of the fact that the snow fences are really needed.

Ten Sleep

Ten Sleep Canyon with sign saying Wyoming
Ten Sleep Canyon

We passed an town called Ten Sleep and stopped to read the historical marker. We learned that Ten Sleep got its name by being ten sleeps (nights) between the Great Sioux Camps and the Platte River to the south, and the northern camp located near Bridger, Montana.

We also passed town of Worland, Wyoming. I took quite a bit of video of Worland--especially the Pioneer Park. The park has several large sculptures celebrating the pioneers. I wouldn't believe that we didn't take any stills of them. The images here are captured from the video.

Farmer and dog sculpture
Farmer and his dog, Worland WY
Pioneer woman sculpture
Pioneer Woman, Worland, WY
Western landscape
Western Landscape, Wyoming