Find A Grave

One thing Randy and I committed to when making the transition to become vagabonds was to not let church attendance nor responsibilities decline. We were both concerned as we wouldn’t have a calling so how could we serve but with Randy’s experience in the Bishopric we knew there would be some way we could help if we just volunteered. Again, the Lord is providing and we are partaking. The ward we are attending in Casper has a huge super cool project going on this summer. There is a fairly new internet site called Findagrave.com which is a database of graves from cemeteries all over the US. The data is input by family members, various clubs or groups, churches and even the cemetery staff itself. This is very helpful when doing some family research; especially when someone is unable to travel to personally gather the cemetery information. Back to the ward, they have committed to inputting the information from all the cemeteries in Casper. Big, big undertaking as there are several, big and little to do. The family history librarians obtained the burial information from the sexton at the main cemetery and input this into the website during the winter. Then the young women and young men did their part last fall by going and taking pictures of each of the headstones. Next step, several people worked on cataloging the photos alphabetically and dividing them up into various folders for individuals to work on either at the church or at home. This is where we were/are able to participate and give service. Last Friday evening, we went to the Find A Grave activity and were able to attached a folder of photos to the data already on the website. It was sort of a race (one of accuracy though) to see which Team (husband and wife made up a team) could get the most done. Randy and I had a late start but held in with the pack. All the teams were able to get through the Es before calling it a night and then we enjoyed various pies as our reward. We are going to return to the family history center on Tuesday evenings to try to finish our folder while we are here this summer.

Wyoming has Record Amount of Water this Year

During all the years of living in Wyoming, I only remember it being very dry and brown most of the summer. Well, not this year! Due to the amount of snow (which is just starting to melt in the mountains) and then spring rainstorms there are actually several parts of Wyoming flooding. Now the state has pretty good control of its water flow but nature can still baffle the best. As I mentioned in an earlier post, our campground monitors the flow of the Platte River very closely. The river is about ½ a block from us and is seeping its way closer. The river is about double its size in width and running very fast causing unusual force and turbulent. Casper is built right along the river and several parts of downtown and riverfront property have been sandbagged to contain the river where they can. One afternoon last week, Jason took us out to the reservoir which holds the snow melt for Casper water during the year. It was absolutely amazing. The water is coming around the dam and cascading down to the river because it is too full for the dam to hold it. This hasn’t happened for 35 years and is really attracting lots of people to view it. I knew there was lots of water coming across Nebraska and then up to Casper as the lakes and Platte River were very, very full but it is amazing to see where it starts and the force of the water cascading down the overflow. Sure wish some of the power could be captured for electricity or such.
Two years ago when Paul and family and Randy and I were here visiting, the guys went fishing at this very reservoir. Here is a picture of Paul fishing that day and then the next picture is the exact same spot, only it is under about 15’ of water. Just wild!This is Paul fishing two years ago. This is as close as we could get. That is the top of the trees that were behind Paul when he was fishing.

Midsummer’s Eve Celebration

Branch, Root and Twig -- spirits of the trees on the mountain.
Lavender Witch handing out treasure.
Topaz Witch standing guard at the gate of the celebration.


One afternoon of exploring with our GPS (Kathryn), we went to the top of Casper Mtn to a place called Crimson Dawn. While visiting the museum, we found out that the next Monday was going to be the Midsummer’s Eve Celebration at Crimson Dawn. Immediately it was put on the calendar to attend.

In 1929, a young woman and her two small children moved to a very small cabin on Casper Mtn and lived there for several years. The mother’s desire was to be an artist. To entertain her children, she told stories of witches which lived on the mountain. Most of the witches were good, fun witches but there were a couple trouble makers in the group. On June 21 of every year, a group sponsors a live walk through the woods by the cabin with a storyteller sharing about Crimson Dawn and the witches. There were various shrines created by this lady and her children throughout the walk and at each of the shrines was an actor dressed up as the character and sharing gifts with all those whom attended. There are seven different witches which have very unique parts in taking care of nature on the mountain. Sylvia and the children were able to attend with us. Randy and I purchased the book which has all the stories in it and are spending our evenings reading it to each other. It was just a cool way to learn of a delightful approach for a mother to entertain her children when they were so isolated.

Wild, Wild West

The west is just not the west without a rodeo or two to experience. Our first week in the new campground was the College National Finals Rodeo held here in Casper which we attended on Thursday, June 17. This rodeo featured qualifiers from colleges and universities across the country in events of saddle bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing, calf roping and others. Of course, we cheered for the Wyoming competitors whom did very well. What's more, there was a calf roper from the University of Arkansas. I had to straighten out the announcer though because he said they called the hogs by saying “Whooie, whooie” and I yelled saying it was “Whoo Pig Sooie”. We took all three grandchildren with us and I think I embarrassed Kathryn and Patrick by being so verbal. Addy loved the horseys and clowns. A good time was had by all I believe.

We also went to watch my cousin’s son, Dalton, ride (saddle bronc) in the Wyoming High School Rodeo finals in Douglas last Friday. We got there just in time to get seated before he came out of the shoot. He had an anxious bronc which was giving them difficulty even in the shoot. When the bronc came out of the shoot, he bucked a couple strong times and then stumbled; almost going down on Dalton. Dalton did a great job of holding on until he lost his stirrup and then just couldn’t keep in the saddle. Kathryn and Patrick went with us and enjoyed meeting more cousins and having the experience of actually cheering for someone they knew. We enjoyed having lunch with Sally and the boys and which we could have stayed for the evening go around. Again, a good time was had by all.
Dalton holding on tight.

150th Anniversary of the Pony Express

Little did we know when we started our adventure of traveling that we would be blessed with boundless opportunities to live and experience. Here is just one of those opportunities. This happens to be the 150th Anniversary of the Pony Express which came right thru Fort Casper during the year and a half it existed. We have been part of two celebrations commemorating this event. The first was an actual re-ride which started in St Joseph, Missouri and will continue to Sacramento, California. Several young horsewomen and men were chosen to ride certain legs of the trail carrying actual mail to the various towns and delivering it (thank you, US Postal Service). At the old fort which is only about three blocks from our camper, one of the riders, a young girl, came riding in and switched with a young man whom took off at full speed for the next few miles. The young girl’s mount was quite lathered up with sweat along with the rider looking worn out. I guess she had ridden for about 11 miles at a pretty good pace considering having to ride through modern day obstacles like towns, bridges, traffic, I am sure you get the picture. While waiting for the rider, there were several other riders that were milling around the fort for us to watch, talk to, and even pet the horses. This was Addy’s first opportunity to get close to a horse which didn’t spook her in the least. She wanted to be right next to them so none of us put her down as she may have even been right under them. I think this girl needs a horse….ummmmm.

Addy and her daddy petting a horse.


Rider coming in to make change.


Exchanging the mail bags.


Riding away on a fresh horse for the next 11 miles.

The second event was the Pony Express Re-ride Model A Tour. The Model A Ford Car Association sponsored a rally where one group of vehicles left from St Joseph, MO and another from San Francisco, CA meeting in Casper for the big jamboree. Once again, part of the schedule of activities was all of them being at Fort Casper for the car show and a huge barbeque. There were over 100 cars that were in and around Casper for a couple days. A couple of the cars stayed here at the campground with us, so we were able to get acquainted with the car owners. Some people, trailered their cars and only used them in towns where special things were happening but most actually drove their cars the entire distance. We met a couple from Columbia, SC which drove their car to St Joseph and then traveled with the group to here. We thought they would just head back home, but no, they were going to go on to Yellowstone Nat’l Park, Glacier Nat’l Park, then over to Washington state to drive down Hwy 101 and then back home from San Francisco in a few weeks. Remember, this is in a car which doesn’t go much faster than 45 mph with no air conditioning, radio, DVD, and very little room for the luggage. Good thing they have a windshield so the driver and passenger can have some quality windshield time.





Patrick looking at one of the cars.

I must share a moment of windshield time we had with Patrick. We were riding along in the truck talking about various things. At one point, we were talking about being comfortable around elderly people and how their actions can seem so foreign to us. Patrick piped up and said, “he didn’t like being around old people at all, they were just creepy”. Then he stopped for a breath and added, “except for you. You are okay to be around”. My head spun around and must have given him one of Nana’s looks, as both he and Kathryn just burst out in laughter. It was just one of those moments to keep in the memory books forever. Well, until I get to old to remember it and turn creepy!!