Day 1 of Lupe’s 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast.
Something different was happening. Lupe didn’t know what it all meant. She was 1 year and 7 months old, so the world was still pretty new. A couple days before, Lanis had arrived from Indiana in his Honda Element. Now Lanis and SPHP were carting the rear seats out of the Element, and into the living room. Lots of gear got stuffed into the back of the Element.
Lupe wondered what was going on. She had no idea what was coming. She didn’t know she was about to set out on her first ever Dingo Vacation. Even Lanis and SPHP had only a vague idea where Lupe was ultimately going to go. For starters, the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming, then probably to the Beartooths, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park. After that, well, who knew? It was an adventure!
Shortly after 10:00 AM on 8-8-12, Lupe, Lanis & SPHP headed out. Lanis drove, SPHP was navigator, and Lupe was perched on a pile of camping gear and supplies covered with blankets and pillows.
When Lupe was a little puppy, she hated riding in the car. It made her sick. Her ears drooped at just the mention of the car. It took a long time, but Lupe had outgrown her car sickness. She finally realized riding in the car meant that something fun was about to happen. Still, SPHP wondered how she would fare on a long trip.
Lupe did great in the Honda Element! She was getting attention, and having a good time looking out the windows. Soon Lupe was in Wyoming heading W on I-90. She was going to the big mountains for the first time ever. Her first big mountain range would be the Bighorns in north central Wyoming.
At Gillette, WY, Lupe left I-90. She went N to Spotted Horse on Hwy 14/16. This was a slightly longer route than just staying on I-90, but SPHP was curious to see what was there. Spotted Horse turned out to be just a wide spot in the road. However, there was a little store. More importantly, there actually was a spotted horse!
Lanis went into the store to see what they had. Meanwhile, Lupe met a white and black dog. Lanis returned with ice cream bars, the first treat of the trip. Lupe was quite enthusiastic about this turn of events. She eagerly helped SPHP out.
By the time Lupe reached Sheridan, WY, it was getting to be time for something a little more substantial than an ice cream bar. Lanis and SPHP stopped, and got Subway sandwiches. Lupe would have her Taste of the Wild. At Dayton, WY, there was a park on the Tongue River. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP stopped at the park for a peaceful picnic along the clear running stream.
At least it started off as a peaceful picnic, but after a few minutes, there was the sound of machinery. It seemed to be coming from upstream. It got louder. In a couple of minutes, the source of the noise appeared – a front end loader came right down the middle of the stream carrying a boulder. Back and forth it went. The front end loader was busy retrieving and rearranging boulders in the Tongue River. Apparently nature had placed them in the wrong spot.
Lanis was rather amazed and amused by the front end loader charging up and down through the river. Somehow it just didn’t seem right. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went farther downstream to escape the noise, but the clear running river wasn’t clear any more, at least not during the picnic.
From Dayton, Lupe headed up into the Bighorn Mountains on Hwy 14. SPHP suggested going to Dead Swede campground, which is situated in a beautiful location on the Tongue River. At Dead Swede, Lupe and SPHP stayed at a campsite to claim it, while Lanis went to get a registration slip. Campground hosts came by patrolling on an ATV. They saw Lupe and SPHP standing at the empty campsite.
Right away they stopped and launched into a speech about how Lupe couldn’t be off leash, we had to pay within 30 minutes, we couldn’t do this and couldn’t do that. We had to do this and had to do that. The campground hosts claimed to be here to help us enjoy OUR national forest and wilderness experience. Then they left.
Yeah, right! SPHP has no use for Washington bureaucrats, and certainly doesn’t need them to enjoy a “wilderness” experience. Lanis was back within a few minutes with the registration slip. SPHP told him to forget it – Lupe was leaving!
Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went on to check out the Giant Mushroom area. There were some nice views from up on a ridge there to the SE toward Cloud Peak (13,167 ft.), the highest mountain in the Bighorns. There were interesting dolomite rock formations, including the Giant Mushroom. Lupe had fun exploring. The ground was pretty lumpy for camping, though. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went on to Shell Creek campground.
SPHP had a chat with the campground hosts at Shell Creek. They were pretty cool and laid back. They didn’t care too much what happened, as long as no one complained and everyone acted responsibly. That was fine. Lanis and Lupe also approved of Shell Creek campground, which was in a beautiful spot in the upper end of Shell Canyon.
So Lanis and SPHP reserved site No. 11. Like all the other sites, it was right next to Shell Creek. Lanis and SPHP set up the tent, or Lupe’s “tiny house”. Lupe, Lanis, and SPHP all went for a walk along Shell Creek. For the first time ever, Lupe saw a moose. The moose had a calf. Mama and baby were down along the creek getting a drink. They soon sauntered off into the woods.
Back at the campsite, Lanis and SPHP made a late dinner. Lupe had some Alpo. By the time dinner was done and cleaned up, it was 10:00 PM. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP all piled into the tent. Lupe was pretty excited. She was going to spend the night out here?! This was new and different. It took her a while to settle down. She finally fell asleep to the soothing sound of the rushing waters of Shell Creek.
Now and then as she dreamed, she still twitched in excitement.
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