The Nomadic Butler Clan

Blog Post #44 - Written December 5, 2025 Stay: July 25-27, 2025 From Casper, we followed the same general path the pioneers followed, which took us passed Independence Rock. Unfortunately, we were hesitant about stopping (as if we had this exciting destination we were heading to) so we hemmed and hawed and didn't decide to stop until we were about 2 miles down the highway 🤦  So we found a place to turn around (keep in mind we're towing our 36' trailer) and drove back. Growing up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I had heard of "Independence Rock" in the context of the Mormon Pioneers, but I actually had no idea what it was or it's significance. And if we're being honest, I apparently didn't even know what it looked like, because in my mind I always imagined Chimney Rock haha.  Independence Rock is so named because the pioneers should reach it by July 4th in order to reach their destination (Oregon, California, or Salt Lake) before th...

Blog Post #43 - Written December 3, 2025 Stay: July 22-24, 2025 We wouldn't have stopped in Casper Wyoming if Megan's brother hadn't lived there (of course, he got a new job and left right before we got there, so we didn't actually see him, but we got to hang out and play with his family anyway!), but we really enjoyed it and it was one of those places that I could totally see living and enjoying. It's small enough to feel rural and real, but big enough to have everything you could need. Megan reminds me that we visited during the warm summer and she doesn't want to live through winters there haha, so it probably won't happen, but it looked like a good place to raise a family. The night we arrived we helped Megan's brother's wife, Mindy, pack boxes and load up their Uhaul moving crates. It felt good to be part of an Elder's Quorum move again! :) We stayed at the Fort Caspar campground, which was nothing special as far as campgrounds go. Megan too...

Blog Post #42 - Written December 3, 2025 Pit Stop on July 22, 2025 Megan found this cool free museum in to break up our long drive from Hot Springs, SD to Casper, WY. It's a free museum with a big variety of historical western artifacts, not just Stagecoaches, and even quite a few fossils and other fun oddities.   It's amazing what these farmers and ranchers have found on their land over the years! I know nomadic lifestyle is nothing new and we're obviously not the first to live life on the road, but it was kind of surprising and cool to see an early version of the "RV" ... a covered wagon haha. The 2nd picture is the inside. This blew me away. A city water pipe made of wooden boards wired together! Had to share a pic of the Pachycephalosaurus skull, of course! It's one of our family favorites :)

Blog Post #41 - Written November 18, 2025 Stay: July 21, 2025 We only stayed in Hot Springs, SD for one night, but it was one of our favorite stays! When we arrived at the Harvest Host farm (Black Hills Farm Life / TuTara Farm and Ranch), their electrical connection was showing as "not grounded" on our surge protector / analyzer, so we didn't connect to power, which means no AC. It was over 90 degrees, so we had zero desire to stay cooped up in the trailer for the afternoon. I looked on Google Maps for nearby water and found Cascade Springs and Cascade Falls just a couple miles up the road! We threw our swimsuits in the truck and booked it up the mountain.  We love finding hidden gems that usually only locals go enjoy, and these were definitely sweet little hidden gems! We had the springs all to ourselves when we arrived. Then another family arrived and the kids all enjoyed catching the little fish with our nets.  It was interesting to hear from this other couple that the...