In a quest to see the nation’s great sites and see another National Monument, we travelled from the Black Hills to Devil’s Tower in the middle of Wyoming.
Indian legend has it that six girls were out picking flowers when they were chased by a pack of bears. Spirits lifted the girls to the top of the tower, leading them to safety. A bear, attempting to get the girls, clawed its way up the mountain leaving behind the “claw marks’ in the tower.
We milled around the base of the tower and took a few pictures to wait out the drizzle in the area. There is usually rock climbers climbing the monument, but not the day we visited. Some of the rock climbing was closed due to falcons nesting in the area.
Once the weather “cleared”, Ryan and the girls walked the path around the base of the tower while I attended to the dog. At the furtherest away point on the trail, Mother Nature reared her ugly head and produced some significant rain, and a bit of hail.
It was a beautiful monument, with great historical significance to the Native Americans. Most definitively worth the drive, the incredibly LONG line to get in, and the parking issues. Note to anyone that wants to go - parking stinks. Another suggestion box item for the National Park System to look into.
The rain and hail were just the first indicator of what the day had in store for us. We traveled down the road, almost to our next stop in Buffalo, Wyoming. With just 16 miles left to go, we heard a big “POP” noise. Next thing you know, this happened…
With a flat tire and no spare tire to be found, Roadside Assistance was called and a tow truck took us in to Buffalo.
Talk about a clown car, the girls, the dog and I were all shoved in the back seat of the tow truck with Ryan in the front. Tight fit, might split situation.
After the tow and a quick and easy tire fix, we were well on our way again. And for those worried about the spare tire situation, one has now been located in our vehicle. It was hidden quite well. Sneaky Buick, your driver’s manual is not very clear.
Next up, the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming…
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