Our high hopes today for a thorough exploration of the badlands was foiled by the rain. At first, we thought we were in luck since the temperatures are on the cooler side (nice in a place known for extreme heat and no shade), but as the rain drops began to fall on the entirely clay landscape, we knew things were going sideways. If anyone has taken a pottery class, you know that when clay gets wet, it gets very, very slippery. We were able to enjoy Notch Trail and its cool log ladder but as our longer hike planned for Castle Trail turned into a slippery, sliding mud puddle, we had to turn back.
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| Good morning badlands! |
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| I found a fossil! |
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| We left it where we found it. |
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| We are in a mud puddle. |
After a complete clothes change, we headed off in the pouring rain to learn about the role of Minuteman missiles in the Cold War. After reading the incredibly interesting 2024 book Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen, I knew there were hundreds of nuclear missiles stored in giant underground silos on farms and ranches across the Midwest. I never thought we would actually visit one (now decommissioned). The nuclear arms race with Russia is a crazy thing and it gives me the shivers to think that there are still 400 active nuclear missiles laying in wait under many of the places we have been driving through. It is particularly interesting that part of the deterrence plan is for people to know where the missiles are - they are inconspicuous but by no means hidden, visible on satellite images and the map below of Wyoming/Colorado/Nebraska, North Dakota, and Montana. Given Canada’s store of zero atomic weapons, this defence strategy is a significant divergence between the two otherwise pretty similar countries.
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| US officials cutting a celebratory mushroom cloud cake. This is nuts (or I guess, cake). |
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| Given the massive destructive power of one nuclear missile, it is insane to me that so many exist. |
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| Historical locations of missiles in this now decommissioned site. |
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| Red is active nuclear missiles currently stored in underground siloes on farms and ranges across the Midwest. |
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The actual missile in a massive silo underground. The nuclear warhead has been removed and the rocket thrusters.
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Lunchtime was the winning event of this cold and raining morning with a visit to the Pizza Ranch, a Christian-based Midwestern chain restaurant, specializing in fried chicken and cactus bread (dessert pizza). We tried the Sunday lunch buffet and it was easily the boys’ and Ian’s favourite stop of the day.
We left with full bellies, entered Wyoming (again) and headed to our final adventure of the day, Devils Tower National Monument. I enjoyed this stop even more seeing it for the second time. The size of the rock and absolutely huge granite columns are incredible. We walked around the base to see all the sides and even spotted some rock climbers on their journey. This is such a cool place.
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| A prayer cloth tied as a flower. |
In the early evening we drove towards Shoshone National Forest. We have rented a rangers cabin there but with some winter weather looming (high winds and wet snow predicted for tonight) we will need to be flexible since we need to cross the Bighorn Mountain range to get there. We are spending the night in Billings, WY and will reassess the weather in the morning to determine the safest plan and route. It is chilly here - about zero degrees Celsius. We are wrapped up tight under lots of warm blankets as we bed down.
