Roaming The USA: July 17 - July 24 - To Montana to visit Pompeys Piller, Custers Last Stand and Yellowstone National Park

OUR FIRST STOP - POMPEYS PILLAR

Pompeys Pillar was named after Sacagawea's son (or "Sakakawea" depending on which Indian Tribe language being used). The pillar stands 150 feet high. They have built a stairway to the top of it. Dennis and I climbed the stairs to the top in 2005...and what a sight it is. You can see for miles and miles. Clark scaled the pillar on July 25, 1806. He signed his name and date on the side- see picture below-. This is the only remaining physical evidence found along the route that was followed by the expedition. From the top, William Clark could see the mountains in a distance for the first time.

Ronnie and Karen

They incorporated the symbolization of the Missouri River both outside on the sidewalks and inside with the tiles.

The Indians would steal their horses so they would kill a buffalo and make these "tubs" to float down the river until they could get some more horses.

HEADING TO CUSTER'S LAST STAND AT THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIGHORN (1876)NEAR HARDIN, MONTANA

In Hardin, MT campground. The smoke from the forest fires in Oregon and western Idaho was making everything look foggy. Even the sun turned pink

National cemetery at Custer's Last Stand

The monument and graves stones where soldiers fell on that fateful day. It covers over 5 miles but this is where Custer actually fell.

Inside the Museum at Custer's Last Stand

Sitting Bull

Like the reflection of me taking pictures in the museum? LOL

Waiting for the movie to start. We were overlooking the valley next to Custer's Battle

North Dakota and South Dakota were the Dakota Territory

Myron and Karen waiting outside the visitors center

The Memorial

The stone towards the center with the black emblem on it, is where Custer actually fell during the battle. When we visited in 2010, they had brown granite stones where the Indians fell. We could not find any this time. We wanted to go in and ask why they were not there any longer but due to traffic and no parking spaces, we didn't go back into the museum to ask.

The Indian Memorial

Even a memorial for the cavalry horses that died. No soldiers and only 1 horse in the 7th cavalry survived that day and that was a horse named Comanche, who had been ridden by Caption Miles Keogh. Comanche was found by a pond with several wounds. He was taken to Fort Meade near the Black Hills, and assigned to a soldier to care for him until his death. He participated in every parade but was never ridden again. After his death, he was taken to a taxidermy and he is now in a museum at Fort Riley, Kansas

The site goes on for about 5 miles. We actually go through a ranch to reach the final battle ground. Below are pictures along the way. You will notice head stones scattered here and there. I didn't take pictures of all of them. Just took a sampling. Custer split his soldiers up into smaller groups and each were attacked at different locations.

Some of the horses on the ranch

More headstones

We stopped across the way from Custer's Last Stand to eat lunch. We all had the Indian Tacos, which were very good.

Crazy Horse

HEADING TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
(South Loop)

The views in Yellowstone are stunning! Recommend everyone should drive through here sometime during their lifetime, especially the northern part. The landscape changes continually so you never get bored. The pictures do not capture the height or depth. Much more beautiful in person. Only disappointment was that we did not see a lot of animals. The guys spotted an Eagle sitting on a tree top, we seen buffalo and elk but not much else.

Love the clear water streams.

The water was so clear it was aqua. Absolutely beautiful. They say the water is about 700 degrees. In other words, don't stick your foot or hand in it!