East to Gillette

We departed Odgen, UT with no plan other than to drive to Flaming Gorge spending as little time on the I-80 as possible.

Photo of our retreat from Mount McKinnon back to Utah Route 39. Seemed like an easy half mile drive to the summit but once again snow drifts blocked our way.

 

Crossing under I-80 at a ranch exit in Wyoming.

Near Dowd's Hole, Utah.

Dusk darkens the clouds over Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

Dowd Mountain Overlook camp. Flaming Gorge NRA is a very beautiful area.

Cart Creek Bridge just before Flaming Gorge Dam. Jan and I both thought it odd that here we were visiting a huge reservoir filled with Green River water.  Several years ago we spent six days on a canoe trip paddling the Green River to its confluence with the Colorado.

Cart Creek Bridge and a FWC. We visited the Flaming Gorge Dam and then drove north to Wyoming.

In Wyoming looking south into Utah.

Spotted this buck pronghorn north of Rawlings. He was the first of many.

Visited Independence Rock because I had read about it many times and wanted to see the inscriptions carved by emigrants on the Oregon/California Trail.

The moon rises over Wyoming as we drive to our next camp.

Our Green Mountain camp. Five dollars a night, tables, toilets and water - great campground.

Looking back at our route leaving the Green Mountains.

Driving north to Lander when we stopped at the modern ghost town of Jeffrey City.

The stop signs are faded and grass is growing in the streets but 30 years ago 4,000 people lived in Jeffrey City.

Men's barracks.

Close up.

Crossing Boysen Dam.

Downstream of the Boysen Dam. While visiting the dam I wondered how the RR dealt with the problem of the dam. Found the answer here.

Boysen Dam spillway and FWC.

Boysen Dam spillway and Jan.

It was difficult to take this photo because of the mist flying up from the roaring water in the spillway.

We drove north through the beautiful Wind River Canyon to Thermopolis, WY. Jan bravely walked 30 feet out on the suspension bridge, Remember: She doesn't like bridges.

The hot springs in Thermopolis are an awesome place to visit.

Spotted this buck north of Thermopolis.

The moon rises as we drive east from Ten Sleep.

We camped near the top of old US 16 Ten Sleep Canyon road in the Big Horn Mountains.

The morning sun lights up the cliffs to the north of our camp.

Mr. Johnson entering Johnson County. Back in the 70's when I lived in Wyoming this always seemed worth a laugh to my friends.

Powder River Pass, Big Horn Mountains.

FWC and the Big Horn Mountains. We drove to Buffalo, WY where we both enjoyed a buffalo burger before continuing on to Gillette.

I worked at the Belle Ayr Mine back in the 70's.

When driving back to the main road we passed vehicles driven by gray bearded men going to work. Jan commented that I probably worked with a few of them more than 30 years ago. We drove on to Moorcroft and a motel.