The location of Sinks Canyon State Park is about 6 miles southwest of Lander, Wyoming. The Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River flows through the park. (you'll never guess how to pronounce the name of that river). The Popo Agie River flows into a limestone cavern (the "sinks") and then re-emerges 1/4 mile down the road at what is called the "rise". The strange thing is that it takes this powerful river TWO HOURS to travel 1/4 mile. Geologists don't know the exact route of the underground passage the water takes, but they used dye tests to determine the amount of time it takes the water to travel the short distance. And another interesting thing is that more water rises at the Rise than actually flows into the Sink.
The additional interesting thing is that at the 'rise' there are schools of trout that just hang out there. Of course, having a machine that dispenses fish food for 25 cents probably helps that, but they were hanging out there before the fish food was being tossed over the railing. They get huge too! THAT may be due to the fish food. The gathering of huge trout interested me, so I had to take a ride to go see these things.
Unfortunately, the ride from Dubois, Wyoming (where I spent about a month fishing, camping, riding, thinking, re-evaluating life, decompressing) to Lander and Sinks Canyon was not the most exciting ride. But..... even without twisties, it still beats Houston heat and boring city roads. So here we go:
This is Dubois, Wyoming (my favorite place in the west) Population.... maybe 980?? I can't remember.
And this is where I stayed when I wanted a shower and a real bed for a couple of nights instead of camping. However, the owner and I became such good friends that she gave me a rate I could not refuse for the last week of my stay, so I ended up staying here a total of 11 nights out of the month. This is the Branding Iron Inn in Dubois.
When I woke for my 80 mile ride to Sinks Canyon, the temperature was only 43. That's kind of cold for this south coast of Texas flatlander, so I waited till it got above 53 degrees. Still.... I wore all my gear, plus thermals, and a wind blocking jacket under my riding jacket. I'm such a wimp!
My Route: (nothing very exciting until you get past the Sinks)
Through Dubois, south past the Badlands and on to Crowheart in Indian territory first (Shoshone/Arapahoe Reservation)
(The geography in this area is really so diverse, it always amazes me)
On the reservation:
And then I came to Crowheart Butte:
It Says: In March 1866, a battle was fought in this vicinity between Shoshone and Bannock Indians on one side and Crow Indians on the other.
The contest was waged for the supremacy of hunting grounds in the Wind River basin. Crowheart Butte was so named because the victorious Washakie, Chief of the Shoshones displayed a Crow Indian's heart on his lance at the war dance after the battle. The major portion of the battle was fought near Black Mountain several miles to the north.
Washakie in his youth and middle age was a very mighty warrior. He was a wise chief and friendly to the white people. No white man's scalp hung in this chief's teepee.
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