Summary:
 Wow! What a day!! The longest in Paws Across America
history!! Over 16 hours and right at 900 miles in
a single day! Four states (Wyoming twice) and three
total stops!! Dad was like the Energizer Bunny!
When we left Cody, we knew we were by now BEHIND
SCHEDULE if we were going to make it back home on
Thursday (the intended return date.)
We crossed over the Bighorn Forest Range and we
barely missed hitting deer on three separate occasions.
Scary stuff when they come out of the pitch black
night right in front of you! We made it to Gillette,
Wy. at 5:05AM and gassed up and headed east toward
the South Dakota state line, Rapid City... and Mt.
Rushmore (the "end game" for this year's
trip.)
Of course, we had to make a short stop in Sturgis,
S.D., the motorcyclist's mecca! Then it was on to
Mt. Rushmore.
There is no way to describe the feeling when Mt.
Rushmore first comes into view, rising out of the
Black Hills. It is so beautiful. It would be impossible
to see it and not feeling proud to be an American!
However... at the ticket window at the park entrance,
Dad was informed that I COULD NOT GO INTO THE PARK.
I had to stay in the parking lot! We were SO BUMMED.
However, we got just inside the memorial entrance
(thanks to Blaine, the nice Park Ranger.) But, the
pictures left something to be desired... there was
just too much stuff in the way of a clear shot.
We left the park entrance very depressed and dejected.
BUT!! Just as we rounded the corner out of the west
exit of the park... BAM !! The most magnificent,
unobstructed view of the mountain we could ever ask
for. A quick stop along the side of the road. I got
all posed and Dad snapped away! Just check out that
picture!! Dog, oh dog! GOD BLESS AMERICA!
We were only at Mt. Rushmore about 1/2 hour since
I couldn't go in, so it was off to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
(I need to explain something here. The originally
plan was to drop down out of South Dakota, catch
I-25 south into Cheyenne, head west on I-80 and then
drop down through Salt Lake City and catch I-15 back
home. However, as we approached Cheyenne, Dad did
some calculations and realized it was actually SHORTER
to go through Denver and up over the Rockies, just
like we did last year. In fact, we ended up spending
our last night on the road in Silverthorne, Colorado...
just like last year! Knowing we'd be traveling most
of the night to get back home, Dad realized we wouldn't
see much of Salt Lake City, anyway. So, he pulled
the trigger and headed south out of Cheyenne on I-25
toward Denver rather then west on I-80 toward Rock
Springs, Wy.)
 We made Cheyenne at 1:10PM and I hit the sack while
Dad went to get something to eat. (We had been out
of wireless range for sometime and he needed to make
a few pay phone calls.) The plan was to sleep for
several hours (in the SUV) in Cheyenne and then proceed.
However, after only an hour nap, Dad was up and ready
to roll!
We hit Denver around 5:45 and caught I-70 and headed
up through the Rocky Mountain Pass where he finally
called it a day in the beautiful ski town of Silverthorne!
We gassed up, bedded down and called it a day! That
was around 7:21 Wednesday night. Keep in mind we
left Cody, Wy. THAT SAME MORNING just before 1AM
Mountain Time! That's over 16 hours on the road!!
Well... it's back home from here. Dad's gonna try
to make it back home before noon on Thursday! I don't
know, he may be pushing it too much.
Anyway, enjoy the phenomenal pictures from Day 6
and I'll see you back home in Las Vegas!
Fondly,
Jordan
|
| |
 |
|
