Roam With Friends

Month: July 2017

The Adventures of Betty, Roxie, and The Rockwood: That’s WY!

Do you ever hear a song that speaks to your soul? The one you turn up a little louder every time you hear it. You catch yourself humming along to it even when it is not playing. This summer that song for me is Highway Vagabond by Miranda Lambert. I can’t get it out of my ears…

I wanna go somewhere where nobody knows
I wanna know somewhere where nobody goes
Following gold lines on the ground, northbound, southbound
There’s something ’bout the way I feel when the wheels go round and round and round

Highway vagabonds, living like hippies
Moving right along to the next big city
Okay, jump off the exit
Truck stop, rest stop, next stop Texas
Caravan like a wild west show
I don’t care, man, as long as we go
My way
Get off one and get on the other
Highway, vagabonds

For us, the next stop is not Texas. It is Cody, Wyoming and I did feel like we were caravaning like a wild west show. Partially because we were caravaning. Three big trucks pulling three big travel trailers down Highway 16, also knows as Cloud Peak Skyway Scenic Byway, that goes up and over Bighorn National Forest. Partially because we were heading west to a town made famous by a man who made wild west shows famous. Partially because we were on no time table and we found ourselves leisurely wandering from one destination to the next; just like a vagabond.

We took one highway to the next winding our way to Monster Lake Ranch just outside of Cody, Wyoming. Pulling into Monster Lake, I did feel like we were somewhere where nobody knows and we had found a place that nobody goes. But, that really isn’t true. People do go to Monster Lake. It is known for its world-class fly fishing and bird hunting, which is exactly how we ended up landing there. But, in the moment of being there (the only guest on property) it did feel like we were in a secret location. A place just like Miranda sings about.

Fishing at Monster Lake has been on my husband’s bucket list for a couple of decades. His father and uncle have raved about the monster trout they caught on their trips out there and he wanted his own shot. We offered to let the group go ahead of us and we would meet up but they all decided that Cody had enough things to keep everyone entertained and when we found out they had RV sites we quickly made plans to stay three days/two nights at Monster Lake, 8 miles south of Cody, Wyoming.

On our only full day at Monster Lake Ranch, we each went a different direction and experienced different things. So, go find that Miranda Lambert song, turn up the radio, and follow along as we walk you through our time in Cody, Wyoming.

Monster Lake Ranch (Wayne’s Cody Experience):

Visiting the wild west sounds fun, but for some of us, visiting it is simply not enough. If you want an activity a little more hands on for a chance to call victory of the wild in the west then Monster Lake Ranch is where you should go. If your bucket list includes bird hunting, fishing, trail riding, pistol or rifle shooting on a beautiful, scenic ranch surrounded by mountains, then this is the place to visit.

Monster Lake Ranch is a 10,000 acre working ranch with a nearly 200 acre lake stocked with monster sized cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout. When I say monster size, I mean easily 6 pounds, often over ten pounds, 15 inches or more girth, and shy of two feet long. These are the type of fish you dream of catching. Monster Lake is a private lake. The price to fish here is steep: a half day rod fee is $150 and a full day is $200. Guided trips are available starting off around $450 for a half day. You can bring your own personal water craft, rent one from Monster Lake, or the guide will take you out on a drift boat.

Before I even went, I got some advice from my uncle and my dad who had fished Monster Lake before me. They recommended a five or six weight rod, full sinking line, and 2X leader and tippet. My Uncle Dave even gave me a large box of flies that I have never fished with before. I was also able to purchase an “old” fishing raft hat he had previously used at Monster Lake.

The night we arrived, three of us spent a few hours casting into Quick Lake, which is significantly smaller and at the entrance to the property. We found ourselves casting the full sinking line into the wind, which proved to be a game changer for my fishing buddies and I soon found myself the solo fisherman the next day.

I started off deciding to do the full day unguided trip. I took my all made over for monster sized trout rods and my “new to me” inflatable fishing raft with foot flippers to maneuver the lake. The guide, Mike, met me early that morning and actually repeated all the advice my uncle had given me. Mike then gave me a few top water flies, a quick Monster Lake entomology lesson (that is life cycle of bugs in case you wondered), a quick layout of the lake, a few specific casting techniques for this area, he even told me what birds to look for, and sent me on my way.

I started casting. I started to notice a few of the signs Mike had told me to look for. I saw a few insects and I mean a few. I saw a few of the birds he mentioned. But the birds could not find the few insects that showed up. Which also meant there were no fish showing up. I kept casting.

Around lunch time, my wife called to check in. I was feeling pretty discouraged. I was not sure if I was missing the signs or they were not there to see or if my technique was off. My wife could not give me any advice on the fishing but she did one of the most important things ever; she told me to call Mike and hire him as a guide.

By early afternoon, Mike was back. I was out of the inflatable raft and in his drift boat. He took me all over Monster Lake. He had confirmed that my technique was right on. Man, that was a relief! A few hours later I threw a dry fly (afternoon fishing the insects come back and lay eggs) close to one of the few rising fish we had seen that day. I saw him take the fly so I set the hook. This was my moment. After nearly a full day of discouragement I was so ready for this!. As soon as he took the fly, it felt like I snagged a log. He took the fly straight down, shook his head twice, and I felt the line go slack. I stripped the line to check my fly and I was surprised to see it was still there. But then on closer inspection I could see that my hook was nearly straight. Total defeat. Fisherman 0 Trout 1.

Shortly after this near miss, Mike and I called it quits. Mike was super discouraged that the insects had failed to show up that he volunteered to take me back out the next morning. I went back to the RV to ice my now sore arm. Mike felt pretty badly I had a crappy day of fishing so he graciously offered to show my family around Monster Lake. He took us back to Cowboy Camp. We walked up to a huge cliff and watched a storm move in. A giant rainbow appeared over Monster Lake Ranch that evening. I had hoped that would mean a better day of fishing in the morning.

The next morning, Mike and I hit the lake fairly early. We only had a half day to fish because we were packing up and heading to Yellowstone. I wish I could say that our second morning was more successful than our first. The weather was perfect; sunny, hot, not a cloud in the sky, with little to no wind. The rest of the group called it perfect, the first nice day of our vacation. But those perfect days make the worst days for trout fishing. I am pretty sure I am the only person who has ever come to Monster Lake with the hopes of catching a monster trout and who walked away with nothing but a sore arm from all that casting.

Buffalo Bill Center of the West (The Master’s Cody Experience)

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We decided to tour The Buffalo Bill Center of the West while in Cody. The cost of admission was pricey ($19 for adults and $12 for children ages 6-17) but the admission covers two consecutive days to the museum. This museum is huge and you could definitely use two days to explore the entire thing. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West houses six different museums in one building: Buffalo Bill Museum, Draper Natural History Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Cody Firearms Museum, and McCracken Research Library, as well as special time limited exhibits. We explored all of the museums but not the library. The exhibit was closed for set-up during our visit. I’m embarrassed to admit, but as we entered the center it dawned on me that this was the first real museum the kids had ever ever really been in. Our biggest worry was what the kids would think and how they would behave. We were pleasantly surprised – they were both well behaved and they both LOVED it. When I asked the kids what their favorite part was they simply said “all of it!”

We started our exploration in the Whitney Western Art Museum. Each painting was tied to a number and you had access to headphones and recorder that provided a recorded information on the artist and the painting. The kids loved this – they walked around the entire art area typing in the numbers and listening. We loved looking at the paintings of Yellowstone knowing that was the next stop on our road trip.

After the art museum we explored the Cody Firearms Museum. This was amazing; truly a sight to see. Sadly I didn’t take any pictures of the guns because there was just so many it was almost overwhelming. There were guns of all shapes and kinds. Guns from years and years ago to present. My husband and I really enjoyed this area. During our time here, we kept thinking about our loved ones not on this trip with us. I know my father-in-law would have also been fascinated.

Next we journeyed through the Plains Indian Museum, which was probably my second favorite area. Looking at the items the Indian people made and the details in these items were fascinating. My girl loved the baby carriers the Indian people made and transported their babies in. My boy enjoyed learning about the Bison and all the things the Indian people used from the Bison. Bison have become his new favorite animals.

Next we explored the Buffalo Bill Museum. We traveled through this section very quickly because the kids were anxious to get to the Draper Natural History Museum. There were many interesting things I never know about Buffalo Bill and his life; he was really quite accomplished. The Natural History Museum was probably where we spent the most of our time. There was an area you could see the animal habitat and see what they eat, touch their horn or antlers, and touch their hides. There were all sorts of animals in this area from chipmunks to elks, to bears. The kids really like this.

Overall we really like Buffalo Bill Center of the West. There was a great deal to see and I’m sure we missed plenty in our short visit. If I had the opportunity to go again I would and I would want want to explore my two favorite areas more thoroughly – the Plains Indian Museum and the Cody Firearms Museum.

Old Trail Town (The Taylor’s Minus Wayne’s Cody Experience)

During our visit we got to help Old Trail Town celebrate it’s 50th anniversary of being in business. They gave us a gold sticker to wear around for the day. We even left our anniversary sticker on after we left. Old Trail Town is more than a collection of historic buildings. Although it is exactly that; a collection of old buildings. You will also find relics throughout the restored buildings that give you a glimpse of what life was like for early western settlers. My ancestors were not western settlers but I recognized several antiques that my great grandparents had in their homes.

Old Trail Town collection has 27 buildings, which date from 1879-1901, one hundred horse drawn vehicles, as well as extensive memorabilia from the Wyoming frontier and Indian artifacts. Some of the homes can be entered and others you can’t. Several homes had beds in them. We can’t help but wonder, were people really that small? My husband and I have a king sized bed and when I am looking at the beds in these homes, I am shocked at how small they look! Have we supersized our entire lives?

Three of the buildings located at Old Trail Town are buildings used by “The Hole in the Wall Gang” which Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid were apart of. You will still find bullet holes in the door of the saloon. I think I need to do more research on my wild west villains. I kinda need to admit I thought Butch Cassidy was a good guy, maybe because Robert Redford was in the movie and he can’t possibly be a bad guy, right?

In addition to the buildings and relics, several historical figures are buried at Old Trail Town including Jeremiah “Liver Eating” Johnston. Maybe you have seen a movie also starring Robert Redford? Jeremiah Johnson? It is one of my favorite western movies. I think I just realized how infatuated I am with Robert Redford. Anyway, after the release of the movie, Jeremiah Johnston was relocated from his pauper’s grave in California to Old Trail Town. Robert Redford even served as a pallbearer in the largest burial service in the history of Wyoming.

Ticket prices to visit this attraction are $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids 6-12 years of age. My parents took me to Old Trail Town on my first visit to Cody. I would not say much has changed. It remains a place where the wild west lives. Even if it is contained to two acres.

Buffalo Bill Dam (The Todd’s Cody Experience)

The Shoshone River runs right through Cody, Wyoming. Six miles west of town, on the way to Yellowstone, you will drive through a series of tunnels and then pass the Buffalo Bill Dam. It was built in 1910 and was the highest dam in the world, at that time. We also found it interesting that the dam was originally built with no reinforcing rebar.

We found ample large space parking in the parking area just west of the dam and visitor center. We were greeted by a man driving a golf cart who offered us a ride up to the visitor center. He told us after the 9/11 bombings they put up barricades and no longer allow parking close to the dam. We would not have minded the walk, but the gentleman driving us was a treat to spend time with.

On the way into the visitor center we learned that the water level was as low as it has been in the past 20 years. At the visitor center, we wandered around outside. The sound of the water rushing through the spillway is loud. The sun bounces off the falling water and created rainbows. The water on the other side of dam is calm and quiet. We lingered outside to enjoy the views.

Inside the visitor center we watched a movie about the making of the dam. Our daughter was fascinated by the number of people injured or even killed during the building. I think the movie made a huge impact on her. We got our national passports stamped and walked back to our truck. There are a few artifacts on the way to/from the parking lot to the visitor center; namely a ball plug and a hydraulic valve.

Sadly, we were in Cody just days before the start of their summer season which meant that the nightly rodeo’s Cody is known for had yet to start. I do wish we had been able to attend a rodeo but we picked our dates to beat the large summer tourist season at Yellowstone National Park. Life is certainty about balancing choices.

We spent two nights and a few days in and around Cody. We enjoyed the “down” time before our next stop. Thanks so much to the staff at Monster Lake for helping make our time in Cody what we had hoped it would be.

July 30, 2017
Campground Review: Smithville Lake Loop C Read This Before You Book!

This post was updated on 7/18/2017 to reflect a change in the Clay County Reservation website. Scroll to the bottom for the update.

Smithville Lake is located just outside Smithville, Missouri in Clay County. It is a 7,200 acre lake created by the Army Corp of Engineers and is managed by Clay County government. There are three total campgrounds at Smithville Lake. Two of them (Crows Creek and Camp Branch) are on the 5,000 acres of public land and managed by Clay County. The third is Smiths Fork campground which sits on and is managed by the city of Smithville. We have reviewed Smiths Fork Campground before.

With 175 miles of shoreline, 777 campgrounds, 2 swim beaches, miles of biking/walking trails all just minutes from downtown Kansas City, Smithville Lake is a popular weekend destination. Camp Branch has nearly 330 unimproved sites and has 34 electric sites (30 amp service). Crows Creek is a little larger than Camp Branch, it has 415 total camping sites. Crows Creek has more electric sites than unimproved sites. Both Camp Branch and Crows Creek are organized into loops. There are several individual sites per loop.

This year, Clay County upgraded one entire loop, Loop C, at Crows Creek to have 50 amp electric service as well as water hookups at every site. This was a welcome upgrade to those who frequent Smithville Lake! The sites in Loop C cost $35/night, which is ten dollars more than their electric only sites.

We were invited to Smithville Lake for a Father’s Day Weekend camping trip with a few friends. We could not get into the loop they were in so we decided it would be a good time to try out the newly remodeled Loop C. I got on their website and found several sites to chose from; we booked site number 194. As you can see from the maps below, the site we booked appears to be individual sites. You can imagine our shock when we arrived and found that we were on a shared site. A shared site has one entry from the main road with space for two camping units. There are two picnic tables, two fire pits, and two electric boxes. The empty one below resembles a “y” with each RV having a space.

In fact, most of Loop C is shared sites. Shared sites are very nice when you are camping with friends/family/someone you know. It allows two camping groups to be close together. But when you are on a shared site with a total stranger, well, it feels intimate. Too intimate in fact. It is like that moment when someone steps into your bubble space and you want to step back but you can’t, so you divert your eyes to create the sense of space.

Let me just paint you a picture of how close we were to this complete stranger. Our fire pit was behind his camper. Our picnic table was behind ours. Our awning extended to just mere inches from his camper and covered his utility pole. The area behind us (opposite of our front door) was grassy and large but then we get into the old question: where does my site end and the neighbors site begin? While we were setting up our camper, our neighbor decided it was time to come out and do work on his camper, so he was literally standing in our space where we were setting up.

Thankfully for us, our friends were in another loop with ample space. So we spent the entirety of our waking time at their campsite or in the lake. Any time we spent at our campsite was spent inside the camper; mostly sleeping.

So, here is the bottom line. When you are at Smithville Lake you will find a sign outside Loop C that says most of the sites in the loop are shared. That information is not helpful to those of us who make advanced reservations using the website. No where on the website can you tell which sites are shared and which site is not. Even the map they pass out upon check in indicates that all sites in Loop C are individual sites. It is very misleading to customers and is a concern that I hope Clay County remedies soon.

Specifically, I would like to see Clay County update their website and their maps to indicate the shared sites. However, considering how long Clay County government took to allow online advanced reservations, I have no faith that a solution to this problem will be timely. So, before we left Loop C we drove around and took note of which sites were shared and which sites are not. We also noticed that in the shared sites there is a “better” side. So, if you are headed to Smithville Lake and Loop C with water and electricity sound good, please refer back here and check before you book. If you don’t you might end up diverting your eyes all weekend as you are uncomfortably close to a stranger.

On the map above; I have marked every shared site with a blue circle. I have marked the “better” of the two sites with a red star. If you want to be in the water/electric loop and all the single sites are full aim for the ones with the star; other than having someone at your backside you will have the better hand.

UPDATE as of 7/18/2017:

I heard this morning that perhaps the website had been updated. So, here is a video of me walking through it.

What do you think? Is it enough? I think the dropdown box under Select Spot Type that list all of the shared sites is confusing. I appreciate the popup box that tells me that loop C “has many double sites” is good but it only pops up if I scroll my cursor over that paragraph. If I have my cursor on the photo, no warning pops up. The map is still not updated, nor is the legend. If a consumer overlooks the shared site statement under the amenities they will still inadvertently stumble into a shared site. I am afraid that it is still a “BUYER BEWARE” situation on this website.

July 16, 2017
Campground Review: Devils Tower KOA

Devils Tower KOA, Devils Tower, Wyoming

Date of Stay: Sunday, May 28, 2017

In the summer of 2016, Meeghan and I watched and listened as Kerri Cox with Travels with Birdy headed west. She documented her trip on her blog and made campground recommendations on the podcast RVFTA Campground of the Week. We booked this campground back in the height of winter and had been anticipating our time there for a long time.

Devils Tower KOA is literally located at the entrance to Devils Tower National Monument. The KOA has approximately 90 RV sites, a dozen cabins, and several designated tent areas . They have a pool (which was not open during our stay), a playground, volleyball and basketball courts, as well as general store, a cafe, and a gift shop. Amenities aside, we selected this campground for our third night on the road due to the proximity to Devils Tower and given we could not be any closer and have full hook ups for the RV’s.

We booked the premium RV sites; sites number 67, 68, and 69. We learned from Kerri’s review that these sites had the best view of Devils Tower. KOA’s website even says these sites offer the best views in the campground and are on a quiet, less traveled part of the campground.

We can attest that we had AWH-MAZING views of Devils Tower. What we failed to realize is that our premium sites were grass sites. I am not sure if we overlooked that or if we were not told. Either way, we had grass sites, We also had no picnic table but we ended up snagging a table from site 70 as it was vacant during our stay.

Campfires are not allowed at grass sites or at RV sites. Central campfire pits are provided. The tent sites are given fire rings and since we were camping right next to tent campers, we left feeling a little envious that we did not have a fire ring, especially considering how chilly it was in the evening and how amazing the view was in front of us.

For the moments that you are not out exploring Devils Tower National Monument, the campground has a few activities. From June 1 to September 1, as weather permits, they have a hayride through a historic ranch. They also have a heated swimming pool to help you rest and relax. The other activity this campground has is a nightly showing of the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This movie was filmed onsite at this campground back in the late 1970’s. We thought we would miss all the extra activities as we were there before June 1. However, they actually started showing the movie prior to June 1. We did not realize the movie was being shown until we were on our way back to the campers from the playground. By that time it was beyond chilly and we were ready to be warm.

Our stay here was short and quick. We arrived early afternoon and were back on the road by 9:00 a.m. the next morning. In conclusion, this was by far one of our favorite stops and we felt like royalty with the best seats in the house. In this case, it was a direct, unobstructed view of the tower.

July 11, 2017
The Adventures of Betty, Roxie, and The Rockwood Part III: See Ya Later, South Dakota

As we hopped back onto I-90 West on day three of our vacation the mood of the group was relaxed and playful for many reasons. First it was the first time we felt we were some place other than “here”. Then, we had spent an amazing night at Badlands National Park and we had spent the morning exploring Wall Drug Store. And finally, we had a short drive to our next destination (Devils Tower) and we made a decision to take an impromptu side trip to Sturgis, South Dakota. One of the great things about vacationing is the ability to slow down and enjoy moments differently than you do when you are rushing to get to a job you work at all day long more days than not. Deviating from the plan to take in a side trip is one of those small vacation wins.

I should probably pause here and make a full disclosure admission to you all. Our vacation group is full of former bikers/current bikers. In his younger days, Allen had a bike. Wayne had a bike right up till The Short Chick joined our lives and the Masters family still bikes. The Master’s have been to bike week in South Dakota numerous times and going to bike week use to occupy a space on my bucket list, (I took it off my list after attending Bikes, Blues and BBQ in Arkansas and seeing how crowded the third largest rally in the US was, I knew I had changed my mind about the largest rally.) Still, I thought a visit to Sturgis not during bike week sounded fun. So did everyone else.

A quick 90 minutes after we left Wall, South Dakota, we pulled into Sturgis, South Dakota. The town was quiet. There was no traffic. We pulled into the old Full Throttle Saloon and looked around the charred remains on a former Sturgis powerhouse. We purchased t-shirts, took photos, drank a beer and spent time chatting with old bikers who still linger at The Full Throttle. The bikers recommended we lunch in town at Rosco’s and highly recommended we take a scenic route over to Devil’s Tower. Again, we are on vacation and we can afford to be leisurely so we took them up on both recommendations. I ordered the steak salad and Allen ordered the steak tips. We would recommend both if you are visiting Rosco’s Steak House in Sturgis.

We took Highway 34 to Belle Fourche and then we entered Wyoming by following Highway 24 to Devils Tower. The scenic route was wide, had good shoulders for pulling over (which we did not need to do), and a beautiful view the entire 90 minute trip from Sturgis. Coming from the Midwest, we are usually pretty hesitant to take the back roads. But we found this alternate route, as well as all other routes we would find ourselves on during this road tip, to be very friendly to travelers; even those who tow big campers.

Last year Kerri Cox with Travels with Birdy went west and recommended the Devil’s Tower KOA. We booked our sites at Devils Tower based upon her recommendation. As we got settled into our premium sites we noticed the rock climbers on the tower. We were so excited and ready to explore Devils Tower National Monument that within an hour of our arrival we were off and headed to the park.

The entrance to Devils Tower is literally a few hundred paces from the entrance to Devils Tower KOA. Upon arriving, the littles immediately set about becoming Junior Rangers while we got our national park passports purchased and stamped. A rain shower moved in so we huddled under a canopy as the soon-to-be Junior Rangers finished their workbooks. We passed the time watching rock climbers and other tourist. As I watched a tourist carry out large pieces of deadwood, the men watched in awe as a rock climber fell. He was safely caught by all the safety mechanisms but it provided a moment of adrenaline for those who witnessed it (and I am sure for the climber).

The rain did not stick around for long so with four newly sworn in Junior Rangers, we sat out to hike the Tower Trail. Tower Trail is a little over a mile paved trail that circles the base of the tower. We passed by pine trees and boulders. There are a few scenic overlooks, one of which we could see our campers waiting for us down below.

Devils Tower is considered a holy place to Native Americans and they come here to pray. For each prayer they leave behind a physical representation of their prayer and that is called a prayer cloth. We noticed several different types of prayer cloths. Some were little bundles tied to the tree. Some were strips of materials. Others even multiple smaller strips tied to a larger piece of material. The park rangers told us the bundles hold offerings like tobacco with their prayer. The smaller strips tied to a larger piece of material are multiple individual prayers. The prayer cloths will stay on the trees until they either decompose or the family who placed them come back and replace these cloths with new prayers.

As we exited the park that evening, we passed right by Prairie Dog Town for the second time. Meeghan had let us know we missed spotting them on the way in and we were determined to see these rodents. As we approached their area, we were shocked to see so many. I am not sure how we missed them on the way in other than to say, sometimes when you are looking at the forest you miss a tree. And trust me, there are a lot of trees in the forest or in this case, there are a lot of prairie dogs in Prairie Dog Town.

As night settled in the temperature dropped. We had considered going back to the park for an evening ranger program but it was chilly enough that we wanted to be inside with the heater on. Tomorrow we move further west to Cody, Wyoming where we will linger a few days before heading into Yellowstone National Park.

July 11, 2017