Sheila was sick all night, constantly needing to go to the toilet and try to purge her body from whatever bug was in her body. We'd both had a poor nights' sleep (Michael faring much worse as the lighter sleeper, Lisette can doze through anything), to take her outside at all hours of the night as she had terrible runs.
Thank You, Crook County Veterinarian Service!
Before 8am we'd already driven to Crook County Veterinarian Service in the town of Sundance (in Wyoming, not the more famous one that had the film festival in Utah), waiting for them to open. Local folks started coming with their dogs before opening time as well. We really felt that we were in a rural setting, as the men all wore jeans, boots and cowboy hats, and the dog patients were mostly worker dogs like Sheila. When we were in San Francisco we'd often have people fawn over Sheila and ask what breed she is, but in Wild West country, people not only know that she's a cattle dog, but also seem to have their own!
We had already figured out before seeing the vet that Sheila had gotten some kind of bacteria from licking the hot springs water in Thermopolis. It's not only rich in hydrogen sulfide gas, but as we learned from our time in Yosemite, its a breeding ground for all sorts of algae and bacteria to thrive. Fortunately we didn't have to wait long for the vet to check out Sheila, and prescribe her Pepto-Bismol to treat her diarrhea (which we'd need to administer via a syringe directly to her mouth), antibiotics, and probiotics to get good bacteria back into her system. While vet visits are not fun (Sheila absolutely hates going to the vet too), we were very happy with the vet and the care they gave Sheila. They're rated very highly online by locals and folks who have been traveling like us and needed an emergency vet visit. Being in a more rural place, they certainly know animals well!
Lounging Like Black Cows
After Sheila getting sick yesterday and all through the night, surviving severe thunderstorms with hail and getting a terrible night's sleep, we drove a whopping 5 minutes away to Sundance White Ranch Park, a park with some nearby trails, next to a fenced area with a herd of grazing black cows. Sheila had had some of her medicine already, but it would still need to go through her system, so it was best we stayed in one spot so she could recover, while also giving us some time to catch up on rest.
Devils Tower Monument
By the late afternoon we figured we could start to move again, heading to Devils Tower National Monument, a striking geologic feature, as it's a lone rock tower that rises a massive 366 meters (1,200 feet) around the comparatively flat surrounding Black Hills. The name came about from an apparent bad translation, from an expedition led by Colonel Richard Irving Dodge, who believed that the Native Americans called the place "bad god's tower." However, there are no records showing that the Native Americans associated the area with bad or evil spirits, and they consider this place to be sacred, calling it names like "Bear Lodge" and associating it with ancient legends. It was declared the first US National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.
Parking is limit at the National Monument, but because we were there in the late afternoon we managed to find a spot fairly easily. Since Sheila wasn't feeling well, we walked part of the short Amphitheater Circuit, a 2.4 km (1.5 mile) loop. Looking at the Devils Tower up close, we could see that rather than being one flat igneous rock, it's made up of individual rock columns, which are different shades of colors including bright red and green. Because of this, it's a popular spot for rock climbers who can crack climb up to the top. We were there in June, so climbing was closed due to its cultural significance for Native American nations.
Upon entering the National Monument, a lot of people stop at Prairie Dog Town, which we did on the way out. True to its name, the town is full of mounds that are homes to over 600 adorable prairie dogs, who can easily be spotted scampering around the town, ducking butt up back into their colonies, or standing at attention. Our favorite prairie dog action is when they makes high-pitched squeals while standing, simultaneously throwing their limbs back and arching their backs. It is the perfect blend of hilarious and adorable in a single action!
Tomorrow, we'll wrap up our time in Wyoming, heading across the border that we are already so close to, to South Dakota, state #13 on this RV trip!