Hunted: Wyoming, Land of No Boundries, Spirit of Adventure

Devil's Tower, Wyoming: 20 Jun 08, Taken with a Nikon D3, Nikkor 105/F2.8VR Macro

Lisa and I arrived in Denver, Colorado 40 minutes early as the jet stream dodged southward and the 100+ headwinds that are otherwise typical, were no where to be found.

The Infiniti M35x was our vehicle of choice, as Lisa and I are going to be putting on a lot of miles throughout Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana these next two weeks.

Heading, north of Denver on I-25 we were greeted by 75mph speed zones; I wish we had these kinds of speed limits in the rural highways of the North East as they really are wonderful.

We proceeded through Cheyenne and came by, Casper, one of the few towns which experiences road closures due to wind.

Our planned destination this day was Devil's Tower, Wyoming and the Devil's Tower Lodge, which is located on the grounds of the park.

Mapquest estimated that our 409 mile journey this day would take us 6 hours and 24 minutes, or so. We managed to make the trek in just under 4 and half hours.

Wyoming is GOD's country, with some of the best and sparcely traveled routes, no doubt. Our speedometer didn't go below triple digits for nearly 3-and-a-half hours straight. This is driving nirvana. Having just spent some time driving with Steve in Ohio and facing continuous heavy-handed traffic "enforcement," Wyoming is definitely a slice of Heaven on Earth.

In Wyoming, like other sparcely populated western states, the density of traffic patrol to square miles is extremely favorable and the straight unobstructed vistas that are presented, should be experienced by every performance-minded driver, at least, once in his or her lifetime.

Yes, yesterday was a good day, a great day, in fact.

While I thought I was going to be speed trap hunting with a Whistler XTR series radar detector, I instead found that I was making a pilgrimage to the Sacred volcanic extrusion, known as Devil's Tower. Yesterday's drive was, indeed, a spiritually transgressive experience for both Lisa and myself.

Wyoming had been in an extended drought for seven years, but they have been experiencing a high level of rain this season. As we arrived at Devil's Tower, there was a thunderstorm.

Devil's Tower: Taken with Nikon D3, Nikkor 200-400/F4VR

This morning we awoke at 0420, to catch a glimpse of the national monument at first light (as you can see, we don't sleep much).

Communing with our Creator

1st Light Strikes East Face: Take with Nikon D3, Nikkor 105/F2.8VR

When we arrived, yesterday, at the Devil's Tower Lodge we were treated to two wonderful human beings, Juliana and Frank, who operate this secluded Bed & Breakfast. Juliana is a substitute teacher and Frank who is a tremendously talented individual, was once a civil engineer (in another life), carpenter, a gifted pianist (to name just a few of his many eclectic talents), who currently spends much of his days free-soloing (climbing without ropes) the different faces of the 4000' tall extrusion as well as providing expert climbing instruction on doing the same.

Kristin, our hostess, is an avid painter, and a bed & breakfast inn-keeper, in-training, with Frank and Juliana.

A blessed spirit, Frank founded Project 365, whose mission is to help Lakota Sioux Native Americans (Porcupine Clinic) in receiving quality healthcare and related materials and supplies, among other life enhancing counseling services.

Juliana has founded two charitable organizations, Elementary Docents, Inc to help fulfill the fine-arts component of curriculum of the California public school systems and well as Devil's Tower Sacred to Many People, Inc. to be a vehicle for collecting and responsibly distributing much need funds to the Porcupine Health Clinic, located on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the middle of the Badlands, South Dakota—a place where Lisa and I will be traveling later this very day.

Frank and Juliana would appreciate any donations to help with their worthy causes, causes which are greater than each of us, and make direct positive impact on a large number of people of the Native American population, forever enduring, in this part of our great nation:

Devil's Tower Sacred To Many People

Sunrise at Devil's Tower: Taken with Nikon D3, Nikkor 12-24/2.8

If you ever are fortunate to make you way out to this part of the country, be sure to lodge at their special B&B and tell them you first heard about them with Cowboy Bob.

Bob, the Speed Trap Hunter