FOSSIL HUNTING IN WYOMING

We are back in beautiful Wyoming!!! Utah is gorgeous and has spectacular vistas, but, compared to Wyoming, it feels hemmed in, restricted. Wyoming does not have the amazing orange and golden rock formations like Utah. It has an unrestricted panorama and gives you a free, wild, unfettered sense. It is wide and open! We took one of our adventurous "little" rides in the Prius across country along county roads. (Road is a generous term.) They were just ruts and winding here and there. (Next car will be higher and 4-wheel drive!) We saw herds of antelope. Even had one very curious herd that paced us along the road and waited in the road for a better look at us! Beautiful!!

Eventually we arrived at Kemmerer and arranged for our fossil hunt. Another winding road, but more dirt than ruts and we arrived at the quarry. We were scheduled for 6 hours of digging. Didn't make it!! Breaking limestone to look for fossils is hard work - very hard!! Thank heavens it was a cool and breezy day. We did find some fossils. We were there to see a fellow find a big fish about 3 feet long. Just amazing!! It is very frustrating to chisel away layer after layer and then on the final chip the fossil breaks in 1/2!! We came home to Fort Bridger tired and very dirty. The white dust from the limestone is everywhere. The dogs and car were practically white from it. Didn't see any antelope on the way to or from the quarry. But, did meet these fellows....

MORE ZION NATIONAL PARK

Started the day with John's delicious homemade blueberry pancakes! Carol Menichetti drove up from Las Vegas for breakfast and to spend the day. My first visit to Zion and Bryce was with Carol in 2006! The two of us only spent a few days. It was nice getting back here and sharing it with John. And, then sharing it again today with Carol.

We hiked to Weeping Rock and then headed back to the RV. It was very hot and we spent the afternoon floating in the river. John and I always discuss what's the difference between a creek and a river. For instance, the Virgin River is more like a creek to me. Carol and I agreed the Nanicoke Creek at home is more river than the Virgin. Well, John looked up the definition. Basically there is no difference; it is just a matter of what the trapper, explorer, Indian who first saw it and named it decided - river or creek.

A really nice day and a good way to end this visit to Zion National!! We will be back!!

ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH

We drove here today from Nellis AFB outside of Las Vegas. The place is incredible!! And we haven't even gone into the Park yet. We're in a RV park in Springfield UT, at the entrance to the Park. We cooled off in a quick flowing creek. We used our "noodles", but tomorrow will go tubing in the creek. It is shallow, flows rapidly and is very rocky. Trying to float with the noodles didn't work really well. But, we laughed a lot!! The drive from LV was beautiful. And, no 2 hour tie-ups like on the I-15 yesterday going into LV!! Pictures were taken from a moving vehicle. Excuse the blur and glare from the windows.

View from our RV and the creek!

BODEGA BAY, CA

Heading West again, we drove from Mississippi to Texas where our move became official. Our car and RV now sport Texas license plates and we are registered Texas voters. Continuing westward, we stopped overnight in Palm Desert to visit with friends. Rita had a nice get-together and I got to see a lot of good friends. And, of course, a delicious spread of food. We headed out the next day for Petaluma in Northern California and granddaughter Tess's 5th birthday. Needless to say, the party was fun, but pure bedlam! Tess had her favorite - macaroni and cheese - and a great cake she helped her Mom make and decorate. She also got a really cool doll!! Rebecca from the American Girl series! I would have loved having a doll like that!! I am so jealous!

Then, we took Tess and her brother Rennie to Bodega Bay for the weekend! It was a short 1/2 drive from our Petaluma KOA, but very bumpy and curvy! It was not the beach we had quite envisioned... no sandy expanse, but lots of rock. It was also very cool with a nippy breeze and foggy! Didn't need the bathing suits!! But we took a lot of walks and the dogs got a lot of exercise! So did we!! None of us had any trouble sleeping at night. Really a restful and unspoiled slice of California coast.

VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI

Vicksburg is set on bluffs overlooking the mighty Mississippi River. During the Civil War, control of that great waterway and the rail lines crisscrossing the city was critical to the North. That control would allow the North to get its troops and supplies moving. Vicksburg was a series of battles over months. U.S. Grant's decision was to lay siege to the city. Needless to say, the result was devastatingly successful. It is hard to get a sense of the battles when touring the battlefield as, in the 1930's, the Conservation Corps planted 1000's of trees and completely altered the terrain. We watched a demonstration by some history buffs. Cannot imagine how hot they must have been in those historically accurate, but scratchy, hot wool uniforms!! It was VERY hot and muggy!! All in all, one of our less favorite stops. Actually, Mississippi is not one of my favorite places - tied with Louisiana!!

TUSCUMBIA ALA - HELEN KELLER'S HOME

A healthy baby, in 1887 Helen Keller came down with a very high fever at 19 months old. The fever spared her life, but rendered her deaf and blind. Sad to think how today's miracle medicines might have changed her life! The docents make a real point of explaining how Helen's father would allow no discipline of her and was insistent that she always be in the center of any and all family activities. She was truly a wild child. That is until Annie Sullivan entered her life. We've all seen the movie, I hope!! The pictures below are of Ivy Green, the family home; the cottage where Ann and Helen lived while Ann worked to break through to her pupil; the famous pump where Helen finally connected the finger tip alphabet word and water and the family dining room where Ann struggled to teach Helen manners. Like so many other small towns we've been in, there are so many beautiful Victorian homes in Tuscumbia. Some well kept; some sadly neglected. Lots of empty storefronts on Main Street. Be sure to note the gorgeous old tree in front of the cottage. That's the other thing we enjoy looking at... the many stately old trees. The photo of Helen and Ann was just recently discovered and put on display. Pretty, isn't it!

SHILOH, TN

While waiting at Red Bay, Alabama, for annual work to be done on the RV, we took a pretty hour's drive to Shiloh, TN, crossing from Alabama to Mississippi to Tennessee. We always start our battlefield tours at the Visitors' Center and watch whatever film about the place is offered. What is perplexing is the difference in quality of the film from place to place. One was really professionally done with narration by Richard Dreyfus. This was old and grainy. Nevertheless, that does not diminish the importance of the battle here at Shiloh. Like the Battle of Chattanooga, it was all about the railroads. I think these days we lose sight of the importance of the railroads in days past. The rail lines were the communication links and the means of supply. No modern highways with big rigs; no FedEx or UPS; no internet. The railroads were it!!

U.S. Grant came down the Tennessee River with his Army of the Tennessee and waited as ordered for Gen. Buell to arrive with his Army of the Ohio. The Confederate side was led by General Albert Johnston who decided to attack Grant before Buell got there. The attack on April 6, 1862, surprised Grant and caused great disarray. Bitter fighting ensued with the Federals gradually giving way. Some of the fiercest fighting was at the Hornet's Nest where Federal troops were implored to hold their ground at all cost. For most of the day, they did suffering great loss. At day's end, the Confederates stormed the line and took the survivors prisoner. Johnston's element of surprise helped the success of the battle, but soon the Confederate Army was as disorganized as the Federal Army. This was acerbated by the death of Johnston. Johnston was shot in the leg: the bullet severed a major artery and he bled to death. His command was taken over by General Beauregard.

The 2nd day saw more fierce fighting. Grant's Federal troops had been joined overnight by Buell's and totalled some 54,500 men. The Confederates were depleted to 34,000. The battle seesawed back and forth with the Confederates withdrawing to Shiloh Church and then to Corinth, TN. The Federals did not pursue them. At the end over 23,000 from both sides were killed, wounded or missing. At one point, the wounded of both sides made their way to a pond at the Peach Orchard where the water turned red from their blood. After the battle, Beauregard asked Grant for permission, under a flag of truce, to send out people to take the Confederate dead from the battlefield. Grant's reply was that he would but that, due to the heat, he had already buried them. There are 5 mass graves for the Confederate troops. The Federal troops were taken and buried at the National Cemetery at the park.

Both armies proceed on to Corinth, TN. There was no great battle here, but, when the Confederate Army withdrew the rail line of east-west communications to the western part of the Confederacy was severed. Battle loses here and in Kentucky and Virginia paved the way for U.S. Grant's assault on Vicksburg and control of the Mississippi. And, ultimately, the end of the war. In the midst of this is the present day Shiloh Church and Cemetery, both still active. Kind of a reminder that life & death go on, I guess.