Road Trip Across America, Part 4 -- Forever Western Wyoming

Continuing our roadtrip with our three rescued dogs — Shadow, Toby, and Jessie — in a motorhome across ten states in nine days as we moved from East Tennessee to Washington state, today we're traveling through Wyoming. Where, although it was mid-May, I was the coldest I've ever been! And it's not as if I haven't lived in snow, which this photo of Sweetie shoveling the white stuff at our Arizona mountain cabin on an Easter weekend proves. Just click on the photos to view them full-size.

Wyoming's welcome sign may have been my favorite along the way.


We're off to Laramie, where I hoped to see cowboys like the ones on the welcome sign.


No cowboys, yet (actually, there seemed to be hardly anyone in the state!) but there were cows.


Sorry, Texas, but Wyoming may claim the Stetson for wide open spaces!


During the climb into the mountains, we began to see a lot of rock formations like this one.


As we pulled into a rest stop at 8,835 feet elevation in the Laramie Mountains, which are on the eastern edge of the Rockies, we hoped it wasn't as cold and windy outside as it looked.


This photo doesn't begin to do justice to the sound of the howling, breath-stealing wind that was blowing icy snow sideways or the noisy flap of the flags.


Did I mention it was really, really cold? Fortunately, I had a dog wrangler traveling with me to help speed things up.


This ginormous statue overlooking the Lincoln Highway was created in 1959 by the Wyoming State Parks Commission and the sculptor Robert I. Russin, a University of Wyoming art professor, to honor the sesquicentennial of Lincoln’s birth. The bronze head is 13.5 feet tall and weighs over two tons; ten tons of clay were used to cast the thirty pieces that were bolted together. The shoulders of the thirty-five-foot tall granite pedestal are intentionally small in comparison to the head, to suggest the huge amount of weight Lincoln was carrying on his shoulders during his presidency. When Russin died in 2007, his ashes were interred inside that hollow base.

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The monument is a reminder of Lincoln’s Second Annual Message to the Senate and House of Representatives on December 1, 1862 detailing his plan for the remunerative emancipation of slaves:
"We can only succeed by concert. It is not 'Can any of us imagine better?' but 'Can we all do better?' Object whatsoever is possible, still the question recurs, “Can we do better?' The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country."


The purple heart medal was originated by General George Washington in 1782 for distinguished valor and is awarded only to members of the armed forces of the United States who've been wounded in combat against an armed enemy. There are various plaques throughout America (and even around the world), and given that the medal represents one of the highest sacrifices military men and women can make for their country, it's only appropriate that this plaque is located at the highest point on Interstate 80, which crosses the country from New York to San Francisco.


There are so many rocks in Wyoming, they even used them for the walls of the restroom stalls.


This may have been the loneliest road we were on the entire nine days.


According to the 2010 census, while the United States averages 87.3 people per square mile, Wyoming only has 5.8. These folks are definitely using up more than their share!


This may be the most lonesome tree in Wyoming.


Here's the motorhome, aka DogMobile, we bought for our adventure. Because of a big slideout, it's roomier than it looks, but it was also a good thing that we all like each other.


Since it was icy cold and windy, the dogs had the smart idea about what to do as we settled into a campground for the night.



This weather rock wasn't wet, moving, or white the next morning as we left Wyoming for Utah. But it sure was cold!



Next week, we're in Utah, which won for most spectacular mountain scenery. Also, check back this Friday, because I have a fun video I promise will make you laugh out loud.