ROCKS AND MOUNTAINS

This morning we explored the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center. Casper, Wyoming, where the center is located, was a common point on the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, The California Trail and the Pony Express Trail. It was a well done museum displaying the travails of westward expansion. We left there thinking about what it would be like traveling only 15 to 20 miles per day along the route where we are covering 200 to 250 miles per day. Then we tried to compare the hardships. We fuss about not having cell service or internet connection. They had to put up with dust, boredom, hardship, and death.

After miles of flatness, the mountains began to take shape. These painted hills could have been those in Oregon.

The higher we went, the cooler it became and finally we were in the snow.

We crossed the Continental Divide and headed down the drainage into the basin of the Tetons. We've seen these mountains before, but they are always spectacular when they first come into view.

We decided to find a camp site in the Grand Teton National Park. Tonight we are in Signal Mountain Campground. Our site is right on the lake and we have a view of the mountains through the trees. It's cool, but not raining. It's mind boggling to think that on this trip we have camped in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Ozark Mountains and the Teton Mountains. Each area has it's beauty and each is spectacular in it's own way. We continue to feel gratitude for having the opportunity to see this country from so many perspectives.