Saturday, November 5/2011

Wyoming scenery

Butch Cassidy Cabin

Dance Hall

Heading into Colorado

Time to find a place to Park

Well, it might be called Sweetwater Station but it was anything but sweet!!  It rained for most of the night and was windy.  We parked beside a very busy highway and if this traffic is any indication as to the amount of traffic "back in the day",  I can understand why this was a popular "station".
We will be continuing our travels South and will cross into the state of Colorado today.  This of course could mean lousy roads ahead as we will be in  the mountains and upper elevations today.  It is a good thing that I travel with The Four Powers - God, Allah, Buddha and the Gitchi Manitou!!
We are traveling on the Chief Washakie Trail,  named after the Shoshone Indian Chief who is noted for his exploits in fighting and also for his friendship with the white pioneers.  When wagon trains were passing though Shoshone country in the 1850's, Washakie and his people aided the overland travelers in fording steams and recovering strayed cattle.  He was also a Scout for the US Army.  From all the reading I did on this man, he truly was a man of vision and wisdom and led his people well.
We passed another landmark in our travels - this being Split Rock.  The Sweetwater Valley was home to three distinctive granite landmarks - Independence Rock, Devil's Gate and Split Rock.  The last of these, Split Rock had guided travelers for decades before the emigrants arrived.  The distinctive "gun sight" notch in the Rattlesnake Range was visible to the emigrants for the better part of two days. rising some 1000 feet above the prairie.  Split Rock aimed the emigrants directly at South Pass, more that 75 miles away.
We finally got to the small town of Baggs - a place John was interested in seeing.  He had done a lot of research and found out that this area was one frequented by Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch.  Baggs, once the gathering place for outlaws in the 1880's and 90's with its location, made it a perfect place for outlaws to celebrate their latest heist.  Apparently,  Butch and the boys liked to party - hence the name "the wild bunch".  they were frequent visitors to the Gaddis-Mathew house and it became known as a "hangout" for the gang while enjoyed music and dancing.  Butch was an accomplished harmonicist and enjoyed entertaining.  A rock fortress nearby - The Hole in the Wall  was their hideout once the partying was over.
Once we hit the interstate at Rawlins, we encountered snow and ground drifting which continued as we crossed into the state of Colorado.  Being in the upper elevations always brings the possibility of snow and we were not disappointed.  The only good thing about this today, was the fact that the ground stayed wet and the temperature remained above zero so we had no ugly icy roads to deal with.  We saw tons of deer and antelope and an equal amount of hunters all decked out in their bright orange suits.
When we were finally down into the lower elevations, the snow disappeared and the sun came out.  The leaves are still on the trees here, some of them still green!!
We continued into the state of Utah were we found a small road off the interstate to spend the night.