I know its been a while since my last update. Pictures will come as I start processing them.
I just got back from a 3 week trip. In East TN they have a term, loafering, it pretty much means wandering around going where the roads take you.
I had a vague "plan".
8/20 After work I left home and stopped at my sisters to visit her and my Mom
8/21 I drove all day to Pony Express lake in Missouri,
8/22 the next day I made it to Guernsy State Park in Wyoming,
8/23 Short drive to Outlaw Cave Campground, I spent the week there exploring and relaxing. Some interesting history and interesting scenery changes, This is Hole in The Wall country and the cave is a place where the gang hid out.
8/26 Tracy, a friend met me and we visited and explored some more.
8/28 We packed things up and went to explore the Bighorn Mountains. Crazy Woman Canyon is fantastic, we grabbed a spot near the top for the night.
8/29 We drove Hyattville road and then the Red Gulch/Alkali Backcountry Byway. stopping at the Dinosaur Tracks for the night.Hyattville road had Tracy questioning my navigation, it turned into an interesting 2 track and none of it had been graded this year.
8/30 Tracy had to go back to his life and left very early. I headed to Greybull for gas and went up 14 to Shell Falls ad took a "shortcut" of Hunt Mountain Rd to see the Medicine Wheel, Then I decided it was time to find a camp with a shower and laundry.I stopped at Bear Mountain Resort, I can not recommend this. the campground looks to be mostly permanent campers and the whole place seems run down, the Laundry worked but not well, the showers are in the main building behind the bar, there are only 2. the place is for sale, if anyone wants to take over a huge project.
8/31 I finished my loafer through the Bighorns by going to Sheridan and buying a Forest service map through their window. At least this way I could figure out where I went. (I love paper maps). None of the visitor centers were open. I ended the day at a 4H campground in Roundup, Montana
9/1 I stopped at the BLM office in Lewiston Montana, There were 2 very helpful ladies there, This is the office that handles the Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument. I was told the new map has just gone to the printers and won't be available for 5-6 weeks. I made a side trip to Judith Peak, there are 2 spots that are supposed to have quartz crystals, I don't know what to look for and am not patient enough to find any. there is a nice view from the top, I made it to Judith Landing where I shared the campground with some cattle.
9/2 I drove to Fort Benton to the interpretative center hoping to get some more info, I did find a Delorme atlas at the Ace Hardware so I at least had a decent map to go by. I made a big circle and drove the Upper Missouri Breaks Backcountry Byway. This is an interesting route, Lower 2 calf creek road is at best a 2 track and going to the creek is a 13 degree slope of washed out gullied 2 track. it is worth the drive if you have a vehicle that can handle it. I didn't see any decent dispersed camping so I stopped at the James Kip Recreation area campground.
To Be Continued