440 Ranch Wyoming

WYOMING: Wide open spaces. Pretty much 200 miles through this terrain.

Today's Travel: Red Lodge MT to Shoshoni WY= 195 miles
TRIP TOTAL: 3,458 miles
     Although only about 200 miles, this leg of the trip was through some of the most remote and isolated territory. We rarely saw another car for most of the trip.

Bighorn River

     As we approached Shoshoni, we went through a place of rugged beauty, the Wind River Canyon.

Wind River Canyon.

     Finally, we made it to our ultimate destination: the 440 Ranch, located in the Path of Totality.

We made it! Road to the ranch was pretty dusty.

     The ranch is owned by Kate's brother's wife's sister (got that?). Kathleen O'Leary and her business partner were operating a kind of "Air B 'n B" for folks wanting to see the total eclipse, so there was a small tent village and sprinkling of RV's near the ranch house. Kate was considered family, and Jesse and I were part of the friends & family group with access to the Ranch House.
     We arrived a few hours before the evening meal served from the food truck. Here are some scenes so you can get an idea of what the ranch was like. By the way, the 2 pies survived 2 days of travel perfectly intact, but were demolished soon after arrival.

Kate's brother Patrick. Everyone had to try some of both pies.

Patrick's wife Wendy on the left, and Kathleen on the right (the ranch owner). Good peoples! Kate & I met Kathleen on our first trip back in 1984.

Two views of the chuck wagon and eating area. I think there must have been at least 30 people, maybe 40, with both family/ friends and renters.

The tent village behind the picnic tables. RV's in another location. The group was quite eclectic-- from a couple from Zimbawe who had seen other eclipse events, to folks who were from the area like Patrick & Wendy who drove up from Laramie WY (not in the Path of Totality). 

440 cattle just to east of the ranch house.

Chickens to the west, in the shade of a small group of trees.

The ranch dog. What's all the fuss?

Jesse cranks up the pop-up where he will sleep.

An amazing Wyoming sunset in the west.

     As darkness deepened, we gathered around the campfire for music. Jesse played his guitar along with two other musicians. They alternated with a man who played lively tunes on a concertina. The velvet blackness of the Wyoming sky was the perfect setting to display the blazing diamonds that were stars. It was a magical night.