CASPER ROCKS

We avoided the Interstate today and drove from Rawlins to Casper entirely on smaller two lane highways.  We past lots of cattle ranches and miles of farmland before stopping for a rest at the Independence Rock Historical Site. We've been here before, but we wanted to show Gianni, Mia and their humans this great piece of pioneer history.

People traveling the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails all passed this rock on their way West. It's called Independence Rock because the travelers knew that they had to reach this point by the Fourth of July or they wouldn't meet their destination before the winter weather.  You can still see some of the messages and names people carved in the rock as they passed this way.

After we arrived at the campground in Casper we all went for a walk and settled in for our two night stay here. The nice lady at the check-in desk gave all three of us doggies some biscuits as a welcome gift. Kathe broke mine into pieces and I hid one half under her pillow and the other half under the bathroom rug.  No one will ever find them, and I'll have a snack whenever I want.

Later in the day the humans all went to the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center which is dedicated to the thousands of people who passed this way between 1841 and 1868. The exhibits tell the stories of the pioneers who traveled to the Oregon Territory, the Great Salt Lake, and the California Gold Fields.   There were interactive exhibits and very lifelike dioramas throughout the seven galleries and a five screen movie presentation.

Tonight there is thunder and lightning all around us, but no rain.  Jim is happy that the storm passed us by, he's keeping his fingers crossed that he won't have to clean the motor home again before we get to the rally in Gillette.