Words, Days 16 - 17

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="043085a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Western Tour</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Western Tour"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Schedule"><U>Schedule</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 1"><U>Day 1</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 2"><U>Day 2</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 3"><U>Day 3</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 4"><U>Day 4</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 5"><U>Day 5</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 6"><U>Day 6</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 7"><U>Day 7</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 8"><U>Day 8</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 9"><U>Day 9</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 10"><U>Day 10</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 11"><U>Day 11</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Days 12 14"><U>Days 12 - 14</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 15"><U>Day 15</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 16"><U>Day 16</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 17"><U>Day 17</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Words from Days 5 9"><U>Words from Days 5 - 9</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Words Day 10"><U>Words Day 10</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Words Days 11 13"><U>Words Days 11 - 13</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Words Days 14 15"><U>Words Days 14 - 15</U></A>   |   <B>Words, Days 16 - 17</B>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Epilogue"><U>Epilogue</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=10 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="044d2e83.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="04507073.jpg"> <div> <I>Words, Days 16 - 17</I></div> <div> Day 16</div> <div> August 27</div> <bR> <div> Carolyn woke before sunrise to take a walk down to the Yellowstone and I joined her a few minutes later. A pair of beavers (pic) swam close by and occasionally slapped the water in warning. Blue herons, Canada geese, cormorants, mergansers, a pheasant - a nice river wildlife morning.</div> <bR> <div> After breaking camp we headed over to Pictograph Cave State Park, a twenty minute or so drive from Billings. There are three caves in the sandstone cliff that were inhabited by people as long as 4,500 years ago. Pictographs on the cave have been dated to 2,200 years ago!</div> <bR> <div> The place was intriguing. A pleasant walkway traversed the area, though the Middle Cave was inaccessible due to a recent rock fall. The main cave, Pictograph, was certainly the most interesting. Fortunately there was a nice display board showing where and what the pictographs were. The clearest ones, in red, were a series of rifles and what appeared to be tally marks. These must have dated from mid-19th century or so. The other pictographs were barely discernible, even with the help of the display. Still, another fascinating experience, a little peak into the life of ancient peoples of this continent.</div> <bR> <div> Not so ancient were Bernie and Cara. Bernie is another FootHills poet I was reading with and we were staying at their place for the night. Bernie is originally from Rochester, NY and is a professor at MSU Billings. Once more, good conversation and a nice meal out at Montana Grain before the reading. </div> <bR> <div> The reading, at the Billings Library, was nicely attended and once again, an attentive and interested audience. Some good talk with folks afterwards and then continued for awhile with Barnie and Cara at their house. A short stay, but again, great to connect in person with one of the many poets we have published over the years.</div> <bR> <div> We didn't get to explore Billings as much as we would have liked - Montana's largest city - but it looked interesting and I wouldn't mind coming back again sometime to get to know it a little better.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Day 17</div> <div> August 28</div> <bR> <div> After a pleasant breakfast with Bernie and Cara we headed out for the 350 miles ride to Rapid City, where I was doing the last program on the tour, a Palm of the Hand Memoir Writing Workshop at the Dahl Art Center. I wanted to get into the city by early afternoon and we had planned one stop along the way - Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. </div> <bR> <div> Little Big Horn was well worth the short stop we took to visit. (pics) Again, getting a little sense of history, connecting at least to the landscape.</div> <bR> <div> It was interesting to see the older, bigger monument to the cavalry and then the newer, small, more in harmony with place, memorial to the Native Americans. I wondered if the cavalry memorial were built today if it would have been designed differently. One could look through the metal sculpture and see sky, see grasslands. It was as if it blended into the background, whatever that background was, depending on your view. </div> <bR> <div> On the wall of the visitor's center was a quote by Black Elk, “Know the Power that is Peace.”</div> <bR> <div> Our original intention was to take I-90 all the way to Rapid City, but looking at a map, 212 was more direct and in Montana the speed limit is 70 mph on the regular roads. We would be on interstates most of the way home from Rapid City, via Minneapolis for a visit with Carolyn's parents. </div> <bR> <div> 212 passed through Northern Cheyenne land. Rolling hills, small buttes, woods and grassland. What was it like 200 years ago?</div> <bR> <div> Our only car problem happened while on 212. A flat tire! A rear tire somehow got punctured in the treads, no evidence of what caused it. Tire changed, we continued on, hoping we didn't get another flat. We had another can of Fix-a-flat on hand just in case, but that doesn't always work, it didn't on the puncture. </div> <bR> <div> We ended up getting into Rapid City about 4:30 PM and my workshop started at 6:30. So, not much relaxing time at the motel for me. </div> <bR> <div> The workshop was great. 13 or so people attended and responded very well. The Dahl Art center has been wanting to host more literary programs and they were pleased with the turnout. A small group of the participants were excited about continuing on as a group. I always like to encourage that carrying on beyond what I do. One of the group made the comment to me that I was helping to create community!</div> <bR> <div> I got to relax a bit in the motel afterwards. This was it, the work of the journey over. Tomorrow a 650 mile drive to familiar ground of Minneapolis then a few days later the 1000 plus mile drive home. The western journey all but over now. We've already been on Wheeler Hill in our minds, now just the physical return remains.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>