Sunday, June 9, 2013

Clear Creek and Bud Love


On Friday, we didn't do much.  We finally got the tracking number to confirm that we have a new satellite system being delivered to us on Wednesday.  I figured out how to check out a book online through the Davidson County Public LIbrary and got Chuck's Ipad set up for that.  We walked our 10,000 steps to downtown Buffalo and back.  And we had a delicious Mexican dinner at the Clear Creek Cantina in downtown Buffalo. 

On Saturday, we decided it was time to get out and do some touring around again.  We got on our bikes and rode to the Clear Creek Trail in Buffalo. 

 
The Clear Creek recreational trail runs by Clear Creek.  Clear Creek runs down from the Big Horn Mountains into Buffalo, Wyoming.

 
Part of the trail runs right through downtown Buffalo and some recreational parks.  We had to follow these painted hoof prints...

 
to guide us on the trail.

 
We saw this family fishing at the creek.

 
It was a packed, gravel trail with just a few hills, although it was primarily an uphill ride on the way towards the mountains which meant a primarily downhill ride back!  :)





There was a short side trail that took us to a bridge going over Clear Creek.

 
The creek was not as clear as I would have expected CLEAR Creek to be but it may have been more dingy because of recent rains.

 
When we approached where the trail crossed onto the Veteran's Home property, there was a fence and a sign saying that bicycling, hiking, fishing, and archery hunting (in season) were permitted but NO DOGS. 

 
However, the zig-zag gate you had to go through to continue on the trail was so narrow that Chuck had to lift the bikes over the fence.

 
As we continued down the trail on the Veteran's Home property, we realized we were riding through a cattle range...

 
...but also saw some pronghorn and deer.

 
Chuck noticed a bull within 12 feet off the trail down towards the creek and hoped the red shirt he was wearing wouldn't attract him.  (It didn't.)

We rode almost all the way to the Veteran's Home...

 
 and stopped to get rest a couple of minutes.  (It was kind of windy.  Can you tell from my hair?)

 
On the ride back, we stopped and walked down to Clear Creek.  As expected, it was very, very cold.

 
As we continued back down the trail, we saw a turkey.  Chuck called out to the turkey and the turkey "gobbled" back.

 
We saw several deer on the ride back also.

 
We came across that same family fishing.  They had moved up the creek.  We watched them for awhile hoping to see them catch a fish but no luck while we were there. 

 
When we got back to the recreational parks, we saw some men playing horseshoes.

 
We stopped to watch them and Chuck was invited to pitch a few.



It took a Chuck a little while to get his range, but he did get at least one ringer.

 
I thought Chuck pitched very well for not having played in years.  The gentleman he was pitching with told us that he and the others at the horseshoe pitching area were there for a horseshoe tournament.  In fact, he travels to horseshoe tournaments all over the United States.  The gentleman was very good getting a ringer almost every time he pitched.  He was a 60% to 70% ringer meaning he gets 6 to 7 ringers out of every 10 pitches.

After we got back to the motorhome, we ate some lunch, read a little bit, and took a nap.  :)

Later that evening, we decided to drive the "Bud Love Wildlife Management Scenic Drive" that I had seen in the tour guide for Buffalo.  The drive starts out on paved roads taking you further out into the country...

 
...where we saw many ranches...

 
...and farms.



As with all of Wyoming we have seen so far, the scenery was beautiful...





...and the pronghorn antelope were abundant.




After about 7 miles, the road turned to gravel and stayed gravel for the next 15 or so miles.

 
We finally had reached the Bud Love Wildlife Management Area.  The wildlife management area had these tall  fences all along the side of the road.

 
The funny thing was we didn't see any wildlife in the Bud Love Wildlife Management Area.  They were all across the street.  I guess those tall fences kept all the wildlife out.



After passing by the Bud Love Wildlife Management Area, we drove through several cattle ranches.  I can see why the cattle don't cross these cattle grates!

 
Can you imagine living out here like these ranchers and farmers do?  Isn't it beautiful?



This older ranch had an old cellar built into the ground.

 
This might be a safe place in case of a tornado!

 
We also passed by what I am fairly sure was an old abandoned schoolhouse but there were not any houses nearby. 

 
The kids who attended this school years ago probably did walk several miles to and from school "uphill, both ways, barefoot, and in the  snow."  :)

 
We have been amazed at the amount of wildlife we have seen since being in Wyoming... particularly pronghorn.




We saw a lot of pronghorn and deer all along this "wildlife" drive...



...except in the Bud Love Wildlife Management area. 
Back at the camper, Chuck grilled some barbecue pork steaks while I fixed corn-on-the-cob, baked beans, and a salad.  They were GOO-OOOD.  :)
 

 

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