THE FINAL WEEKS

THE LAST MONTH OF OUR JOURNEY TOOK US INTO THE MORMON COUNTRY OF NORTHERN UTAH,ACROSS NEVADA THEN UP THROUGH THE VOLCANOES OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,OREGON AND WASHINGTON THEN BACK UP INTO MID BRITISH COLUMBIA BEFORE OUR PREMATURE ENDING.
HERE IS ONE OF THE PARALLEL MOUNTAIN PASSES THAT CUT THROUGH THE WASATCH MOUNTAINS TO THE BASIN OF SALT LAKE.THIS WAS THE VIEW THE MORMON PILGRIMS HAD WHEN DISCOVERING THEIR ZION.

THE BASIN IS INCREDIBLY RICH IN MINERALS. THIS IS THE BRIGHAM MINE THE LARGEST COPPER MINE IN THE WORLD.

THE SCLAE DEFIES THE SIZE OF THE DUMP TRUCKS THAT CARRY 200TONNES OF ORE.

SALT LAKE CITY SUBURBS CLUTER OF HOUSES AROUND A MORMON CHURCH.

SALT LAKE CITY CAPITOL.

MONUMENTS IN GROUNDS TELL THE STORY OF THE MORMON HISTORY.

BRIGHAM YOUNGS HOUSES.FULLY RESTORED AND ADDED TO AS HE ADDED FIRTHER WIVES!!

SALT LAKE CITY TABERNACLE.

WHERE THE MORMON CHOIR PERFORM.

THE HAND MADE ORGAN MADE BY MORMON CRAFTSMEN FROM DRAWINGS.

TABERNACLE MODEL.NON MORMONS CANNOT ENTER.

THE GREAT BASIN IN NEVADA. WE WERE HERE WHEN WE FIRST HEARD OF THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE ON THE VAN RADIO.

GREAT MOUNTAIN WALKS AT 10,000 FT.

VIEWS OF THE OLD MINING TOWN OF VIRGINIA CITY NEAR LAKE TAHOE ON MEMORIAL DAY.REAL AMERICANA WITH PEOPLE DRESSING UP IN PERIOD COSTUMES AND A LOT OF STREET THATRE FUN.REENACTMENTS OF GUNFIGHTS,CIVIL WAR BATTLES. THE US LOVE THEIR PARADES AND CELEBRATING THEIR HERITAGE.WE HAVE ENJOYED SIMILAR ACTIVITIES ALL OVER THE AMERICAS.

A FEW SHOTS OF THE VOLCANIC WONDERLAND OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON CLOUD COVERED LASSEN PEAK. ERUPTION SENT A CASCADE OF HOT ROCKS OVER THREE MILES FLATTENING THE FOREST FOR MILES AROUND.

NEWBERRY VOLCANO OBSIDIAN FIELD HERE A BOUNDARY BETWEEN OBSIDIAN AND BLACK PUMICE.

CAMP NEAR MT HOOD.

MT ST HELENS FROM THE EASTERN SIDE.

CRATER LAKE.

LASSEN PEAK HOT ROCK

THE FINAL HUMILIATION.OUR LAST FREEDOM CAMP NEAR WESTBANK 200 KMS FROM VANCOUVER OUR FINAL DESTINATION.ROCINANTE CAUGHT WITH HIS TRANSMISSION DOWN!!

AMBULANCE ARRIVES.

ARRIVING AT CAMPERVAN HOSPITAL.

PETE AND DIANNE THE PROUD NEW OWNERS OF ROCINANTE.

OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBOUR WHO BECAME THE UNEXPECTED RECIPIENT OF BOOZE,FOOD AND NUMEROUS ITEMS WE COULDN'T TAKE ON A BUS TO VANCOUVER.HIS TEARFUL GRATITUDE WAS ONE OF MY TRIP HIGHLIGHTS.

IT COMES DOWN TO THIS.

ON THE FINAL ROAD HOME!! FAREWELL AND BACK TO REALITY!!

A COUPLE OF ODDITIES PART 2

NOW TO SITTING BULL. HE WAS BORN AT GRAND RAPIDS NEAR THE MISSOURI. WHEN HE WAS KILLED A MAGNIFICENT LOCATION OVERLOOKING THE MISSOURI WAS CHOSEN THIS IS SB GRAVE SITE. SACAGEWA LEWIS AND CLARKS INTERPRETER IS BURIED NEAR HERE AS WELL.

WELL THEN ON MY MAP I SEE SB BURIAL SITE AT STANDING ROSK WHERE HE WAS KILLED.

SURE ENOUGH THIS IS SB BURIAL HISTORIC SITE. EVIDENTLY RELATIVES EXHUMED ALL OR SOME IN 1952 AND BURIED HIM HERE. HOW BIZARRE!!

A COUPLE OF ODDITIES PART 1

WHAT HAVE THESE TWO PROMINENT FIGURES OF WESTERN HISTORY GOT IN COMMON?I FIND STORIES LIKE THIS FASCINATING.WELL TO START WITH BUFFALO BILL EMPLOYED SITTING BULL IN HIS TRAVELLING WILD WEST SHOW BEFORE HE RETURNED TO HIS ROOTS AND WAS SHOT BY INDIAN POLICE WHILST RESISTING ARREST.THE STORY INVOLVES THEIR REMAINS.

TO START WITH BILL CODY EARNED HIS REPUTUTATION AS A HUNTER OF BISON TO FEED CAVALRY SOLDIERS.IN SCIENTIFIC NOMENCLATURE NORTH AMERICAN BOVIIDS ARE BISON AND AFRICAN AND ASIAN BOVIIDS ARE BUFFALOES BUT BISON BILL DOESN'T WORK!!

BB LIVED WHEN NOT TOURING IN A TOWN HE COFOUNDED CODY NEAR YS IN WYOMING. BUT WHEN HE DIED HE ASKED TO BE BURIED ON LOOKOUT HILL OVERLOOKING GOLDEN AND DENVER A GREAT SPOT WHERE HE COULD WATCH THE BUFFALO ROAM.(EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ALL GONE BY THEN).hIS ADOPTED SON AND ESTRANGED WIFE ARANGED FOR THIS. BUT A PERSISTENT FACTION OF CODITES TRIED TO DIG BB UP AND TAKE TO CODY TO REST. THIS WAS EVENTUALLY SOLVED BY COVERING HIS REMAINS IN CONCRETE. JUMP FORWARD TO A FEW YEARS AGO. BLACKY THE 82 YEAR OLD WE MET HOT POTTING IN YS PARK WAS ONE OF A DELEGATION OF CODY OFFICAILS WHO WITH INDIAN ELDERS WENT TO THE GRAVE AND IN A CEREMONY TOOK AWAY HIS SPIRIT AND IT NOW RESIDES IN CODY!!

LOOKOUT HILL FROM BB'S GRAVE