Buffalo, WY to Sturgis, SD

It was a low mileage day today, and happy we were about that!  There were miles of snow fences on I90.  It's interesting to see all of the gates and signs saying that if the lights are flashing the freeway is closed.  I would not want to be here in the winter.

 

There is much construction going on.  In this section, they are taking the road way down to dirt.  You don't see that very often.  One wonders if it will be done by first snow fall.  We had a screaming tail wind all day.  We're hoping not to have this wind pattern when we return west.

 

Truly big sky country. 

 

After we arrived on the site and started taping the America's Cup we went in to Sturgis for food and mail.  Coming back, it looked like end of days.  I love these skies.

 

Today's key learning is to pay closer attention to the slope of the site.  We moved forward in it to make room for the truck, and then couldn't level because it slopes off.  Then we had to unhook the utilities and move back in the site.  It was a laborious process, I'm really hoping the people in the office weren't watching.  It also rained like heck on us, one of those rains where you're instantly soaked.
Tomorrow we're up and out to Rapid City to get new driver's licenses.
In today's sporting news, Emirates-New Zealand is one race away from taking the America's Cup away from the US.   The Kiwis have just sailed the ears off of the Oracle boat.

Deer Park Campground

In beautiful Buffalo, WY we stayed at the Deer Park campground.  The couple who runs it are very pleasant.  Thirty years ago they planted a lot of trees to provide shade.  The trees are pruned up to 18 feet and for the most part do not over hang the RV slots.  We're in site number 52.  We had originally requested a pull through, but those sites have many trees and zero satellite reception.  The sites down on the lower part of the park are back-ins but they do have a clear shot at the southern sky.  The park does provide cable.
We're using Verizon 4G with the Jet Pack and it's pretty quick.  I don't know about park wifi, I didn't try it.
The water in the park is not great, I would not plan on filling a fresh tank here.
Here is the lower level of the park.

 

There is a one mile walking path.

 

There are deer.

 

The staff is very friendly.  We had an escort to to our site.  It's a good park for an overnight and we would come back here.

Scenic Sheridan Overlook

This was taken from a scenic overlook on I90 outside of Sheridan, Wyoming.  It's really pretty out there.

 

 

 

 

 

Billings KOA

The Billings KOA is the first KOA.  It's also the best looking KOA we have ever been in.  The grounds are just immaculate.  We're in a deluxe patio site because we did not want to unhook the truck from the bus.  It's long enough that we were able to stay hooked.  I think the section of the park we are in has been recently redone, they have 50 amp and sewers.  Only the yellow, blue and purple sites have sewer.  Many of the sites on the perimeter have no hookups at all.
The park does make much of their access to ponds and the river.  This is hyperbole.  The pond has very little water in it, and is very uninviting.  The river is very low, getting to it would require a half mile hike across river rocks, and once there the current is too strong to do anything other than drown. 
Verizon 4G is working really well.  Park wifi is not working at all.  Satellite is not available from our site due to overhanging trees.  There is digital cable, with many channels.

 

It's only an overnight, and we would come back.  Make sure you reserve in advance if you want full hook ups.

Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park and Route 191

While in West Yellowstone we stayed at the Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park.  It's within walking distance of the center of town and very close to the western entrance to Yellowstone.  It is not an inexpensive RV park.  It's a very manicured park, sites are level but fairly close to each other.  One thing they do is enforce the rule that your vehicle must be on your site and not sticking out into the street.  Interior roads are a tiny bit narrow, so that becomes important when driving a large bus through the park.  We were on a non-premium site, park supplied wi-fi was limited to 2 hours on, then 8 hours without.  Wifi did not work where we were at all, so it didn't matter.  Premium sites are closer to the office, and have unlimited usage.  Our Verizon Jet Pack could only pull in 3G, and it was painfully slow.  I had better luck using my phone as a hotspot, while Jim did better with the Jet Pack.  Our PCs are identical, so I have no idea why that would be.  We were able to get satellite, and I think that would be true of any site in the park.  There are trees, but they aren't tall or pesky.  Anyway, it's a very nice park, staffed by very friendly people.
And now, a route review.  We went north on 191 out of West Yellowstone, heading towards Bozeman.   It's a gorgeous route, and easy to drive.  We were a little concerned that it would have a lot of up down and turns, but it's really pleasant driving.  If your route takes you north, go that way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there you go, a place to stay and a way out of there.

More Pools in Yellowstone

Miracle of miracles, it was not raining this morning.  We decided that since we were at Yellowstone, we really needed to go see Old Faithful.  Lunches were packed, and fortunately so was the rain gear.  By the time we arrived at the visitor's center it was raining.  After standing around for 20 minutes waiting for the geyser, it was really raining.  Very disappointing.  There was so much steam that the water was indistinguishable from the water vapor.  We had discussed going to the West Thumb geyser basin, but the skies were really dark in that direction, so we bailed.
On the way back we stopped at the Midway Geyser Basin, which is the home of the Grand Prismatic Spring.  I personally think it's one of the most amazing sights in the park.  Unfortunately we could not see it due to steam.  This is our view.

 

These are images I swiped from the internet. Look at the color of it!

 

As seen from the air.

Some of the other pools in the basin were more visible.

 

 

 

It's amazing how much hot water is flowing out of that area into the river.  It's a wonder all of the fish are not poached.

 

Then we decided to take the Firehole Lake Drive.  It totally exceeded expectations.  First we saw this pretty little pool by the side of the road.

 

Another pool.

 

The White Dome Geyser.  The sign said it has been there for centuries, depositing minerals.

 

This is the Young Hopeful Geyser.  It was a very attractive little geyser, just bubbling away.

 

Another pool.

 

Then it was off to the Fountain Flat Drive.  It's an ok drive, but it did have the advantage of having a bison out in the field.

 

We had lunch along the river.  It was very pleasant.

 

If you go, we heartily endorse visiting the Midway Geyser Basin and the Firehole Lake Drive. 

Tomorrow we are up and out, heading east toward Sturgis.  We must return to the state to renew our drivers' licenses.