Still around Rock Springs, WY
The special thing about Rock Springs, is that there's nothing special about the town itself. It's small and quiet. There are no touristy theme parks or gaudy attractions. The mall is plain and simple. There are no boutiques or fancy restaurants lining the streets. They do have a big rodeo facility, but being an animal rights activist, that's not really a plus for me. However, the folks are very warm and friendly, and the quality of life is excellent. We asked Melinda and Jamie why they moved here. Besides it being a great community in beautiful country, they said it was within three hours from everything they liked to do; like hiking, biking, kayaking, rafting and skiing in the surrounding mountains, plains, deserts and rivers. The big airport is also a few hours away. It's a place to be active, to go out and do something rather than sit and be entertained. Refreshing.
So when we wanted suggestions on what to do within a reasonable drive, besides hiking up White Mountain, they said, among other things, go to Kimmerer. Wherer? Yes, Kimmerer. Fun to say and it started a new game of adding "er" to any word ending in "er" already. Like Melinda's example which they use to taunt a rival swim team, "Are you the swimmerer from Kimmerer?" Fun. So what's in Kimmerer? Well, the very first J.C. Penney store for one thing; but more interestingly, fish fossils. And you dig them up yourself. How cool is that?
Getting to the quarry, out in the middle of nowherer,
on the bounciest dirt road we've seen. So glad we
have high wheel clearance.
Afterer about 5 miles we wonderer if we'rer on the right road.
Then we'rer afraid we'rer in someone's cow pasturer.
Nope, just BLM land with free-roaming cattle.
Git out of the way, cows.
Looks like quarry dust to me.
And there's a big hole.
We get tools and instructions from the office,
and pay a fee, of course. Then the kids get to work.
The "soft" rock comes off the quarry wall in large slabs.
Then you use tools to split thinnerer layers.
That's a lot of work in the hot sun.
Trying to spot the perfect rock for hiding fish.
Trying a new slab.
Something on the line?
Woo hoo!
The day's catch. We'rer eatin' good to-- oh, neverer mind.
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