Drive to Rock Springs

The entire drive along I-80 West is scenic, and as we got closer to Rock Springs, the area began to remind us of our drives in western Colorado near Grand Junction as well as parts of Utah.  The buttes varied in colors, from white to gold, with other colors layered throughout.  Wind and water have shaped the landscape, carving the buttes and exposing layers of rocks.

Millions of years ago, northwestern Wyoming, includingRock Springs and Flaming Gorge, was the bed of an ancient ocean. Fossils of fish, sea snails and other sea creatures can still be found in the area.  Most of the land is either privately owned or owned by the federal government, so unfortunately, there weren't any opportunities to dig for fossils.  

We pulled into the KOA campground late in the afternoon after a beautiful and sometimes windy drive.  Since there aren't many trees on the sagebrush plains and valleys of Wyoming, sometimes the wind just sneaks up on you without warning.   The KOA campground was located near I-80 at the foot of a couple mountains, making for a pretty view.  

Ruth was thrilled that the campground had a pool, and both kids liked the arcade.  Both kept them entertained when we weren't touring the area.  

Because it's in the high desert, it was pretty hot during the day and then got cool at night.  By our standards, it was great weather.     I broke out the gas grill for the first time and grilled chicken for dinner, and managed to keep the grill going despite the wind.  

Ruth kept offering to go get ice for the cooler, but we soon figured out it was a way to check out the ice cream selection in the camp store.  Feeling generous, she also bought ice cream sandwiches for Jeff and Henry.