I’m camped for tonight at North Sterling State Park just north of Sterling Colorado where I stopped for one night a few days after I retired two years ago. Pretty flat country around the park but the park is a little higher in elevation. Each site has a picnic table with a windbreak next to it. Right now it’s 90 degrees but there is a pleasant breeze. Can’t upload a photo cause of the lack of WiFi.
Staying tonight at a KOA campground just west of Omaha. Not my style but there aren’t many camping opportunities around Omaha. They sure pack em in here. Tomorrow night I’ll be camped for a night at North Sterling State Park in northeast Colorado.
When I was in northeast Iowa around Mount Vernon there were many damaged and destroyed silos and cornfields with corn bent at about a 45 degree angle. Then I remembered a Derecho went through Iowa a couple of days ago. Just saw on the local news that over a million acres of corn and soybeans were destroyed. The streets of Mount Vernon were lined with tree branches waiting for pick up.
The dates for the 2020 Sturgis Rally were changed to August 7th through August 16th. My reservations had me camping within 30 miles of Sturgis, South Dakota on August 14th and 15th. Sure don’t need that. A couple of days ago I canceled those reservations and changed my route. My original route went straight west from Milwaukee through Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wyoming to the Big Horn Mountains. Now I’ll go mostly west and a little south through Wisconsin to Iowa City, Iowa, then west through Iowa and Nebraska to North Sterling State Park in the Northeast corner of Colorado. My first night will be at a campground just west of Omaha, Nebraska. My second night will be at North Sterling State Park. This will be my 4th night at North Sterling State Park. Then I’ll head north across Wyoming to the Big Horns which will take me through Cheyenne, Laramie, and Casper. This route adds a half-day of driving but that’s ok. It’s one of the best things about retirement. Doesn’t matter if I need to add a day or even a week to a trip.
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On Friday, August 14th I’ll be heading back to the Big Horn Mountains in north-central Wyoming. Sunday the 16th I’ll begin 5 days of camping at Tie Flume campground followed by 5 days camping at Prune Creek campground. The South Tongue Rivers flows through both campgrounds. Probably about the worst time to trout fish. Rivers are lower, slower, and clearer at the end of the summer. I’ll be at 8000 feet so it is cold at night. Hopefully, the cold nights keep the water from getting too warm.
Started home. Hope to return to the Big Horn Mountains soon.
Yesterday I just relaxed, read a book.
Today, Sunday after driving a half-hour northwest to see Devils Tower I drove west a few hours and then through Sheridan Wyoming and south about an hour to Tie Flume Campground 8400 feet up into the Big Horn Mountains in Big Horn National Forest. Very beautiful mountains and campground. When I made the reservation I was only able to reserve one night. There are many campgrounds in Big Horn National Forest. Each campground has a handful of first-come-first-serve campsites. My plan was to nab a site for another four nights. Not to be. The camp hostess was a real sweetie and tried to find me a site but nothing was open. I spent one night there and started home. There’s a beautiful large stream/small river that runs through the campground. Crystal clear gently flowing water in a gorgeous setting. The host told me they catch fish “they are small guys but fun”. It was about 6:30 pm when I walked down to the river. Many fish were rising. The river isn’t small and there are some undercut banks. Have to believe there are some decent size fish. Wishful thinking. Looks like you can walk and fish a long way upstream and downstream without wading unless you want to cross the river. The host told me moose walk through and check the campground out around 6 to 6:30 am. Made sure I was up at 5:30 to check it out but the host was making a lot of noise emptying garbage cans. I forgive her. She was so nice. I’m thinking of trying to make reservations for two weeks in August if a site is available.
It was a hot day. Drove from Medora ND straight south to my campground for the next two nights. It’s called Reuter Campground and is in a small section of Black Hills National Forest just outside of Sundance Wyoming. Many tall pine trees with some appreciated shade after four days at a campsite void of trees in 90 degree heat.
Looked at a beautiful section of TRNP The Painted Canyon.
My birthday. Toured the Northern Unit of TRNP which is an hour drive north. There are a couple of spectacular overlooks of The Little Missouri River. It’s a muddy rive because it doesn’t flow over rocks.
Toured the Southern Unit of TRNP. Part of the scenic drive had collapsed so I couldn’t see all of the Southern Unit. Much of TRNP looks like a combination of The Grand Canyon and The Badlands but not as huge. Saw maybe six wild horses, many bison and many prairie dogs.
