Caching Around Cheyenne & Our 4000TH Cache 6/26/2010

Off we went this morning to do some of the caches around the campgrounds outside of Cheyenne. Our first cache was a NRV behind Wendys under a light post skirt. Next cache was at the WY Visitor's Center Rest Area on a small hill. It was a monument and memorial to John M. Phippin a dedicated employee of the National Geodetic Survey
Coast and Geodetic Survey. The nearby Wyoming High Accuracy Reference Station is in memory of John M. Phippin who gave his life on April 11, 1992, while while performing his duties on a mobile geodetic control field party at Blyth, California. John was a resident of Cheyenne Wyoming and it is fitting and proper that this site is selected as a tribute to his years of federal service. Also in the rest area we saw 2 statues named The Greeting & The Gift. The scene depicts a typical meeting of the Indian and the Mountain Man on the open plains of WY during the time of Western discovery and exploration in the early 1800's. At such meetings offerings of friendship would take place. The Indian is holding out a ceremonial buffalo horn filled Rocky Mountain "Sweetwater". While the Mountain Man brings several beaver skins stretched on rounds of aspen branches. Note that the Mountain Man is holding his muzzle loading "long rifle" well away from his body with his hand over the muzzle to assure that it is harmless. The Indian stands 12'6"and weighs 3000 pounds. The Mountain Man, whose raised hand reaches to 14' weighs 2500 pounds.

Then it was 5 NRV caches in various places such as parks, businesses and near a set of tunnels (see picture). Then it was on to a virtual cache which was our 4000th cache find Camp Carlin. Camp Carlin was built by Captain E.B. Carlin who constructed a Quartermasters Depot on Crow Creek about halfway between Fort D.A. Russell and the town of Cheyenne, upon completion of the railroad across the continent. Supplies formerly transported by wagon were now shipped by rail, and the camp became a distribution point for army freight. Later it became “Cheyenne Depot,” was the second largest army camp and a marvel to the frontiersmen. One hundred wagons and five pack trains operated from the depot, supplying 12 posts, some 400 miles distant. As the needs of military forces lessened, the camp was abandoned in 1887.
It was was 2nd largest quartermaster depot in the United States. In Wyoming it supplied Forts Russell, Sanders, Steele, Bridger, Washakie, Fetterman, Laramie, McKinney and Phil Kearney. In Nebraska, Forts Sidney, Omaha and Robinson. In Utah, Fort Douglas. In Idaho, Fort Hall and Meeker, Colorado. It supplied annuity goods for Indian tribes. Particularly the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agencies. WOW 4000 caches found and it seems like only yesterday.

Our next cache was another virtual located at the Cheyenne Corner Stone. It was located in a remote neighborhood along the walking/bike trail in Cheyenne. The Southwest corner of the site was chosen by General Grenville Dodge in 1867 for the division point of the U.P.P.R. and for the location of Cheyenne City. The original 4 square miles were laid at an angle to give all "houses maximum sunshine throughout the year". The stone was set in 1890. We got our information and were off.

Next 7 caches were NRV near/in a interstate rest stop, Mexican restaurant, light skirt at a grocery store, a dead end road in the counrty, 2 along the same country road along a fence line and the last cache of the day was under a sign advertising fireworks stores, which by the way are legal in WY. On our way to the last cache we came up over a small hill and saw something standing on the shoulder of the road and as we got closer we saw it was a couple of small buffalo calves as someone had left the gate to the field open where there was a whole heard of buffalo (see pictures). There were quite a number of grown buffalos as well as quite a few calves. As we drove down the road and found the cache a pickup drove up and closed the gate.

Then we drove back to the coach for the afternoon. We had BBQ from a catering wagon that is located right in the campgrounds all the time. They normally have a small restaurant there but right now it is being remodeled. They fix everything fresh each day and have BBQ pork and brisket as well as BBQ ribs, salads, baked beans and desserts and it was very good. Well that's about all from here for today so until tomorrow we love and miss you all. Mom & Dad Dori & Dick