Montana & Wyoming

We exited Yellowstone out the northeast entrance, to do a bit more touring and site-seeing along the border of Montana and Wyoming. 

The Beartooth Highway is "one of the most beautiful mountain drives in America". The drive takes about 2-3 hours, but there are scenic overlooks and highlights along the way for additional viewing opportunities. The drive itself is quite stunning.

We felt like we were in the middle of a Bob Ross paining for much of the time!

The highway's namesake perhaps comes from Baretooth Butte -- notice the tooth-like peak!

Cody, WY is apparently one the last real cowboy towns in America and named after one of the early investors in the area, William Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill. He was not born here, nor did he die here, he just spent a lot of money here! 

And so when in Wyoming...go to a rodeo! Cody is the rodeo capital of the world, thanks to their nightly professional rodeo that takes place every summer, and has been for the last 90 years. There is a strong love of God and country and all things cowboy and cowgirl at this event.

There was buckin' broncos, calf roping (by the men), breakaway roping (by the ladies), bull riding, barrel racing, junior steer riding, a calf scramble and a performance by the 307 Renegade Riders (drill team on horses). 

Cody is also home to the famous Buffalo Bill Dam (previously named Shoshone Dam) -- a 325 foot concrete arch-gravity dam, that was the tallest in the world, at the time of its construction in 1910. (Hoover Dam came along later.) It provides energy and irrigation to many downstream areas.

Making our way to and from the dam, took us through the impressive Shoshone Canyon Tunnel.

Heading back into Montana...

The beautiful Moss Mansion, yet another ginormous house, built by an early settler who became rich from banking.

The wife traveled the world, and brought back ideas and furnishings from a variety of cultures, including this Muslim-inspired room.

I would love a solarium in my house...

Jeff would love a grand entrance with an amazing staircase.

Back to reality...

Did you know...there are still more ways to make a sandwich! We enjoyed our unique clubfoot vertical sandwiches at the Staggering Ox! 

Making our way back home via Bozeman...

An unplanned but serendipitous stop...yep, there are still a few hundred independently-run Radio Shack still open.

And another last minute addition, was a brief stop at the American Computer Museum.

It is a beautiful part of the country! We do hope everyone has the opportunity to experience it first hand.