Sarah, Al & Eden in front of a mini version of Devil's Tower, in Keystone State Park. Another week has passed in this great timetable of life.
Sunday afternoon, Al, Eden & I loaded up the blazer, picked up another pastor and headed on a 6 hour trip to the Pastor’s Conference in Gillette, Wyoming. On our way there, we drove over to Torrington, and then drove north through Lusk, heading west around Newcastle into Gillette. I think after we left Torrington, we saw a half a dozen mailboxes for the next 200 miles. That part of Wyoming is very desolate, sparse and dry. Though, lots of antelope ‘playing’ in the fields and you can see for miles and miles and miles….
Once we reached Gillette, civilization returned a bit. A Wal-Mart on Main Street made me feel better. I am told that antelope are a nuisance animal there, and I started to see why, as they were in the field behind the hotel, in the parking lots, and bugging construction workers on a site that I could see from our 1st floor window.
The Wyoming District is a much smaller district in terms of people. There were maybe 50 pastors total, and everybody fit in the fellowship hall of the church.
Eden and I did some shopping, but mostly played at the local park near the church. The park had lots to do, including a war memorial with 10 flags whipping in the wind, historical boards to read, a cancer walking path, gardens and a waterfall. Not to mention the typical playground equipment perfect for a 2 year old, complete with other young children. We also used the hotel’s kiddy pool, which Eden loved! To our dismay, however, she was shivering violently w/in 10 minutes and had to be physically removed.
At the church, Eden intended to make as much noise as possible in the nursery and found a shopping cart to push around and steal items (cookies, books, pencils, pamphlets, etc…) from different locations around the church and kitchen area. I’m sure everybody thought this was funny but me.
On their afternoon ‘off’, the three of us took off for a drive to Keystone State Park, about 45 minutes away. Situated around a reservoir, the park had hundreds of campsites, a dozen picnic shelters, several boat launches and three playgrounds. We surmised that, “back in the day”, before the water dried up to nearly nothing, the park was probably the envy for miles around. It seems very well kept and neat, there were at least 3 ranger trucks driving around, eyeing us (we PAID, I promise!!) and I would be curious to their numbers on Memorial Day weekend. Unfortunately, the only water left is what’s in the center of the main lake.
Wednesday came, Eden & I packed up the hotel room and loaded the Blazer. Due to the gale force winds they have in Wyoming, we opted to have our picnic in the church hall, and left for Bridgeport around 1:30p.m. On our drive home, we drove back to Newcastle, and then headed due east into Custer, S.D. This was a MUCH more scenic route and didn’t take us any longer. Al and I were here 2 years ago June, and the fire devastation is still evident around Jewel Cave National Park. We headed south from Custer and continued through the Black Hills and all their beautiful trees until we reached the Nebraska border and everything turned to sand and the wind started blowing again.
Everyone was glad to be home, and Eden was glad to see her “doggy”.
Click on the link to see Gillette, Wyoming and the surrounding areas.
Sunday afternoon, Al, Eden & I loaded up the blazer, picked up another pastor and headed on a 6 hour trip to the Pastor’s Conference in Gillette, Wyoming. On our way there, we drove over to Torrington, and then drove north through Lusk, heading west around Newcastle into Gillette. I think after we left Torrington, we saw a half a dozen mailboxes for the next 200 miles. That part of Wyoming is very desolate, sparse and dry. Though, lots of antelope ‘playing’ in the fields and you can see for miles and miles and miles….
Once we reached Gillette, civilization returned a bit. A Wal-Mart on Main Street made me feel better. I am told that antelope are a nuisance animal there, and I started to see why, as they were in the field behind the hotel, in the parking lots, and bugging construction workers on a site that I could see from our 1st floor window.
The Wyoming District is a much smaller district in terms of people. There were maybe 50 pastors total, and everybody fit in the fellowship hall of the church.
Eden and I did some shopping, but mostly played at the local park near the church. The park had lots to do, including a war memorial with 10 flags whipping in the wind, historical boards to read, a cancer walking path, gardens and a waterfall. Not to mention the typical playground equipment perfect for a 2 year old, complete with other young children. We also used the hotel’s kiddy pool, which Eden loved! To our dismay, however, she was shivering violently w/in 10 minutes and had to be physically removed.
At the church, Eden intended to make as much noise as possible in the nursery and found a shopping cart to push around and steal items (cookies, books, pencils, pamphlets, etc…) from different locations around the church and kitchen area. I’m sure everybody thought this was funny but me.
On their afternoon ‘off’, the three of us took off for a drive to Keystone State Park, about 45 minutes away. Situated around a reservoir, the park had hundreds of campsites, a dozen picnic shelters, several boat launches and three playgrounds. We surmised that, “back in the day”, before the water dried up to nearly nothing, the park was probably the envy for miles around. It seems very well kept and neat, there were at least 3 ranger trucks driving around, eyeing us (we PAID, I promise!!) and I would be curious to their numbers on Memorial Day weekend. Unfortunately, the only water left is what’s in the center of the main lake.
Looking across the lake at Keystone State Park
Eden and her daddy atop the
10' version of Devil's Tower
Wednesday came, Eden & I packed up the hotel room and loaded the Blazer. Due to the gale force winds they have in Wyoming, we opted to have our picnic in the church hall, and left for Bridgeport around 1:30p.m. On our drive home, we drove back to Newcastle, and then headed due east into Custer, S.D. This was a MUCH more scenic route and didn’t take us any longer. Al and I were here 2 years ago June, and the fire devastation is still evident around Jewel Cave National Park. We headed south from Custer and continued through the Black Hills and all their beautiful trees until we reached the Nebraska border and everything turned to sand and the wind started blowing again.
Everyone was glad to be home, and Eden was glad to see her “doggy”.
Click on the link to see Gillette, Wyoming and the surrounding areas.
The real Devil's Tower, viewed from Keystone State Park, apx 20 miles south.
Until next week….
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