THE GREAT RACE OF 1908 Visits Cheyenne Great Race

Many of you may remember the 1965 movie The Great Race by Blake Edwards staring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Natalie Wood, and Peter Falk.  The Movie was based on an actual race which occurred in 1908, where the new fangled motorcar was raced from New York City to Paris. This year is the 110 anniversary of The Great Race and as in 1908 the race stopped here in Cheyenne, Wyoming. 

A luncheon was planned at the Historic Plains Hotel where the menu was as close to what was served to the original racers in 1908. There were Oysters Rockefeller, a turkey sandwich, tomato salad, sweet potato fries and chocolate cake. It was reported to be 70% accurate. 

During the meal Jeff Mahl, the great grandson of George Schuster (more on him in a bit), spoke to us about The Great Race of 1908 and revealed some very interesting side bar stories. 

“The Great Auto Race of 1908” was an international event with six cars entered with teams representing Germany, Italy, France and the United States.

Teddy Roosevelt was our president at the time and made sure there was a United States entry. The United States entry was the Thomas Flyer built by E. R. Thomas Company of Buffalo, New York. Montague Roberts was the driver and George Schuster, then chief mechanic and road tester for E.R. Thomas, as the mechanic. He would later become the driver and finish the race.

Jeff Mahl was lucky enough to hear the stories first hand from his great grandfather. It was 48 hours before the start of the race Schuster was told he was to be the mechanic and to get to New York.  

The 1907 Thomas Flyer weighed five-thousand pounds, had a 4-cylinder, 60 horsepower engine and could reach speeds of 60 mph. 

As it was Spring as they crossed Nebraska, the terrain was rather muddy. When arriving in one town the local fire department was called out to an emergency. The emergency was to use the firehoses to wash the mud off the cars. 

When the race arrived in Cheyenne they were treated by 16,000 people. Schuster had a rife, shotgun, and a 32 cal pistol. There was a fear that buffalo would attack the cars, Schuster was taken to a local gun shop and a .45 cal pistol was purchased for buffalo protection. 

As the race came to the outskirts of Paris they were greeted by a Gendarme who was collecting a tax on the petrol in the vehicles. The officer noticed a headlight was broken on the Thomas Flyer and would not allow the vehicle to proceed.  Along comes a bicyclist and learn of the Thomas Flyer’s predicament and offers his bicycle light. Unable to remove the light from the bicycle, the bicycle was mounted on the Thomas Flyer and was allowed to proceed. The bicycle was still attached when the Thomas Flyer crossed the finish line. 

Starting on February 12, 1908, 22,000 miles and 169 days later, on July 30, George Schuster  crossed the finish line in first place. He was the only driver to complete the full route and the first to drive across the United States by auto in winter. 

Of the six vehicles which started only three finished, these were the  US, German and Italian entries. 

In the movie The Great Race, there was a good bit of shenanigans portrayed, and yes there were shenanigans in the real race. 

After this group arrives in San Francisco there are plans to continue on and cross Asia to Paris.  Their progress can be followed at http://www.2018nytoparis.com/home.html 

Interestingly, we learned there had been a 4 mile auto race  track here in Cheyenne built in 1909. Yes, this was before Indianapolis and hosted drivers like Barney Oldfield and Eddie Rickenbacker. The track lost popularity after a driver was killed on the course when he hit a cow. 

The race winning 1907 Thomas Flyer was identified by George Schuster and became part of Harrah’s collection after restoration. Jeff Mahl told me Harrah’s had the Walt Disney Company do the restoration. It is now on display at The National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. 

The Medicine Wheel

6/19/2018 

Sadly our three nights here at Medicine Lodge are over, we very much enjoyed our stay there at this wonderful campground.  We will have a leisurely breakfast, pack up and head to Porcupine Campground in the Big Horn Mountains. We have about 115 miles to travel and they will be mountain roads with a hill or two to climb. 

We did get on the road a bit after 0800 and headed north, we stopped in Greybull, Wyoming for  diesel fuel, sweat pants for me ( I thought I had packed them) and we found a “down alternative” comforter for 75% off. Lynn had been cold last night and we know it will be colder the next few days. 

Diesel truck took the climb with ease, pulling the trailer up and over a couple 9000 foot plus passes. Our research indicated at Burgess Junction there was a free RV dump station. This dump station has 4 lanes for dumping with rinse and fresh water available. Yes FREE, and there is a donation box should one feel so inclined. 

After 118 miles and at 8827 feet in elevation, we located the USFS Porcupine Campground in the Big Horn National Forrest. This is a well maintained campground with 16 campsites. We have the one pull through and it is very level, with a BBQ grill, table, fire ring, and a lantern holder. While not important to all,  I must say thus far this year camping experiences with the out houses has been rather positive. Really clean with ample order control. 

After we got setup, I made us grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch.  The skies have been partially cloudy and the solar panel has the battery at 100%. As with most mountain areas the predictable afternoon thunderstorm can be expected, thus, as I type this, the thunderheads are building.  Thus far we have seen Rocky Mountain Blue Birds, some Black Tail deer and have learned of some moose sightings. 

We did take a short hike to find a GeoCache along Porcupine Creek.  For you Cachers, it is named Porcupine Troll. This cache had not been visited for a good while, but was in good shape. 

From the cache, we bushwhacked back to the campground and The Boys noticed a doe and fawn Black tail. We then chatted with fellow campers. Given the elevation we will take it easy this afternoon and drink lots, and I mean lots, of water. 

For you flat land RV folks, here is a tip we learned over the years. Your RV refrigerator is usually set for about 5000 ft, in Cheyenne ours is set for 6000-7000 feet. So at high elevation there might not be enough oxygen to keep the propane burning to operate your refrigerator. 

As our pre-pup-feeding walk ended, pea size hail started to fall, we quickly stowed our camp chairs, stove and outdoor cooking gear and retreated into the camper. This changed our evening meal plan from a hash made with the leftover pot roast to pot roast combined with leftover hamburger soup for a innards warming meal. 

6/20/2018 

Good Morning Campers, Temp is 42F outside with a low last night of 40F, the camper is a toasty 51F. It rained a lot last night and the skies are grey this morn. We used 10% of our battery power last night. The Boys have been walked and the coffee is on. We will wait a bit to put cakes on the griddle.  So much for cakes on the griddle as a light rain started to fall, so oatmeal it is. 

The skies failed to clear as bands of mist or rain were to come and go. Not wanting to either hike in the rain nor be caught out at 10,000 feet elevation in rain and wind, we opted for a day of reading in the camper.  We did make several trips around the campground loop in-between the rain showers. The skies did clear up and we cooked brauts out on the grill and later had a campfire for Smores.  

I must say our GoPower solar system works great and even when there were just little breaks in the clouds we had easily topped off our batteries to 100%. 

6/21/2018

Kenai - The blanket hog had deprived me of covers at 0500 so I got up and took them for a walk. The Temp was 37F and inside was 47F so I turned on the furnace.  We will wait till 0600 to turn on the generator and perk some coffee. 

The skies are not totally clear as there were clouds off to the east blocking the sunrise at 0525, so we will wait for breakfast and the Sun to warm things up a bit before we head to the Medicine Wheel.  

We loaded up The Boys and made our way to the Medicine Wheel Parking area. There was one car in the lot when we arrived. Soon four USFS interpreters arrived and we chatted a bit before we started the 1.5 mile hike to the Medicine Wheel. The trail is really a road so handicapped folks can actually drive to the site. As we are early in the year, there is a significant snowbank covering the road for about 150 feet or more. The road is a down and up both ways over the  one way distance of 1.5 mies. 

The Interpreters are mostly there as unpaid interns and are a wealth of knowledge. They are there to inform visitors about the trail and make sure the visitor is aware of the altitude and the need for water and sunscreen and cooler temperatures. We were well prepared with warm clothing and plenty pf water, The Boys carried their own water. 

We were the only hikers on the trail in and had the Medicine Wheel to ourselves for a good bit of time before two other hikers arrived. The Boys enjoyed seeing a few of the marmots and later enjoyed a roll in one of the snow drifts.  

In the Big Horn Range at 10,000 feet in elevation one finds a circular pattern of stones atop Medicine Mountain in Northern Wyoming. The stones are arranged in the shape of a wheel about 80 feet across and it has 28 spokes. There is a circular cairn in the center large enough for one to sit in, there are also six other cairns around the wheel’s circumference. This configuration is not unique to Wyoming as similar stone wheels can be found in other parts of North America.  

The Medicine Wheel is also known as Sacred Hoops, it was used for spiritual as well as astronomical purposes. 

The Wyoming Medicine Wheel is the most studied and best preserved wheel in all of North America. It is believed to have been built 300-800 years ago serving to predict positions of the sun and other bright stars.  One can line up the cairns to correspond to the rising and setting of the sun on the Summer Solstice. This wheel can also be used to pinpoint the rising of various other stars, Aldebaran, Rigel and Sirius. 

The number 28 was sacred among the Native American Tribes, mainly because of it’s association with the lunar cycle and a buffalo has 28 ribs as well as it is a significant number in the Sun Dance. Many ceremonial lodges have incorporated the number 28 into their construction.  

We did take a short drive to find some tail heads for possible future trips. The Boys were funny as they did not want to get into the truck and had to be lifted up.  

As the skies darkened on the western horizon bolts of lightening appeared as we finished cooking fajitas. We scrambled to make all preparations  for our early morning departure. Cook tase, stove, cook box, chairs, camp rug, and more were stashed away. We also lifted the stabilizers and hooked the camper up to the truck. All this was done in about 30 minutes.    

Tomorrow morn will be walk The Boys, instant coffee, sweet rolls, check the lights, lock the compartments and hit the road.   

Medicine Lodge...WOW

Thermopolis Wyoming to Medicine Lodge 

6/16/2018 -

We were up early and got the coffee going, The Boys (our Malamutes) fed and we then had our breakfast.  French Toast and bacon was on the menu.  We took our time packing up camp and were on the road at about 0930. Todays drive will only be a bit over 80 miles and we can not check in till noonish, if our reserved  site has been occupied. 

Heading north out of Thermopolis, one finds a small town named Kirby, Wyoming. Yes, it is small but it is also the home of Wyoming Whiskey. Here one finds their distillery and all other aspects of their business, from the still to bottling, to aging, and a gift shop tasting room. They are open from 1000 - 1800 hrs., and offer tours at the top of the hour. 

We were there as they opened and a family from California started the tour and we were able to  join in. This tour lasts about 45-50 minutes and is very  informative.  One learns the history of Wyoming Whisky from it’s inception in 2007 to the present day. It is owned by a well established Wyoming Family, with a ranches in Jackson and Kirby, Wyoming. Yes, we know the family from our time living in Jackson. One interesting fact about Wyoming Whisky is the ingredients used are from Wyoming so they are true to their name. The bottles are from China and their barrels of white oak are from Missouri. A used barrel will cost one a $185. 

WWW.WYOMINGWHISKEY.com 

After the tour one can have two samples from their offerings, I chose their single barrel and a multi cask for my choices. The Single Barrel won and a bottle was procured for our camper stores. Lynn got a t-shirt. Currently Wyoming Whisky can be found in 26 states and their distribution is expanding.  

After our visit, we head north to Worland, Wyoming  and then further North to Manderson where we make a turn to head further afield. Just before Hyattville, Wyoming we turn north for 5 miles till we arrive at Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site and State Park. After driving many miles past ranches, pasture, dry landscape, we arrived at this little hidden gem of an oasis. We were in a state of WOW!!!

The camp sites are very well maintained grass and the Medicine Lodge Creek flows through the park. Looks good for fishing, and I will have to wet a line. Here we find many nature trails and of course, Petroglyphs. Simply put, this is an amazing destination even if it is out of the way, but oh so well worth the journey. 

We pulled in and went straight to our reserved site along the creek. It was blocked off and looked as it was being rehabbed. The park folks had blocked off another site for us and placed a reserved sign. We missed the sign as a passing storm knocked the sign down.  Anyway, a fellow camper informed us where we were to be situated. To be quite frank this is a great site, lots of shade still next to a creek. It is strange to park your camper on grass, usually one tries to stay off the grass. We are close to water, outhouse, and there are several nice grass areas for the boys to walk. 

We went to the Park office to confirm we were in the correct place, and parked properly. Returning, we set up and explored our campground loop. Lots of friendly campers and the creek we are next to is actually an irrigation ditch which has been engineered for trout habitat. There are little falls that end in pools where the fish can feed. I learned this was a recent project and maybe the fish have yet to discover this location, I am sure they will eventually, as the habitat looks perfect. 

We did observe Olive Sided Flycatchers, A Black-headed Gross Beak,  Osprey, Night Hawks, Cedar Waxwings, Herons, Rocky Mt Blue Birds, Yellow Warblers some Doves, Robins, Grackles, and I am sure there are more to find. 

For dinner I prepared a pot roast in the dutch oven.  We got The Boys for a few walkabouts and called it a night. Clouds were rolling in, so the Star Talk will probably not happen, so off to bed. 

We are amazed that The Boys sleep till we wake up and I am amazed I sleep 8 hours. At home they are usually up to play in and out a couple times during the night. While camping this sleep pattern for them is welcome. 

6/17/2018 -

We are up and at um, getting The Boys Walked and coffee on. Battery was down to 74% and we started the generator to make coffee and charge the battery a bit. Breakfast was biscuits and gravy. 

After breakfast we set out to find a nearby Geocache. There is only one in this area and I believe that is due to very limited cell service. The cache was located about 1.5 miles away and for you cacher’s it is Petroglyph Position Locator. 

On the way back to the camper we let The Boys romp in the creek as Kenai was rather dusty dirty.  

The day thus far is rather overcast and cool at 62F, not a good day for solar battery charging. 

After lunch we hooked up The Boys and went for a walk to explore the northern end of the park. We walked through a couple campground loops to look at the various sites.  Since the weekend is over the campground is very empty and we are the only campers in our loop. 

In the afternoon we stumbled upon the Nature Trail which is well done with 10 stops to point out items of interest. This trail ended at the Sand Stone wall where you can find the petroglyphs. It is estimated these are about 10,000 years old and the creators are really to this day unknown. It is believed they were the ancestors of the Crow or Shoshone and were hunter gathers. There are some old graffiti engravings with names and date in the early 19th century. 

It was in 1969 that Dr. George Frison, then Wyoming State Archaeologist, began a series of investigations that involved digging through 26 feet of soil and rocky sediments at the base of the cliff. He discovered 60 cultural levels spanning some 10,000 years of human occupancy. Also found during the dig were fire pits, food storage pits, projectile points and a bone pile. This unique find has enabled archaeologists to study lifestyle changes over time and, in fact, has provided a key to interpreting the archaeology of the entire Big Horn Basin of Northern Wyoming.

The original homesteaders were the Whickwire family, during the  time of the Yukon Gold Rush. Whickwire had learned that horses were selling for $600 each  in the Yukon so he gathered a herd and headed North to make a fortune. The trail was hard and when he arrived in Dawson he only had one horse and one mule as the trail had taken it’s toll.  The area since then has had several owners and was primarily used as winter pasture. Today it is a Wyoming State Park and Archeological Site. 

I will say this again, this is a hidden Gem here in Wyoming. 

I made steak fajitas for dinner and we had a campfire so Smores were dessert.  We got The boys for a couple walks and hit the hay. They seemed pretty tired. 

Up and at um, The Boys walked and the coffee is on. Last night we had a pretty good rain. French toast is on the menu this morn as we have bread which needs to be used. We hope to get some sun today to dry out a trail and charge up the batteries via solar.  

Todays hike is the Deer Trail. This hike takes up to the top of a hill overlooking the park. There are several interpretive stops along the way with great information about the geology, flora and fauna. Sitka led the way and became excited when he was told he could go swimming after the hike.  

Looks like we may get some rain this afternoon so may cook up lunch rather than just a sandwich. 

The skies became rather dark and the rain started with a bit of thunder.  We got our outside gear put up and covered getting darker and the rain started.  This is giving us time to plan tomorrows route and do some reading. 

There was a break in the rain so we hooked up The Boys and got a good 1.5 plus miles in. We got back to the camper just as the wind picked up and more rain started to fall. We always have a meal or two that can easily be fixed inside the camper. Tonight will be hamburger vegetable soup with camp bread toast.