Scenic Drive to Ten Sleep and Around to Worland

It is so darned hot - 98 was the high predicted for yesterday, we hopped into the car and decided to see a little of the country.  Drove north out of Thermopolis to a town called Worland, then moved east bound on a scenic highway to Ten Sleep which sits in the Big Horn Basin, at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains.  Ten Sleep got its name from the Sioux Indians.  They measured distance in camps or night stays from one place to another.  Ten Sleep is ten camps between Yellowstone and Laramie.  Today, about 150 people call Ten Sleep home, but.  There is a horse hotel (campground where you can let your horses out and graze while you camp there), couple of restaurants, hotel, museum, gas stations, churches.  Thriving little community.

Pretty scenery

Saw some interesting things along the way - some old buildings ready to fall down - wonder what the building would say to us today; the Wyoming crops (oil derricks and gas containers); passed the Wyoming Whisky distillery (the master distiller is a transplant from Kentucky); rivers and creeks almost overflowing from the snow melt; roadside information stand about Jim Bridger.

Entering Ten Sleep - Big Horn Mountains ahead

Wonder what stories this building could tell

Wyoming crop (oil rigs)

We turned north out of Ten Sleep and followed a narrow canyon where the river Nowood (yep - there was no wood along the river) flows.  Then swung around and headed back south towards Worland.
In Worland we visited the Washakie Museum (it is located in the county of Washakie - Chief Washakie did not live there, probably hunted in the area) which depicted the time of the dinosaurs which roamed throughout this area.  Displayed wonderfully, did not know that one of the largest dinosaur finds was near Worland and today there is still ongoing archeology digs continuing there. Showed pioneer life, the Johnson Range war era (1890s) that pitted the cattlemen against sheepherders, and then they had a weird traveling display.

Colored area is where dinosaurs roamed

Awesome displays 

Howe Quarry is in Worland

Of weddings and wheels.  Wedding dresses and the stories of the women who wore each dress from the turn of the century, and of antique cars from the turn of the century.  Strange combination.

Cooking/baking lessons from the past 

Got back in time to close up the RV and put on the AC and a thunderstorm came through.  Cooled it down comfortably.  Supposed to be in the mid 90s for the next 3 days.  Ugh.