While calming our nerves after the terrifying drive through the Bighorn Mountains, we decided to check out the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, WY. We are all big Buffalo Bill Cody buffs now.

It’s billed as “the Smithsonian of the West”. Wow, they weren’t kidding. This museum is really five museums in total. Of course, the Buffalo Bill Museum; the fabulous museum of Western Art; the Plains Indians; Natural History; and then the Firearms Museum. The price of admission (a mere $56 for all four of us) included a 2 day pass. We had the luxury of having the place mostly to ourselves and were able to see just about everything there in only one day.

My Dad and my brother Shawn would have drooled at the site of the firearms museum. The place was huge. I’ve never seen so many guns in my life. (nor do I think I want to again).

Just a taste of all the guns here

Another morsel

The Museum of Natural History was incredible – there was an amazing collection of stuffed critters there. Like this one:

Rachel with her friend, Mr. Polar Bear

We met some Raptors at a super cool presentation put on by a wildlife refuge group at the museum. There was a peregrine falcon, a turkey vulture, and a great-horned owl. We could have reached out and touched any one of these magnificent creatures, that’s how close we were. I had to avert my gaze, but Summer captured a video of the peregrine falcon lunching on a rabbit leg. With all the appropriate falcon crunching sounds. Ugh. If you have the stomach for it, check out the video on her page. Bon appetit.

We left Sheridan, WY heading toward Cody, WY and got some “advice” on the best route to take.  Our advice:  don’t take advice from someone who doesn’t drive a motorhome, especially someone not driving a motorhome while towing a car.

Luckily, as we were approaching the scary drive, Peter asked if we should unhook the car.  As much as I didn’t like the prospect of driving up these crazy mountains, I was more terrified of passengering.  I basically stopped the car, pried my white knuckles from the steering wheel & captured what I was sure would be the last photos of my family on my cell phone.  Sorry for the dirty windshield.

Click on the pictures below.  They are much worse enlarged.

Motorhome going through Bighorn

Scary sheer drop

25ph hairpin turn. I drove about 8mph.

“Scenic” drive, if you can peel your eyes from the road.

Sign: Watch for falling rocks. As if there wasn’t enough to worry about.

Oh yeah, then it started to snow.

Finally, toward the bottom of Bighorn, pretty rocks to look at.

Chimney Rock at Bighorn. Aptly named.

Snowing again on the way into Cody, WY. Visibility was excellent. Not.

Another National Park – CLOSED!  Again, that didn’t stop us from looking.

Wow, you can see the clawmarks

This kid is tall

Us at Devil’s Tower

So, we were in Hot Springs, SD and just happened to wander into The Mammoth Site – the world’s largest Columbian mammoth exhibit.  It was amazing.

Way long ago (26,000 years!) there was a sinkhole that trapped a whole bunch of unsuspecting critters.  The site lay buried until 1974 when a developer was excavating for a housing development.  Today,  the bones are displayed as they were discovered, in the now-dry pond sediments for an “in-situ” exhibit.

We were able to have a guided tour, and also wander around on the walkways for a close-up view of the fossils.   We also visited the lab, where all the cool research happens.  Digging is still underway, but they only dig during the summer months and spend the remainder of the year analyzing what has been uncovered, So far 61 mammoths have been identified, along with the remains of a giant short-faced bear, camel, llama, prairie dog, wolf, fish, and tons of invertebrates.

If you find yourself in Hot Springs, SD – be sure and check this out.  Or, make a special trip – it’s worth it.

Mammoth Bones

These tusks have been nicknamed “Beauty”

We went down the stairs for a closer look

What treasures are under here?

Rachel & Summer with a mammoth bone replica

This made me giggle

Leaving Mount Rushmore, we drove the famous Iron Mountain Road, which was allegedly designed to aid in the enjoyment of the natural beauty. Thankfully, we were in the car, and not the motorhome. (the scary drive in the motorhome comes in a few days, so stay tuned)

To add to the “enjoyment”, there were several tunnels that only allow for one car to pass through at a time. These tunnels are cool, as they frame Mount Rushmore in the distance. However, before entering the tunnel, you are supposed to beep the horn to alert the oncoming traffic. Yeah, our car horn doesn’t work.

One of the scary tunnels

We’re going in, horn or no horn!

Whew, made it!

Mt Rushmore was closed, but we enjoyed seeing the protestors. On horseback, no less.

Even the horses were protesting the closure

Four Guys

Four Guys and Three Girls

First Blast June 3, 1948 – 65 years later and this is how it looks:

Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse Monument with Finished Sculpture

Crazy Horse never signed a treaty and  was stabbed in the back with a knife and killed under the white flag of truce at Camp Robinson in Nebraska

” The Government made many promises but they only kept but one, they promised to take   are land and they took it! ”

-Chief  Red Cloud

For 7 years, sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski worked single-handedly on the mountain, with a bunch of goats for company. Many days he climbed the 700+ stairs (which he had to build!) multiple times when his generator would go “kaput, kaput, kaput”….

The Little Generator That Could

The badlands did not disappoint… even though the park was closed, there were lots of places we could still go. Just had to move a few orange cones out of the way.

Badlands

Us at the Badlands

This car was meant for this terrain

Bighorn Sheep hanging out in the Badlands

Very Cool

More Amazing Views

Still More Amazingness

The snow really made it look spectacular

Summer and Rachel at Badlands National Park