Devils Tower

As a child, I saw the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. There is a scene where everyone is mesmerized by the image of Devils Tower and start flocking to the site. The government tried to fake a chemical leak to discourage travel but some were able to sneak through to witness the landing of the gray aliens. I used to buy bubblegum that came with cardboard cards with pictures of the movie. I thought the aliens were so scary and would flip through those pictures real fast so not to frighten myself.

Thirty years later I get to see Devils Tower.

My expectations were quite modest. Something perhaps a thousand feet tall, and thick enough to run around it in a few minutes. When we came upon the sight from a distance of ten miles, I knew my speculations were way off. This tower is magnificent, immense and captivating.

A path follows its base of over 1.3 miles around. The tower is what was left of a mountain’s volcanic cone. The deep shards of vertical rock are actually long hexagons fused together and are stronger than any fitted formation. Imagine honeycomb stretched as high as a mountain and that is Devils Tower.

We brought binoculars to view the rock climbers descending one of the columns. Even through the binoculars, we could barely make them out. There are enormous fallen rocks piled a few thousand feet below the tower and Sean took the older children climbing. I stayed back with Bono and Keegan and made conversation with other tourists. A few would loose their footing and fall, dropping their belongings and cameras. Had they wore proper foot attire instead of flipflops, they would have easily avoided such spills and their cameras would still be functioning.

We picnicked under Devils Tower next to a wooden parameter fence. Liam wanted to sit on the top wrung but instead climbed so fast up he kept on going and his face met the dirt on the other side. He cried and cried but got over it while eating a marshmallow. Had his face still been swollen, it might have broken his fall better. Or not…

The surrounding topography of Devils Tower is prairie with brightly colored rock formations and trees growing along the rivers. We came upon an area filled with prairie dogs and let the kids out for a look without their slingshots because Fionn announced that he was going to shoot one in the face. So, we let them battle it out hand to hand. Riley, Liam and Fionn went out quietly tip toeing to each hole waiting to pounce. I knew they wouldn’t get one so I let them hunt for a while. The little prairie dog faces would poke out through a hole, eek out a warning and then all would disappear. The children started running from hole to hole louder and faster out of desperation. They finally came back all sweaty and dirty with no furry animals.

It was time to evaluate how we were doing on our westward travel. We drove northwest on I90 and headed toward Yellowstone.

I was tired, and Wyoming’s terrain became desolate, barren and lonely. I began to remember the warmth and safety of home back in Connecticut. I missed my bed, I missed the serenity of the gardens, I missed my daughter’s room. I closed my eyes and remembered everything as it were. I stood in my memory at Riley’s dresser putting away her clothes and then I began to cry. It was night now and the van was quiet. Liam said, “I want to go home.” I answered, “Me too.”