Martin, SD to Lander, Wyoming

Leaving Martin, SD, we continued west on US Hwy 18, then turned south on SD Hwy 391. We passed through Pine Ridge, SD and then entered Nebraska at Whiteclay. Some might remember the TV documentary a few years back on these two towns. It involved people from Pine Ridge drinking in Whiteclay. In Whiteclay, a tiny town, we observed numerous beer trucks being unloaded, and patrons waiting for the bars to open! Continuing south on NB 87, we turned west on US Hwy 20 and passed through Ft Robinson State Park, sometimes referred to as the best state park in America, then into Wyoming. On I-25 we stopped in Casper, WY for gas and groceries. From Casper, we turned onto WY Hwy 220. We stopped along the way to take a photo of Lake Alcova and then later at Independence Rock on the Oregon Trail. Independence Rock was a significant landmark for travelers on the Oregon Trail as it marked the approximate half way point between Missouri and the Pacific Coast. It was so named because it was the goal of the travelers to reach this point by July 4 th. To do so meant that they would arrive in Oregon before the winter storms arrived. It is estimated that nearly 500,000 people passed this point between 1843 and 1869. Numerous of them carved their names in this rock. Unfortunately, time and erosion have left these marks mostly unreadable. We took a photo of one, which we could barely make out. However, there was a sign adjacent to it showing what it looked like when carved into the rock in 1904 by Ezra Meeker. Meeker at age 21 passed this way with his parents in 1852 on their way from Iowa to Oregon. It seems that at age 72, Meeker, in an attempt to draw attention to preserving the Oregon Trail, took a team of ox from Oregon to Missouri. Stopping at Independence Rock, he carved "Oregon Trail" in the rock. Photo of Meeker's original carving, and the sign. The sign shows the way the carving appeared in earlier years. Also photos of Independence Rock from a further distance, and a photo of the Oregon Trail as it passes the rock. This stop was among the most favorite for Tinsel. Here, she saw many, many rabbits. It was difficult trying to get her to move on the trail from the parking area to the rock as she was on a continuous point. She is a pointer after all! Also, a photo of Richard pointing as well. At dusk we arrived at our destination for the night, Lander, Wyoming.