Driving north on US 85 from Colorado through Cheyenne, Torrington, Lingle, Lusk and Newcastle, Wyoming.

We are heading to Custer State Park in South Dakota and driving north on US 85 through eastern Wyoming.

Wyoming south of Cheyenne looking west toward Rocky Mountains

The irrigated fields of Colorado fade away, replaced by wide open range land as we near Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Wyoming windmill south of Cheyenne

Cattle need water, and windmills such as this one still provide that needed water on these vast stretches of prairie surrounding Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Eastern Wyoming wheat growing on ancient volcanic ash deposits

This is dry land wheat farming. Notice the light colored strips, they are land left fallow waiting for it to absorb enough moisture to plant a crop of wheat. Sometimes it is every other year that wheat can be planted depending on the amount of moisture winter snow delivers. The areas growing wheat this year will be fallow next year.

Obviously ancient volcanic ash deposited eons ago is very fertile when water is applied

Irrigation water from the North Platte River enabled this farmer to produce alfalfa hay. Notice the large circle of alfalfa behind the hay bales.

Eastern Wyoming landscape with volcanic ash visible on horizon

Cattle are in the distance with several horses in the foreground. Eastern Wyoming is an area of vast prairies

Eastern Wyoming open prairie and volcanic ash deposits

The wide open space in this area fascinates me. There are enough cattle on this range to keep the grass cropped short yet we do not see any in this picture.

Eastern Wyoming rangeland

Cattle just happen to be grazing near the highway in this picture. They could just as easily be munching grass somewhere over the horizon.

Eastern Wyoming ranch buildings

Is that a house and a vehicle? These are things we do not see very often along this route.

Ancient volcanic ash in eastern Wyoming

Ancient volcanic ash that blew here on prevailing winds from volcanos in Nevada.

Eastern Wyoming cattle land filled with black angus cattle

More cattle near the highway in eastern Wyoming.

Eastern Wyoming snow fence

There are probably more snow fences in Wyoming than people. We sure see more of them than Wyoming tags on vehicles. This is a serious snow fence.

The vast open range land of eastern Wyoming

The further north we travel on US 85 the dryer it gets.

There is a building in the distance. It may or may not be occupied. We saw a road sign somewhere along the way, probably on the outskirts of Lusk, that said next services 81-miles.

The sign may have been correct since it is 80-miles to Newcastle. It is hard for me to grasp a distance of 80-miles between gas stations. But then again it is hard for me to grasp a "trillion" dollars.

That is all there is for Eastern Wyoming and the volcanic ash deposits along US-85.

That is all there is.