Trip to the Rockies

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

The Little Bighorn near Hardin, MT

Our first time to visit the Custer Battlefield was chilling and exciting at the same time. To look over the battlefield from various high points east of the river where the attacks on the village started and where the retreats ended. To see all the markers spread over the battlefield where members of the 7th Calvary fell. A lot of the markers especially on Last Stand Hill and just over the ridge to the east are clustered together as if they where surrounded and no way out!

Here I am with Ernie LaPointe, great grandson of Sitting Bull and guest speaker at the Little Bighorn

National Monument. A fellow paratrooper, he served with the 101st Airborne.

One way to keep visitors on the trail.....rattlesnakes!

Last Stand Hill taken from top of the ridge looking west toward the river. Custer's marker, where he fell is in the center with the dark Lettering.

Looking east up Last Stand Hill from atop deep ravine. Deep ravine was the route the Indians used to approach Custer while being concealed from gunfire.

Markers along the deep ravine walking trail where soldiers of the 7th Calvary fell trying to escape last stand hill to the perceived safety of the timber along the river. Last stand hill can be seen in the distance over Karen's left shoulder.

The head of deep ravine looking east toward last stand hill.

Atop Weir Point where Capt. Thomas Weir leads his company in an attempt to locate Custer but is forced to retreat further south to Reno's entrenchment

Looking west toward the Little Bighorn River where Major Reno retreated back across the river after his failed attempt to attack the village

Big day tomorrow, floating the Bighorn River !!

Monday, August 5, 2013

Pizza night

Our last night in Riverton, Wy we spent with Tom & Sheri. What a great time we had reconnecting and meeting Sheri.

They are committed to coming to Florida next spring for fishing and even a cruise out of Tampa!

On to Montana and the Little Bighorn,

I fear we may be to late to help!

At least we'll try, it will be more than our people in Benghazi got.

Big winner at the casino 20 cents!

Pizza on the veranda

Karen gets her dog fix with Annie!

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Ghost towns of South Pass

Traveled with Tom & Sheri Saturday to Atlantic City and the ghost town of South Pass City.

Atlantic City still has people living there and two real old cowboy bars that are amazing to walk into with all the "artifacts" and history of the gold rush of the late 1860's

Red Canyon on the way to South Pass

Inside Atlantic City Bar

Sheri & Karen in the old Atlantic City bar.

General Store of Atlantic City

The last working gold mine in South Pass, closed in the 1940's opened in 1860's. The building has been restored and will be opened for tours in the near future.

The buildings of South Pass City

The Saloon

The city jail

Part of main street

The fist woman magistrate in the US was in South Pass City in 1868. This is her office and court house

Karen looking for Gold with other "Prospectors" in South Pass City.

Found one! Nope!

Still looking

And of course we had to stop in Lander, WY at the Shoshone Rose Casino. We were told the name has been officially changed to "The Stingy Rose" by the locals and it's appropriate!!