Travelling Day

As we loaded up the car this morning a woman passing by asked Tony if it was Monday. He confirmed it was indeed Monday and she followed up with, ‘You never know!’ How true.

Fortified with coffee from Pure Bean for the last time, we set off on the next stage of our adventure heading south and west to Wind Cave National Park, founded in 1903. The unusual feature of the cave, which we toured with Ranger Justin, was its boxwork. Apparently, 95% of the boxwork found in the world to date is in this cave system. As the water moved through this cave it deposited calcite in the cracks, then the water dissolved the limestone and left the box outlines. Ranger Justin described it perfectly for the kids, and me, saying it was a bit like making a wall from cement and sugar bricks. His other advice, gleaned from his grandfather, was ‘tuck and roll.’

After the tour we moved on to Devil’s Tower National Monument (do do do do doo!) over the state line in to Wyoming. En route, south of Sundance and in the middle of nowhere and being the only car on the road as far as the eye could see in both directions, a large dog crossed the highway in front of us, looking purposeful!

There are several theories as to how Devil’s Tower was formed but none yet proven. It is a bonkers structure of basalt columns, some of which have broken off and fallen to the base of the tower. In beautiful sunshine, we followed the trail around the base of the tower through a forest of scented Ponderosa Pines, then it was time for lunch at the Devil’s Tower Restaurant before we were back on the road to our destination of Billings in Montana. (We are clocking up the states!)

As we left the restaurant, a serious cloudscape developed and the first part of our journey was through heavy rain with lightning flashing all around us. Thankfully we passed through it in about half an hour but well done Driver Becky for holding her nerve through a tough time with the road awash.

Then it was a lonnnngggg drive to our very cosy Airbnb here in Billings where we have just returned from a most excellent dinner at Walkers Restaurant. Billings is the largest town we have been through since Denver and is very fine.

We are all shattered and will soon be to bed. Tomorrow Yellowstone!