Journal entries are just that – the digital copy of my hand-written entries in my journal. If you aren’t interested in the daily details of our adventure, feel free to skip on to the next “regular” post.

We wake early and fill our bags with water and food, then hike up another hill. A bison just came down the path and we pass just 200′ away from him.

   
    
   

On a rocky outrop at the hill’s peak we sit and enjoy our breakfast. My binoculars come in handy for checking out the expansive views in greater detail. Another bison munches his breakfast on the hill behind us.
We head back down and prepare for our day. While donning motorcycle gear we see the first bison about 100′ out our bedroom window, eating his way through the valley.

Unload the bike and, after great debate, we’re off – without our jackets. It’s going to be hot. More importantly, they’re a hassle to take off and on at every stop – and worry about when away from the bike.

  

It’s truly a beautiful awe-inspiring landscape – unlike anywhere we’ve ever been before. Ashley (and I agree) named it one of, if not the, most beautiful motorcycle rides she’s ever been been on. The best description that we can come up with – the feel that we have while taking in the view, is that God made a small-scale “practice” model of the Rockies with extra color added. It’s as if we are giants inside a rugged mountain range – still towered over but they are imposing so that they feel so much larger than they are.

   
   

We stop at a majority of the view points. If the one sign is still accurate, last evening we saw nearly 1/2 of the 100 Big Horn sheep in the park.
We explore the Fossil Trail and then head on to the lodge and the Visitor Center for lunch. After refilling our water bottles inside, we grab a shaded picnic table and eat. Feeling much better we head back inside to see what trinkets they have and to learn from the displays.

 

Just a mile up the road are the hiking trails, so we ride on up. Window Trail is little more than a plastic boardwalk so we head on to Notch Trail. Any trail whose description includes suggestions to wear sturdy boots, pack water, and a suggestion to not attempt if you have a fear of heights (due to a wooden suspension ladder and narrow ledge) captures my interest immediately. The ladder was fun to climb and the views were spectacular. We sat in the notch to enjoy the view for a few minutes and then the heat had us moseying along. Shoes would have been easier than the boots.

  
    
  

This “Popcorn Rock” that the hills appear to be made of seems like hardened dirt. As non-geologists (professional or otherwise) it’s hard to tell that all of the BadLands aren’t dirt with some rocks included. The stone is so crumbly it doesn’t seem solid and hard – not like the limestone or granite that we’re accustomed to. Up close, it looks like what I expect the Marvel comic character The Thing’s skin to look like.

Back at the parking lot we decide to head down Door Trail, which begins a lot like Window. However, it is on a whole different level. It’s like walking through an alien landscape.

  

On the motorcycle we head down to Saddle Pass, a connector trail that joins with Castle Trail. Saddle Pass is a .25 mile hike from the floor up to the peak of the hills. Sounds like a great challenge! The trail is slippery with loose pebbles, and it’s a hot climb in the sun, but it didn’t take too long to work our way up. We spot a shady seat beneath a boulder and sit for a break and snack. Another gentleman joins us to wait for a friend and chats merrily along. He was really enjoyable to talk to. His friend, Bob, came along and after a few minutes break they head along to the top. Which, as it turns out, was only about 15 more feet!

  

We head on up, look round for a few minutes – Castle Trail is up on the level ground, it almost looks more like grassland than stone, at least in this section. Then we head on back down.
Back on the motorcycle we head back toward the visitor center and detour to exit the park, heading to Interior, 2 miles away, to top off the gas tank. On the way back into the park we learn that our pass sticker is only for unmanned parks and we should have brought our pass card along with us. However, she didn’t make us pay the entrance fee.

At the visitors center we fill all of our water containers to help stretch what we have at the RV, pick up candy bars at the Lodge, and then on back to the RV. We scooted on past all but one of the overlooks, though Ashley snapped pictures of the herd of Big Horns that we passed – including the one only a few feet off the road!

Between the heat and hiking we were wiped out! Great evening to sit under the awning and relax. Grilled out for super, read, and before bed went outside to see the stars. With so little light pollution the night sky is fabulous! So many stars! The Milky Way was clearly visible and Ashley spotted a shooting star.