Devil's Tower

 

 

It’s not on the way to anywhere.  You’ve got to really want to go to Devil’s Tower to get here.

 

2017 summer trip map

 

We’re at the Devil’s Tower KOA.

 

 

If I read more

 

I’d know more.

 

But there is so much I want to do each day.  By the time I’ve had coffee, worked, walked, recorded a bird list, taken a few pictures, written a trip report, rubbed feet and visited with Judy; my day is pretty much done.  I’d like to spend time reading for entertainment, but it seems like I’m already completely entertained.  I guess I’m stuck just knowing what I know so far.

 

And some days we drive.

 

2017 summer trip map

 

Now we’re in Wheatland, Wyoming to visit Bill and Marge.

 

When Judy and I first moved to Colorado, without knowing a single person there, Judy took a job in Denver and met Marge.  Within days, Marge had us over to their farm outside of Broomfield to get to know them better.  We don’t have a picture of their farm there then, but pictures of their current farm outside Wheatland are a good representation.

 

 

I think they adopted us.  Their home became ours and our children’s too.

 

Along the way

 

There might be a better sculpture garden than the one in Loveland.

 

But we haven’t run across it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honest.  I only took pictures of a few of the pieces!

 

(And we’re not really in Loveland now.  That was last week.)

 

 

Speaking of critters

 

We’ve seen a little muskrat.

 

A Colorado Chipmunk.

 

A wary prairie dog.

 

Pronghorns.

 

Some with little pronghorns.

 

A snake skin.

 

 

A snapping turtle having a walk.

 

And the super-weird paedomorphic tiger salamander!

 

 

(Paedomorphic (I had to look it up.) means adults that have retained some of the characteristics of juveniles.  In this case, the external gills.)

 

The morning view

 

 

Long’s Peak

 

And another critter of the high country.  Moose!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got high today

 

A drive to the very high country.

 

 

Most of the day we spent on the tundra at 11,000 to 12,000 feet elevation.

 

This shot includes an elk grazing just at the ridge.

 

 

There were several chubby marmots out.

 

 

 

And a Henry sighting.