Oct. 01, 2008 – Cody, Wy.
…I’m definitely not in Tampa anymore.
It’s hard to believe that I almost drove through Wyoming in the dark last night rather than waiting till this morning to see what “I might be missing.” This state is the most scenic state that I’ve seen so far. While much of the state is very sparsely populated and it feels as though you could go for many miles without ever seeing another person, one can’t help but notice how this scarcity of people has allowed the landscape to go unchanged by human hands.
I debated last night whether the Devil’s Tower Monument would be worth waiting till morning to see. I’m glad I waited to see the tower, but more so the mountains of Big Horn National Park. The two land road winding through the 9,000 foot Big Horn Mountain rarely reached more than 25mph. Many of the turns were without guardrails or shoulders leaving one to nervously concentrate on the turns ahead
looking mean at the tower
I sweated as I peered around each bend awaiting another motorist heading straight for me. Knowing that I was on the edge of something impressive, I tried to sneak a glance whenever I felt brave enough to do so. The view was the most incredible thing I have ever seen. I don’t know if there are other mountain ranges that will make today a distant memory, but for the time being, this was the only view that has ever moved me this much. While the drive was a little scary, it was worth ditching the interstates for this more scenic route.
The road did seem to level off for awhile at the top of the range. It gave me a chance to pull off the road safely and take in the views. I not only pulled over for the sky high views, but I found a couple of creeks too. The silence in the mountains made me feel as if I were the only person alive. At one point, I could hear a roaring waterfall in the distance. I’m not sure where it was, but it was definitely a waterfall. The mountain walls reverberated the fall’s chorus into infinity..
The small brooks that would be unheard in the midst of a city’s roar were now the only sound for miles. These small streams filled the air with sounds that seemed as if they were meant to be heard on a disc, or clock radio next to the bed, loaded with nature’s sounds. I could have sat for hours just listening to the sounds of water brushing against the rocks as it methodically marched its way down the mountain. I used to think my nature’s sound clock could replace a mountain stream. Once again, I have been proven to be wrong.
Aside from the babbling
brooks and majestic mountain views, there were many docile deer lazily nipping at the weeds that bridged the road to civilization with thousands of evergreens resting on the mountains. At one point during the drive, I pulled over to sit next to these deer. My car stopping seemed to catch their attention, but they quickly continued about their business once they realized I was no threat to them.
Here I sit, somewhere between 7,500 and 8,500 feet on the side of a two lane road -with mountain tops overlooking me from both sides- in my car with the windows down and watching the deer eat within 30 feet of me.
Even the streams in the distant were quiet for me at this spot. I think I could have heard a pin drop a half mile down the road. It was incredible. I don’t know if these are the moments that make people speak so highly of the mountains, but it was something I had never experienced in my life. I can’t help to wonder if most national parks are full of these experiences. Will I look back at today’s events and think how I over-hyped it, or will I look at this event as the pinnacle of my mountain experiences. I’m not sure how I will look back at today, but I do know that tomorrow will be spent at Yellowstone National Park, and I have a feeling that Yellowstone will be a challenge to any park.
