Are We There Yet?

Sharon Sissom

Six adults have traveled 1,197 miles over four days’ time in one vehicle, journeyed through 6 states, and moved to different accommodations each night which means packing and unpacking the automobile and still like each other.  Teaching has definitely taught us love, compassion, and patience for others. Driving as much as we have seems like torture, but the wildlife is abundant and the sights are amazing. How can you complain when the Rocky Mountains are in sight to our left and The Badlands on the right? That was an awesome experience.

We arrive at Yellowstone tonight and our excitement is building. After running into some Oklahoma people at Mount Everest who had just left Yellowstone and shared their pictures of a grizzly bear and some elk with us, we cannot wait to get there. I personally want to see a grizzly bear and some wolves badly, but am also terrified.

Devils Tower

As we visited the Devils Tower today, the big discussion was about how we could possibly explain the size of the geological formation to students when having a hard time grasping that concept in person. While we were at the tower, we watched three guys climb the immense wall. It was amazing to see how small they seemed against the 1,200 foot formation. Kent, Tracy, and I walked around the base of the formation which was approximately 1.3 miles. It seemed much longer.

A little bouldering at the base of Devils Tower

Can you see the climbers on the tower?

Opinions vary on how the tower was formed. Some believe it was formed by the forcible entry of magma into or between other rock formations. Others suggest it was a volcanic plug stuck in the neck of an extinct volcano. Another theory is that the Devils Tower is a stock which is a small intrusive body formed by magma, cooled underground, and was later exposed by erosion. No matter how it was formed, it is impressive.

The legend of Devils Tower has been passed down through time by Native Americans. It is said that seven small girls were chased by a bear. The rock elongated itself upwards out of the bear’s reach causing him to jump and claw the sides of the rock leaving deep grooves in the rock. After visiting the tower today, I can honestly say, it looks like the legend could be true.