13 Sep
Today we explored several areas around Casper WY. First stop was the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center.
At the entrance to the facility was a Pony Express statue
An introductory video entitled "Footsteps to the West"
This Conestoga wagon is full motion, synchronized with the audio/video in the background. It makes you feel like you are crossing a river. The wagon master in front is talking to you as you go.
This device is called a "roadometer" which actually measured the rotations of the wagon wheel and then they could calculate how far they traveled. Before that they would tie a handkerchief to one of the spokes and a child would count the rotations.
This is a very historic area. We did not realize most of the westward trails traversed this area.
Supplies brought by the travelers
Charts used in conjunction with the roadometer
A Pony Express Rider
The Pony Express route and stops
The railroads changed how we migrated west.
We were both very impressed with the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center but also the people who ran it. In addition to answering all of our questions, they were very informative about other things to see in the Casper area.
Next stop was the Tate Geological Museum, which is ran by Casper College. This museum displays a variety of geology including paleontology. They are considered a regional Earth Science Education Center and educate students of all ages as well as citizens and tourists!
We were greeted out front by T-Rex himself!
Inside the museum is wall to wall fossils and rocks of all kinds. The stories are particularly interesting that go along with the fossils. How they were discovered, where they were discovered and their restoration. There are huge fossil fields in Wyoming and it is also an oil center, so many have been found during oil exploration. 
"Dee" the Mammoth display
Ichthyosaurus
Wyoming Jade display
"Nicole" the Torosautus
"Stan" the Tyrannosaurus Rex
Tools of the trade for the paleontologist
The college prep laboratory here in the museum
A look inside the lab as they prepare fossils
We could have spent hours in the Tate Museum. There is so much to see and read. It is interesting that there are so many fossils in this area.
From the museum we drove south to Casper Mountain. The visibility was not great, but it seemed to be clearing as bit as the morning went on. Our first stop was "Lookout Point", a pull-off on the way up the switchbacks. 
A memorial on the point. We can only wonder what happened here.
Looking down on Casper WY from Lookout Point.
A panoramic from there.
From Lookout Point we continued on up Casper Mountain. There was up to a 6% grade so we were glad we did not have the RV behind us. The road was narrow at times but it was a nice drive.
Another pulloff.
Scenic!
We arrived at the top of the mountain, but there was really no great scenic view from there. Most of it was heavily wooded with a variety of sponsored primitive campgrounds such as Lion's Club. There is also some private ground on the mountain. We saw a couple properties for sale.
An interesting homestead on the mountain top! Very resourceful!
The pavement ended and so did our drive. We turned around and headed back down the mountain.
At the bottom of the mountain, we found the entrance to the Rotary Park. This park has been enjoyed by the citizens of Casper since the 1890's but in the years leading up to 2010, the park was being neglected and misused. The Rotary Club and a whole lot of volunteers became involved and turned the park around to what we see today. . We parked the truck and hiked in across the bridge and up the Bridle Trail to Garden Creek Falls. 
The sign warned of up to a 13% grade but it was not too bad. What a beautiful hike and a beautiful falls at the end.
The sign warned of up to a 13% grade but it was not too bad. What a beautiful hike and a beautiful falls at the end.
A babbling brook below the falls
Sheer rock face above us.
Garden Creek Falls
It was time to head back to the campground for a late lunch, which we did. Later a ferocious storm dropped in very quickly and moved through with winds that gusted to 45 mph. The wind speed is measured at my RV on my Tempest device I installed earlier this year. We "battened down the hatches a bit", stowed the satellite dish, stowed the flagpole, and rolled in the slideouts, but the storm eventually passed with no issues. 
I created a notification system that will alert my phone no matter where we are, if the wind speed exceeds 25 mph and needless to say my phone was going crazy!
Tomorrow we have another full day planned, starting with an oil change for the big ol' brown truck at 0730 hrs at the local RAM dealership.
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