Elk Country

Yesterday Jordan and I did a 8.5+ mile hike to Burnt Mountain, which is located in the middle of the Big Horns.  It was super breezy, but the sun was out and there was no shortage of wildlife.

First we made our way up to the top of the mountain, and then followed its ridge line for a few miles.  There are numerous hoodoo-like rock formations around the top of Burnt Mtn, and the views are spectacular:

Throughout the day we came across herds of elk as we hiked across a meadow on the valley floor and then back up and over the mountain.  But the best encounter by far was with this young elk calf, whom we found hunkered down to stay out of the wind.

We were able to get within 10 feet of this gorgeous creature, who lay placidly in the grass waiting for us to move along.  It was pretty epic!

We ended our day with a trek up to the tallest part of the mountain.  It was exhausting, but so exhilarating too!

Mt. Rushmore and the Devil's Tower

Instead of driving home from a long, exhausting day digging up bones in the warm summer sunshine, we decided to spend the night and then explore one of the more famous nearby tourist sites:  Mt. Rushmore.  We missed this monument on our tour last summer, so it was a first for both kids.  (Technically, Annabel visited when she was 3 months old, but we all decided that she couldn't be blamed for not remembering.) 

On our way home we took a detour to walk around the Devil's Tower.  There are numerous legends surrounding this giant boulder, but we decided that we liked the Kiowa Indian version best:  One day seven sisters were playing in the forest when their only brother was changed into a giant bear before their eyes. The bear began to chase after the girls who jumped on a tree stump and started praying for deliverance. The rock then began to grow up toward the sky, putting quite a bit of distance between the girls and the bear. It's said that the cracks and columns on Devils Tower came from the bear's claws as he tried to climb the tower.  Eventually the girls were spirited into the sky and became the 7 stars of the Pleiades constellation.  Whatever its origin, we sure did enjoy the view!

Dinosaur Dig

Last Thursday we got to do one of the coolest things that we've ever done:  participate in a dinosaur bone dig.  The dig is located on a remote ranch in Wyoming, about 4 hours southeast of our home.  It's hard to believe that this cattle country hides paleontological wonders.

Upon arrival we watched a short video about the dig site and the proper technique for extracting these ancient bones.  We didn't anticipate that, as amateurs, we would be allowed to do much digging.  We've never been so glad to be wrong in our lives!  They cleared a spot and put the kids to work right away.

It was hot, tedious work - but rewarding nonetheless.  The sense of camaraderie at the dig was strong, and many of the participants took an active role in teaching us about dinosaurs and archeology.

Both Annabel and Thane found numerous tendons and bone fragments, including vertebrae.  Annabel's coolest find of the day was, alas, unidentifiable in its fragile condition and was thus simply catalogued as "bone fragment."

While Thane's great find was decidedly on the small side, the buzz it created was assuredly not.  He found a theropod tooth, which is considered the holy grail of dino digs. 

In a year or two, university students will complete sorting the finds from this summer's dig, and Annabel and Thane will go down in history as the discoverers of each bone they found.  We were told that Thane's tooth will probably end up in a museum.  How cool is that?!?

Sure Signs of Spring

Lilacs are blooming here in Sheridan - a definite sign that spring has arrived in full force.  And we know because our quaint home in town is literally surrounded by these aromatic bushes.  I just LOVE lilacs!

We took a drive up the mountains on my birthday to cool off.  It was a very warm 92 in town, but only 60 in the Big Horns.  Despite some residual snow in the north face of the mountains, the valleys are greening up just in time to nourish its baby residents including this beautiful little moose.

Further along the road we spotted an elk who literally played hide-and-seek with us for several minutes before bolting for cover in the trees.  Can you see her head peaking around the left side of the boulder?

School is out, and the summer is stretching out before us like a newly discovered path just waiting to be explored.  We can't wait to begin!