Cody to Rapid City South Dakota

Leaving Cody at around 8 am, I was the only car left in the previously full motel parking lot...  I guess the others wanted to see the sunrise.

Cody is east of Yellowstone National Park, and is at a much lower altitude, my guess is around 4000 feet.  My first big surprise of the day was to spot these old aircraft sitting in a field that's part of an airport [but there were no aircraft capable of flying in sight].  It's all about some commerce initiative to create higher paying jobs locally, compliments of GW Bush.  There were many new hangars, and a lot of construction which I assumed was for a runway.  There seems to be a lot going on, but no one to speak to.  I managed to make this photo through a camera-friendly fence, and I like the old planes against the canyon-like background.

These planes were on what I would call a high mesa or a high plateau; it's not really flat but it's a lot flatter than the huge mountains that surround the area.  As I left this plateau, the hills got steeper and I thought you might enjoy the next picture. Please note the semi in the very middle of the photograph with its pup trailer.  Look hard, I'm sure it's still there!  This truck combination is nearing the end of a 6% hill that's been going on for about 6 miles!  I'm about to start going up...

As I get closer to the Powder River Pass [altitude of 9666 feet] I started seeing snow in the fields.  It was only 2C.

After joining the Interstate 90 and making good time, I ended up taking the picture below.  Anybody this close has to go and make a picture, no?

This historic site has been exploited as much as it can: $10 to park the car with no other spots where you can snap a good picture.  There's a Banff-like village nearby that had a 6'6" cowboy snapping a whip at passing cars as he was walking down the center of the street.  Get the picture?  I got the picture and got outta town...

I drove back to Rapid City and found a Ruby Tuesday's near a good [and quiet] motel; doesn't get much better!  Even got 'randomly selected' to complete an Internet survey which will give me $4 off my next restaurant bill.  I guess it just did get better!

Got to go do the survey.  Bye for now.