Captain’s Blog
Tuesday
Eagle RV Campground, Hot Springs State Park
Thermopolis, Wyoming
June 30, 2009
Day 28
While I was preparing the inside of the MH for the trip to Thermopolis Ron was doing his usual outside preparation. The MH started to rock back and forth and for a few moments I thought Ron was being a brat and shaking the MH. When I looked out the window and was ready to tell him to knock it off I noticed very large white caps on the reservoir. The rocking was being caused by a strong wind coming in over the mountains. The skies were turning black and you could see the storm over Beartooth Mountain looking pretty nasty. We decided to wait out the storm because they are usually fast moving and short-lived.
Within the hour we were on the road to Thermopolis and arrived around Noon.
The campground was crowded and there was no great view like that at Buffalo Bill State Park. On the bright side, we had full hook-ups and could get caught up on cleaning and laundry.
A little later we were getting ready to visit Hot Springs State Park when another camper stopped by for a visit. He had been everywhere had done everything and knew everywhere we should go from here. He claims he has thirty-five rentals and collects $70,000 per month but teaches part-time to make the money to take his trips. He also has many relatives who are wealthy, has seven cousins – all West Point graduates and generals or colonels or something. I think we have a big sign on the front of the MH – come tell us your life story and how rich you are. He talked for a very long time and finally left but not before telling us we have to stop by his MH for more info.
Just a note on that motorcycle accident I talked about earlier that happened in Cody. The day we drove through Cody on the way to the campground we were slowed by a motorcycle in front of us, moving at 15 MPH. It was a royal blue motorcycle with the driver looking around and acting a little strange. Ron stayed behind him for about one mile then decided he should pass this guy. We didn’t think anything much about it except that we got the sensation that the guy was either looking for something or was just looking at something for the last time. Both Ron and I were able to get a good look at the man riding the bike and he looked very sad. Later, after settling in at the campground we drove back into town and that was when we saw the bike embedded in the mountain and we both commented that it was the same color as the guy’s bike that we passed and wondered if he had been him. When we read the local newspaper there was a picture of the man that was killed and it was the same man we passed. There would have been no reason for him to hit the mountain- no skid marks and a four lane road with plenty of room to maneuver. It kind of spooked us out and we were glad we did pass him and not have been witness to the crash or what we believe was a suicide.
Tuesday
Eagle RV Campground, Hot Springs State Park
Thermopolis, Wyoming
June 30, 2009
Day 28
While I was preparing the inside of the MH for the trip to Thermopolis Ron was doing his usual outside preparation. The MH started to rock back and forth and for a few moments I thought Ron was being a brat and shaking the MH. When I looked out the window and was ready to tell him to knock it off I noticed very large white caps on the reservoir. The rocking was being caused by a strong wind coming in over the mountains. The skies were turning black and you could see the storm over Beartooth Mountain looking pretty nasty. We decided to wait out the storm because they are usually fast moving and short-lived.
Within the hour we were on the road to Thermopolis and arrived around Noon.
The campground was crowded and there was no great view like that at Buffalo Bill State Park. On the bright side, we had full hook-ups and could get caught up on cleaning and laundry.
A little later we were getting ready to visit Hot Springs State Park when another camper stopped by for a visit. He had been everywhere had done everything and knew everywhere we should go from here. He claims he has thirty-five rentals and collects $70,000 per month but teaches part-time to make the money to take his trips. He also has many relatives who are wealthy, has seven cousins – all West Point graduates and generals or colonels or something. I think we have a big sign on the front of the MH – come tell us your life story and how rich you are. He talked for a very long time and finally left but not before telling us we have to stop by his MH for more info.
Just a note on that motorcycle accident I talked about earlier that happened in Cody. The day we drove through Cody on the way to the campground we were slowed by a motorcycle in front of us, moving at 15 MPH. It was a royal blue motorcycle with the driver looking around and acting a little strange. Ron stayed behind him for about one mile then decided he should pass this guy. We didn’t think anything much about it except that we got the sensation that the guy was either looking for something or was just looking at something for the last time. Both Ron and I were able to get a good look at the man riding the bike and he looked very sad. Later, after settling in at the campground we drove back into town and that was when we saw the bike embedded in the mountain and we both commented that it was the same color as the guy’s bike that we passed and wondered if he had been him. When we read the local newspaper there was a picture of the man that was killed and it was the same man we passed. There would have been no reason for him to hit the mountain- no skid marks and a four lane road with plenty of room to maneuver. It kind of spooked us out and we were glad we did pass him and not have been witness to the crash or what we believe was a suicide.
Daniel “Danny” Paul Schaffer
http://www.codyenterprise.com/articles/2009/07/01/obituaries/doc4a4bc427e8ff8991792853.txt
Ok, so now back to the happy stuff. We went to Hot Springs State Park and enjoyed the trails around the park. Hot Springs Sate Park lies within the town of Thermopolis that sits in the foothills of the Owl Creek Mountains and rests beside the Big Horn River. It is a small town where the elevation is higher then its population. The town is known for being home to the World’s Largest Mineral Hot Spring.
The land on which the hot spring is located is Reservation land that was sold to the U.S. by the
Shoshone and Arapahoe Tribes so that the healing water of the Big Horn Hot Springs would be available to all people. Scalding water flows out of the turquoise Big Spring In Hot Spring State Park and into cooling ponds. The mineral-laden spring issues 3.6 million gallons of water per day. It is said that the terraced formations over which the water flows are comparable to the wonders of Yellowstone. The terraces were quite beautiful but I’ll let you know how they compare with Yellowstone.
http://www.codyenterprise.com/articles/2009/07/01/obituaries/doc4a4bc427e8ff8991792853.txt
Ok, so now back to the happy stuff. We went to Hot Springs State Park and enjoyed the trails around the park. Hot Springs Sate Park lies within the town of Thermopolis that sits in the foothills of the Owl Creek Mountains and rests beside the Big Horn River. It is a small town where the elevation is higher then its population. The town is known for being home to the World’s Largest Mineral Hot Spring.
The land on which the hot spring is located is Reservation land that was sold to the U.S. by the
Shoshone and Arapahoe Tribes so that the healing water of the Big Horn Hot Springs would be available to all people. Scalding water flows out of the turquoise Big Spring In Hot Spring State Park and into cooling ponds. The mineral-laden spring issues 3.6 million gallons of water per day. It is said that the terraced formations over which the water flows are comparable to the wonders of Yellowstone. The terraces were quite beautiful but I’ll let you know how they compare with Yellowstone.
There are two water parks with enormous slides and you can enjoy the warm mineral pools for a mere ten dollars per day. There is a suspensions bridge
across the cooling ponds that was once used as access for people to cross to get to the hospital. Jewel was not happy about crossing that bridge and dug in her four paws. I had to pick her up to get her on the bridge. The mineral deposits that make up the terraces were beautiful and the heat emitting from the ponds was intense but the sulpher smell was overwhelming at times. We ended the day walking through the park enjoying the beautiful grounds. 
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