The Western Adventure - Day 4 On to Cheyenne

So.... to get back to my story, see.

(Life sometimes interrupts...or is it my laziness, lack of discipline, or the distraction of something shiny?  I'm going with "Life's interruptions" since I'm not yet to the "admitting I'm the problem" phase).

Between my last post and this one, we found out that our Princess & Prince Charming will be welcoming our next granddaughter in April, I decided to 'go pro' as a photographer, we joyously celebrated the holidays with our family, we greeted the new year with:

Do you hear gunshots?

 Must be midnight. 

Happy new year.  

**kiss**

Go back to sleep.

G'Night.

 -- Oh yeah, people out in the country fire off rifles and shotguns as a boisterous way of reveling the new year. (which we've never done because "Are you kidding?  Shotgun shells are like a dollar a round!  And forget about shooting a .22 -- we may not be able to replace the rounds we so foolishly waste."   Never mind that it's fraught with danger.)

Finally, we attended a spectacularly beautiful wedding - in Dallas - Texas, that is.  I am high-fiving myself!  I've been west of the Mississippi River - TWICE!

Enough digression -- on with the 1st Western Adventure!

Day 4 of my Western Adventure started with playful ribbing about not having seen the star-filled sky the night before. I shrugged it off.  I now wish I had seen it - but oh, well.   We started on our way to Cheyenne.  

80!!  Get a picture of that!

Really quite amazing!  From my mid-western frame of reference, this looks extraterrestrial!

Without warning came a major deviation from protocol --> Out of the blue Wyoming sky Cowboy decided that it would be exciting to meander to Cheyenne on back roads.  This development was a dream come true for me.  Concealing my excitement, I feigned concern and asked,  "Won't we get lost?"  I knew we wouldn't get lost, our survival gear included the trusty GPS, a road atlas and our combined brain cells.  I just had to ask so he could be the hero to my delicate damsel self.

"We have plenty of time.  We'll just head in the direction of Cheyenne,"  Cowboy replied. 

I smiled with glee.  We were getting to look at Wyoming from a real perspective and at a speed slower than 80mph.   I pointed out a couple of ranches along the way...one was for sale!  Everywhere we visit, I entertain myself by looking at places for sale.  Cowboy, however, is not amused by my entertainment choices.

Boom - we came up on a sign -- Historical Marker sign.  Because we were driving at a slower pace, I could actually read it:  "Rifle Pit Hill".  I demanded Cowboy turn around and park so I could read it.  I quickly scanned, my eyes landed on:  "Oregon Trail Ruts National Historic Site....access to all sites is well-marked in the town of Guernsey."  

"We have to see this!  Go to Guernsey!!"  I am that history geek.

To my surprise, Cowboy was equally excited to see these historic sites.  We headed to Guernsey.  I watched for the signs of the promised well-marked access.  We made the appropriate turns.  I went down my checklist to determine whether or not I could live in Guernsey.  Most lawns were brown.  I'd insist on watering.  The airfield would be too loud. But, you know, one can get used to loud sounds.  What would we do for a living?  There it is!  

Suddenly I was all the prouder to be American.  What fortitude!  To pick up and leave for the unknown!  The Oregon Trail sojourners didn't have a checklist to determine whether or not they could live WEST.  They were determined to go.  Would I have been so strong, so brave? 

We were fascinated!  This is part of a half-mile stretch where wagons wheels, draft animals and people on their way toward the South Pass wore down the sandstone trail during its heaviest use from 1841 - 1869.  

Next stop:  Register Cliff.  A human landmark.  Emigrants passed by here, perhaps camped here, some carved their names into the soft stone. 

In this fenced area are 3 graves outlined with stones.  I can feel the sorrow.

The oldest carvings were protected behind a chain link fence.  I photographed what I could:

 When I walked back toward Cowboy, this is what I saw:

The star of the show.  He makes friends wherever he goes.
 It must have been some story -- they were certainly entertained!

The North Platte River.  An elk stopped on the far bank for
a sip of water.  I wasn't fast enough to get a picture of him.

On toward Cheyenne....

So thrilled to experience this "hands on" history lesson, we chatted excitedly.  Our stomachs were ready for lunch.  We followed the signs to the town of Wheatland.  Sounded kinda farm-y.  We stopped for food and fuel:

Inside the A&W were rodeo contestants stopping for lunch.  How did I know they were contestants? I didn't know till the next day.  They had their numbers pinned to the backs of their shirts.  Did I get pictures?  No, I was too stupid to connect the dots...today there are guys with contestant numbers pinned to their backs, tomorrow is the rodeo.

All American Food!  You bet!  Coney dogs and root beer.  Yum.  Lunch in Wheatland, Wyoming brought back good memories from my childhood:  The town near where I grew up had an A&W root beer stand.  It was a drive-in where our order was brought out on a tray that hooked onto the mostly rolled-down car window.  The root beer was served in "frosty" glass mugs.  What a treat that was back then! 

Cowboy stepped next door to the Sinclair station and bought a Wyoming Topographical road atlas.  That atlas was our aid for the next leg of our adventure:  the backest of back roads!  We randomly selected a road and away we went -- feeling like a couple of Jack Kerouac characters.

We didn't see any loose stock....but we were on the lookout!

The GPS did not know that this was a road - but the topo map did.  See the wash-out and the by-pass route? We, too, took the by-pass.  The farther we traveled this road, the more obvious it became that this was one of the famed "less-traveled" type that I guess we're all supposed to take.

A modern-day equivalent to a wagon-wheel path.

 We made our way down to a state highway leading us to Cheyenne.  Our GPS directed us right to our hotel, The Historic Plains Hotel.  Here's a link to its website in case you're curious: http://theplainshotel.com

Gorgeous stained glass sky light & fabulous chandelier in the 2 story mezzanine

The frieze

Chief Little Shield was everywhere!

I was mesmerized!  I tried so hard to look like this was just another day in my life - I'm sure my newly permanent wide-eyed expression gave me up.  We had supper in the hotel's restaurant and after we stayed for the entertainment in the lounge.  I was soon to learn that Cheyenne's Frontier Days celebration is THE main event in Wyoming.  I decided I'd have made a great cowgirl....no, I could look like a great cowgirl.....no, I mean I could dress like one --> with some new digs purchased at The Wrangler.  "It's -boom- right near the hotel.  Let's go there every day while we're in town!"

I found this on flickr. Taken by Joe McKenna.  It's the shot I should have taken.