Bighorn National Forest

Transcription

This entire trip for us was a trip of discovery exploration finding out all the new things because to be totally honest before departing British Columbia for Florida The only thing I did is I looked on Google maps and that pop plotted out a course. I wanted to make sure that we go through Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, South Dakota Joplin, Missouri and then head down into Orlando, Florida. But I didn’t do any research about all these destinations and states and areas would be going through. It just wasn't part of my vocabulary for whatever reason- I can't explain it. But that to me was one of the best parts of the trip because if i had come totally equip-knowing everything then the wonder of what we saw would have been lost to an extent. and it was wondrous. I had little knowledgeable about what Wyoming was like. Aside of having seen a few westerns and having seen it is some movies about fly-fishing on rivers or whatever. I didn’t know about Wyoming And so we drop into Wyoming from Yellowstone National Park - Up at seven eight thousand whatever feet elevation with snow. We go through the red rocks and now that we're leaving Wyoming we’re climbing higher and higher up into the mountains and for me again, this was all Discovery, exploration and there’s a little story about that When I was younger I had a lot of different jobs. I’ve worked in stores and there was one time when I was working in a department store as a sales associate or whatever And I was thinking to myself man this life is really boring. I mean how much worse can it get. I felt like Al Bundy in ‘Married with children’ episodes when he was a shoe salesman and I was thinking to myself “You know if this was back in the western Days, I’d be the guy that would be looking after the store. I wouldn't be the cowboy or riding the range or I wouldn't be a gunfighter or somebody you know exploring, doing all these things I’d be that boring person in a store. So now here we are Cindy & I out Discovering, exploring - seeing things that you just - wouldn't believe it We’re going to up into the mountains of Wyoming. Higher and higher and suddenly we come across these unbelievable tracks of forest that are dying! They are dying. Now, we have seen this in British Columbia - pine beetles - They have killed virtually untold thousands and tens and hundreds of thousands of forest, but now we're finding it in Wyoming It’s sad. For me the reason it's sad is that I realized that all of these trees; the brown ones you see are dead. And virtually any lightening strike, anytime, could ignite a forest fire that is unimaginable And when a forest fires rage it doesn't just kill or burn up the dead trees, but everything in its way. That includes animals and nature. It’s a devastating thing But among all this devastation with the dead pine trees, there still is so much beauty It’s ike alpine meadows, green. this was July I think maybe second or third There’s green alpine meadows, there's yellow flowers, purple flowers, all sorts of different things We didn't see any bighorn sheep which apparently there are lots around this area or elk But still the natural beauty is just something that you really have to go and experience (music) That’s where we came from and up here the wind is blowing. Obviously you can hear that on the microphone. I don’t have a wind sock on it. We’re leaving that wild I don’t even know how to describe it. Wild west kind of terrain And we’re entering up into alpine country and wild flowers are blooming birds are singing The air is cooler and snow patch are starting to appear above us. Absolutely stunning, I never would have thought of this for Wyoming But the damage caused by the beetles in the mountains is unbelievable. It’s sad. If people have a chanceto come out & view this come out & experience this, do it because basically one good lightening strike up there and the whole mountain is going to be burned off It’s really amazing to think that you're still climbing higher and higher and this is just so beautiful all around with the wildflowers But I’ve got to tell you. If you're planning a trip here. First of all, there’s lots of campgrounds bring your Trailer, camper or RV. We saw a lot of RV’s pulling vehicles. So the climb rate is still pretty gradual. But you should have your vehicle in really good working condition because There are not service stations to be found all over the place. It’s really isolated. you can get up here and not see a community literally for an hour or longer. It’s just such a beautiful place to get away the sky, the air is clear. It’s clean. It’s cold even in July because there’s snow And the rate of clime is so gradual that you really don't realize how high you have come Until you see a sign by the road. Granite Pass, 9033 feet. We’re over 9000 feet of elevation. That’s even higher than yesterday. It’s spectacularly beautiful and for Cindy & myself or speaking for myself the next time we fly it's it's going to take a new meaning when we are starting to climb with the airplane because many airplanes have these little TV screens in the back of the seats and you can see the elevation after the airplane takes off - three thousand, four thousand, five thousand feet But this is nine thousand feet height. Nine thousand thirty three feet. And there’s this giant plateau & you can still see mountains in the distance climbing higher. But you're on this huge plateau traveling along. The road is phenomenal. I’m able to film relatively stable because the vehicle isn't going through rough patches potholes or frosty heaves. It is absolutely stunning! For all intents and purposes this looks like a little highway with Forest on either side And hills The only thing is, is that were at an elevation Of just over nine thousand feet. And I pulled up my window because it’s cool. This is like no mountain top I’ve ever been on. It’s so deceptive. It’s seems like a big flat area. Some said it’s a plateau but . . .it’s so deceptive. It’s beautiful. (instrumental music) We’ve been looking for elk, but we haven’t seen any yet. 9000 feet on top of a mountain! Unreal!