Auto-touring northwest from Rustic along Deadman Rd then down the Laramie River Rd

 It was a great day to make up a sandwich and take a ride north to Deadman Road, up to Deadman Lookout at the top Deadman Hill, elevation 10,600', then down the beautiful Laramie River Road (county road 103) which runs south through the North Middle Mountain area.

Up at the Lookout there was plenty of logging work going on and it sure made a mess of things looks wise. 😦 There were some pretty sweet views but it was a hazy day.

Deadman Lookout logging activity.

During our lunch break the Boss spotted a golden eagle - cool! Couldn't get a pic though.  Leaving the area we came across a very pretty area, a small creek and meadow with a gorgeous mountain view!! (At least it would be without the haze/smoke.)

Too bad it was so hazy, but what lovely views.

A great leg-stretching opportunity for us both.

I wouldn't have minded a summer cabin around there but the grocery shopping would probably be harder (or at least lengthier) than it is here in Rustic. Did I mention we were on a dirt road most of the day?

We lollygagged around there for a few more minutes then headed onward to the Laramie River road area.  Wow! Another really pretty area, a long, high valley with mountains and hills on both sides.  

This is my kind of scenery, long views with mountains bracketing both sides.

We saw 2 herds of game animals; one herd of 7 pronghorn antelope and another smallish herd of deer? pronghorns? not sure.  It was exciting to see game in the wild. Also there were horses along and in the road - open range or escapees??

They blend in pretty well but you can see them if you squint.

South end of a northbound horse anyone? 
BTW, they didn't pay any attention to us as we drove by!

Further down the road we passed a couple of large spreads. I liked the look of the corrals, the yellow flowers and, of course, the mountains (with small patches of snow on a few).

Another cool visual was this view of a partially mown hayfield. Too bad the haze makes it look so washed out and flat.

Finally we crossed a moderately-sized creek and another large pasture with horses(!) out and about.

Half Mile Creek, runs out of the mountains
to the east and into the Laramie River.

This really gives you the scope of the landscape.  Just  B_R_E_A_T_H_E  - Aaah.

Finally, to wrap up this "getting pretty long" post, one shot of a yummy dinner; meatball & veggie alfredo. It was a long day and we were pretty tuckered by the time we got home. Having a heat 'n eat meal ready to serve was a lifesaver. Did you know you can easily reheat pasta in either the microwave or in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil - YES!

Meatloaf-style meatballs and sautéed veggies in alfredo sauce
over thin spaghetti with 9 grain bread and Kalamata olives. 

Happy end to a great day.

Well, thanks for taking a few minutes to catch-up, and I hope you enjoyed it.