Buffalos!

First. I spent Tuesday driving from Buffalo, to Ten Sleep, to Cody then tried my hardest to make it to Bozeman before mental implosion set in with the onset of nightfall. Before all that hardship, I drove, drove and drove some more. I stopped at the Jim Gatchell museum in Ten Sleep, WY. Just as Sleepy Eye pulled me in, with all of its obelisky goodness, I chose Ten Sleep on name. I just want a nap anytime, anywhere. Perhaps I was looking for a nice cot and fan, or shade tree and hammock. Shouldn't they make nap stops? I think so. But, closest thing was Ten Sleep and what it had to offer. Named for the number of nights it took to arrive halfway along a trappers' path, Ten Sleep had a wee little museum to check out.


The museum was in a log cabin-type building, beside a playground and a nifty yellow swing I inhabited afterward. Inside the door was a stuffed mountain lion. And saddles, they had saddles, saddles and more saddles on display. Also, old dentist instruments (namely pliers, I suppose). Waxy dolls in carriages to replicate pioneer-style living rooms. Very complicated bed chambers. Oh, and a display case of corsets and corset-related paraphernalia. This was the single room, solo staffed small town museum that I've seen a few similar ones on this trip. They have great character. They aren't glossy, carpeted, nor do they have elevators with the plaques by the floor numbers indicating the features on each. I'm glad I stopped. And I'm happy for that yellow swing in the sun.

Second, Cody: I arrived not sure what to expect. But I found yet another museum. The Buffalo Bill Museum was the glossy, carpeted, plaqued museum they didn't have in Ten Sleep (T. S. population was somewhere around 300, but I digress). They did have the resources financially unavailable to smaller museums, however, that made it very impressive and chock full of Buffalo Bill funtimes. Buffalo Bill, a figure revered for his celebrity/nostalgia status in these parts of Wyoming (billboards will attest to this all the way in Buffalo, WY straight on thru...) I was surprised to learn B.B. had a good working relationship with Native Americans, and tried to prevent abuse against them. He had some flashy, beaded leather getups too. A lot of Pieces of Flare to be had that day. He even had his own ditty.
Can't beat that with a stick:






He even named in rifle "Lucretia Borgia". Oh, and his posters had a good graphic designer.

And then, I chose the scenic, life-threatening Yellowstone driving tour up to Bozeman to find my hotel... And Yellowstone extravaganza has it's rocky start, 6pm lasting for a full 24 hours.