Battle Of Little Big Horn
Trip Start
May 05, 2009
1
31
39
Trip End
Jun 26, 2009
Where I stayed
Gillette, Wyoming
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The day started off as normal with me trying to out run the storm system that hit me yesterday. The site for the battle is just off the highway so very easy to get to. There is the original cemetery of the fallen soldiers and memorial stone. Now in addition there is also a 'new' memorial to the indians who fell in the battle (from both sides). The Indian memorial looks like a burial mound from the outside with the centre taken out and pathways cut in so you can get to it. Walking into it it felt 'sacred' - I later found out that there are prayers said there by the Indians June 5th each year for World Peace. There is a beautiful wire sculpture (see picture) overlooking where the indians attacked the hill from.
There is a small museum run by the National Park Service which showed artifacts and pictures of the people who fought in the battle. There was an hour long bus tour of the battle sites (2) for a cost and talks given by Rangers. While I listened to a talk I could not spare any more time because of the storm system coming in.
I almost did it again today - ran out of gas that is. The sign said 'Next services (gas etc) 36 miles' looking at my tank I knew I had enough gas to do that and more. When I got to the place that should have had the gas station all that there was was a sign advertising a Truck Stop that had been demolished years ago. Taking out my trusty GPS I looked up gas stations and found I was exactly half way between the last gas stations and the gas stations ahead of me. Fortunately I had just enough gas to go either way so I went ahead. I got to the gas station with out any problems and also on that turnoff was the motel I planned on staying at - lucky me !!
