Senseless violence in a so called civilized Nation is unacceptable---GUNS have GOT TO GO. We have to send this message loud n clear to Washington DC. We are coming for those guns.
Really regret not spending more time in Rocky Mountain National Park. I had other plans but the reason was to see Crossbills which I had already seen but didn't know it! Such is the life of a disorganized traveler. I didn't even try to use my laptop on this journey with past lessons still fresh in my mind, I just dumped my camera into the laptop turned it off and kept moving, anyway you do what you can right? SO I was only about 20 miles from the Wyoming border and not much farther from Cheyenne,
...where I had heard there was a large flock of Red Crossbills in Greenhill Cemetery...(from ebird) so I left the splendor of the Rocky Mountains for the Sherman Mountains in Wyoming's Medicine Bow National Forest.
The Sherman Mountains of the Laramie Range remind me of the Transformer that looks like a boulder than stands up...they are breaking apart as we speak...tumbles of boulders stacked atop each other in what is so far neat stacks..but one tremble and the whole thing is gonna fall apart. Lots of Pronghorns with their beautiful fluffy white butts call Wyoming home, more so than any other state so I've heard. I did see quite a few here.
And the infamous Lincoln Highway still can be seen here in bits...here at this rest area off I-80/30
near Cheyenne is this larger than life statue of Lincoln himself, and a memorial to the man whose vision gave us the Lincoln Highway. There is a great Documentary of the Lincoln Highway on PBS hope you can catch it sometime or maybe it's on their webpage. Old Highway 30 ran from NYC to San Francisco. I would love to try and follow this as well as Hwy 50 and route 66, all highways of a bygone era.
This statue is kinda creepy looking to me...and it's huge the next memorial was put up in honor of Mr Joy the first President of the Lincoln Highway Assc. See the Capital L's on each corner? That is the Official emblem of the Highway.
Another landmark along the old Lincoln Highway is the Tree Rock.
The Union Pacific RR was diverted to bring people past this Tree which grew seemingly out of rock! (1867-69) and the train used to stop and the engineer would water the tree from his water bucket...but by 1901 the RR moved north and in 1913 when the Lincoln Highway was brought right past the tree so it still stands today for visitors to stop and see...again notice the L emblem of the Lincoln Hwy. This is close to the highest part of the Lincoln Highway, at the 8,835 ft Sherman Summit.
The day grew late and the sky grew dark so I headed to my intended camp for the evening, at Curt Gowdy State Park.
We found a pretty spot high up on a hill overlooking the lake. Curt Gowdy was a famous sports announcer for TV and I guess he enjoyed fly fishing...the park is big! Since the rain was on the way I didn't get too picky I just found a spot and got settled in right before the bottom fell out. Was able to get outside with the dogs before sundown for a run.
...and it poured again after the sun went down...we were snuggled in by that time and it didn't matter to us!
The next morning bright and early I drove into Laramie to the Evergreen Cemetery...it just happens to be located right next to the University of Wyo, and they had a football game scheduled for that Saturday...I wanted to be in and OUT before gametime! Some tailgaters were already setting up when I circled Jonah Field looking for the gate to enter the cemetery that is right next to the Stadium. It's a big cemetery and it had trees like this...
And that's why the Red Crossbills had been there in the first place...well it started to drizzle rain so I cruised the roads within the cemetery snatching looks out the window when I could...didn't see ANY birds let alone Crossbills...I did see a sweet community garden in the middle of the cemetery!
Eventually the drizzle stopped, the sun came out a bit I parked the van and got out to have a walk around...and people showed up to tend their garden plots.
And a few birds came out too...
the White Crowned Sparrow looks like he is wearing a stripped baseball cap..
The Mountain Chickadee
The Red Breasted Nuthatch
And a good look at the Green Tailed Towhee
Western Wood Peewee
A Chipping Sparrow took a look at me,
the eye ring look fooled me but it's a non breeding male
A quick blurry look at the female Orange Crowned Warbler but a great look at a male Wilson's Warbler with the black dot on top of his head in the tree too fast for a photo,
then the female Wilson's Warbler was obliging on the ground under some shrubs. Lifer for me!!
And what bird adventure would be complete without a squirrel??
Red Fox Squirrel
No Crossbills were seen in the cemetery. But I got the lifer on the Wilson's so that made me very happy and the extra 40 miles round trip was worth it I have driven farther and dipped soooo I was a happy camper in that respect! AND I totally enjoyed poking around that garden before anyone arrived...seeing the University and the football stadium, and riding on the Lincoln Highway!
About 11:30 I pulled out my map and did a little studying... decided to head east on the Lincoln, I-80/30 into Nebraska. I stopped after putting about 230 miles behind me, south of North Platte on Hwy 83. I got a campsite at the Mahoney Lake SRA under a spreading Cottonwood Tree.
Mahoney Lake SRA, North Platte, Nebraska
In the park we heard Blue Jays, American Robins Ring billed gulls, and I nearly hit a sharp tailed grouse on the road in. She flew right in front of me, scared the crap outta me!
THE girls had a nice run in the open space of the day use area next to the campground and Casey got a good long walk on the leash. We watched the sun set as we made a meal and got ready for another cozy night in the our little home away from home.
Setting sun on a dandelion head.
MAHONEY LAKE NORTH PLATTE NEBRASKA
Another awesome day on the road comes to a peaceful close...
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
