Heading north from Thermopolis, we arrive in Cody, WY, just as the Fourth of July parade is starting. We grab some coffee and observe a truly "cultural experience". There are plenty of vintage vehicles, horses and some marching bands. We meet a gentleman on stilts dressed as Uncle Sam as he's been doing for over 40 years. He's fascinated by the car and says,"Let us know when you're coming down next time and we'll put you in the parade".Continuing north, on the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (scenic being a vast understatement) and then on to the Beartooth Highway All-American Road. We had no idea what we were in for. We should have realized how high we were climbing when we were marvelling at how deep the snow was on either side of the road. Coming down was a white-knuckle experience for hubby who has vertigo.
The Beartooth Highway, "traces a series of steep zigzags and switchbacks, along the Montana-Wyoming border to the 10,974 foot (3,345 m.) high Beartooth Pass. The approximate elevation rise is from 5,200 to 8,000 feet in 12 miles (1,600 to 2,400 m in 20 km) in the most daring landscapes." source: Wikipedia
Distance covered today: 320 km (199 miles)
smart Alecs:
- When we check out of our hotel, we find two couples looking at the smart. Turns out they are two retired teachers and their husbands travelling from Kentucky and Minnesota and have a lot of questions about the car. "We were wondering who was driving that car", one lady says.
- Police officer in Cody, WY, asks, "Aren't they illegal? They should be illegal". My reply is, "When all the motorcycles get off the road, we'll get off the road". He can only laugh and nod his head in reply.
- cliff swallows and golden eagles
- dodging small mammals on the highway: yellow-bellied marmots, northern pocket gophers, chipmunks
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