Day 18

Time to head home.

We got up bright and early and cooked a large breakfast.  The kids of course got up early as well, excited to play with their new friends and their cousins.  We performed the usual prep for the ship and I rechecked her systems and all seems fine.  After breakfast the Officers of the Endeavor and the Corps of Discovery visited for a while.  We decided to head down to the South park exit together.

We got underway and made the drive to the entrance where we would take a family I true in front of the Yellowstone sign.  I looked in horror at literally 2 miles of traffic waiting to get into the park.  Yes, it is a good tie to be headed South.  The cousins did not want to leave each other but a long driving day was ahead.  I chose a more Southern route toward Casper Wyoming, so that we could trace some of the route of the old wagon trains.  Our route would carry us along various portions of the California, Oregon, and Mormon trails.  A long scenic drive south out of the mountains took us to a tiny town in central Wyoming. The children were hungry for lunch and we really don't like to get fast food.  We noticed a little Thai shop in the middle of town.  Amy went in an ordered us lunch and struck up a conversation with the lady working.  She was from Thailand and was in the US for the summer to help her daughter with the restaurant.  She was very interested to hear of our travels.

After lunch we traveled along various points on the trails.  We decided to stop at a spot called Independence Rock.  This is a large granite monolith in the middle of the prairie.  Its significance was that if a Wagon train could reach this spot by July 4th, they would likely make it over the mountains before winter.   The settlers also scrawled names and messages into the rock that are still viewable today.  We stopped and began walking around the rock.  A gentleman walking around stopped us and said "be careful around that side, there is a mean badger that is chasing people around."  About that time, we heard a shriek as a lady and her husband came jogging around the side. Apparently, this badger had chased them snarling and growling.  Of course the children wanted to go and see the badger and have it chase them.  Of course I refused, being chased by an angry badger was not in the cards for me.  This predicament was a first.  They settled on climbing the rock.  I do not care much for heights anymore, but the children had no problem scrambling all the way to the top.

We loaded up and continued the hour drive into Casper.  The campground was supposed to be a quaint place made from an old fort on a river.  The reality was quite different however.  There were rows of permanent trailer dwellers, many flying confederate flags and staring.  Oops.  It was too late to continue on, so we dropped the trailer and I holed up in there.  I figure I will just sleep and get up early in the morning and leave.  Not ideal.