Day Two (cont.): Kadoka, South Dakota to Shell Falls Campground, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming
Saturday, June 7, 1997
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Climbing the
Bighorns
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We get to Sheridan at about 4:00 PM and meet up with the three amigos, I mean the three frequent flyers at the Day's Inn. They have a Chevy Blazer full of groceries; but, say we gotta pay our share if we want to eat. Reckin it's only fair we have to pay 'cause we forgot our guns. We do some additional shopping at the grocery store then head-up over the Bighorns. After a spectacular drive up through the foothills and up into the alpine meadows shadowed by the snowy peaks we spot a moose in the bushes just of the road. We stop for a picture.
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Moose
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It was getting a little late so we decided to find a campsite. No, Bill, that camp is too close to the highway, lets go on down that dirt road. We ended camping at Shell Creek Campground. Here's a photo of us hiking back one of the campsites (photo). Soon we had a blazing fire going (photo). Dinner was as follows: inch-thick steaks over hot coals - our traditional first evening supper (for some of us it was our second). Baked potatos, and maybe some salad. Bill had selected a blueberry pie factory-baked in Sheridan; but, everybody was so stuffed we decided to save it for breakfast. Well looky-looky, the new styrofoam cooler from the grocery store is already busted and we haven't even gotten completely over the Bighorns.
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Raging Shell
Creek
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In the meantime, that cooking smell and fire have attracted attention. Hey, that ranger-like fella wants our campsite money. The campsite is nestled in the pines along a raging Shell Creek. Some places at the site are a little slippery and boggy. Bill asks the ranger if its safe, like we're kinda thinkin that during our evening slumbers a wall of water might come down outta the hills and drown us, 'cept Cooky, he's just worried that his sleeping bag might get a tad damp. The camp ranger, who is not an official forest ranger but appears to be a retiree from civilian life, says its probably O.K. Well, pleasant dreams everybody, time to turn in for the evening, course lets do the dishes and put that blueberry pie away were the racoons won't mess with it.
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