Pompeys Pillar is a huge sandstone formation where William Clark carved his name and the date (1806) as the expedition paddled down the Yellowstone River. It is the only physical evidence that the Lewis and Clark group was in this area. Clark named the pillar after Sacagawea's son, Jon Baptiste, whom he called "Pomp." Clark mentions in his journals that the mosquitoes were so bad they had to move camp downstream and that when he went hunting he could not see clearly to aim his gun because the bugs made such a cloud!
Oh my goodness, did we get in a "pickle" getting there! Roger put "Pompeys Pillar" in the GPS and it took us to the small village of Pompeys Pillar not the National Monument - if we had read our AAA guide we would have known to get off at Exit 23 and drive into the parking lot! But......we took a circuitous route down a narrow, winding, dirt road for about 3 miles - a huge cloud of dust billowing behind us! Imagine if any farmers saw us they were thinking " dumb ass Texans!" You can not imagine the thick layer of dirt on the car and bikes!
The "jack saga" continues: When we got ready to drive out of the parking lot at the national monument the right front jack dropped down! Roger was able to "tie" it up and then disengage the computer system so they will all stay up until we can get them fixed. He suspects it is the computer board that needs to be replaced but now we also have one with a "sheared pin." They are still under warranty so we have to go to an Atwood repair station. The one in Billings didn't have an opening until August 11th! The one in Great Falls can fit us in August 9th and the one in Kalispell gave us an appointment for August 15th! Obviously, this is their busy season and no one has sympathy for travelers with emergencies. We are hoping we can level the motorhome the old fashioned way until we can get them fixed. We prefer the last appointment because there is a lot to see and do in that area - afraid we will have to wait for a diagnosis and then parts. We realize the situation could be a lot worse and are determined not to let it ruin our trip!
Samantha called on SKYPE last night to tell us she climbed 10 metres up the inside rock wall! "Way more than any of the boys!" She's a little Spiderwoman! Heather said the guy at the gym said "she's a natural!"
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
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