Sing a Song of Wyoming for Me

There is nothing like a running
stream through the mountains.

As we moved from Colorado to Wyoming we needed to make an overnight stop because where we were headed was too far for a one day trip for us.  We stopped at, what turned out to be an RV park on a bison ranch.  We learned one very big lesson...you don’t want to live in the same place as a herd of Bison.  Bad weather with lots of rain and wind didn't help since they just enhanced the mud that we were parked in.  We actually ended up having to stay an extra night because the weather was so nasty, but that actually led to the highlight of our trip.  We decided to go into Cheyenne to the Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant..we tend to go there as our “safe” place because they have a great beer selection and we love playing the trivia games together.  As we sat playing, the manager came over to make sure everything was ok.  We got into a conversation with him and found out that he was from our hometown and his brother went to High School with our daughter.  It’s hard to explain, but things like that make you feel like you just found the prize on a treasure hunt.  He kept coming back and talking with us about familiar things and gave us an evening of feeling we were closer to home.  It was definitely the high point of that stop, but we were very ready to move on the next day.

Our welcoming committee

Then we arrived in Buffalo,Wyoming and all thoughts of the Bison Ranch disappeared.  We knew immediately that we were going to love it here.  Most people, when camping, like shady treed spots.  Since we were one of the few who like wide open areas for our satellite reception, we basically got the whole back section of the park to ourselves for most of the stay.  It was surrounded by a stream where the people in tents can stay, but very few did while we were there.  We were greeted the very first day by 3 beautiful deer resting under the trees right across from us.  It was one of those times where you have to look twice because you aren't sure that what you are seeing is actually there.  We hoped, and were right, that they were a great sign of what the next few weeks would bring us.

"Excuse us, but could
you please move"

The main aspect of our stay in Buffalo centered around being outdoors.  The scenery was incredible and they make it very easy to hike or even just walk from place to place.  There was even a nature trail that went from our campground right into the center of town so we could walk in whenever we wanted.  As we started on that trail, we realized that it was actually 10 miles long and led all the way to the foothills  of the mountains.  We decided early on to make that our goal..to walk the whole trail..just not all in one day.  Over the next few weeks we did just that – choosing a section of the trail to do on certain days and going out and exploring.  The nice thing was that each section had something different to offer.   One was along a beautiful running stream where we could rock hop and just sit and enjoy little waterfalls along the way.  Another went through a very wooded area where several times we could stop and see a bunch of deer grazing or resting under the trees.  Another section was a bit more open, through fields and meadows and they had exercise equipment along the way so we could stop and do sit-ups or pull ups or whatever else Cliff wanted to do.  The interesting part about that section was coming across a huge herd of cows..some grazing on one side of the trail, others wading in the water on the other side, and the rest standing smack dab in the middle of the trail.  Not being farm people we didn't know how to graciously ask them to move, so we stood and watched them until they decided to go on their way.  Believe me, a mother protecting her calf can stare you down far longer than you can stare at her.  In the end we were happy to say that we completed the whole trail...and even went back more than once to some sections.

The Hills Are Alive

On our first motorcycle ride in this area, we took a ride up into the mountains.  For me it was one of those "aha" moments in life.   You know those moments where it just takes your breath away and you wish you could feel that way all the time. The fields went on forever with purple and yellow flowers with a few of my dad’s favorite flowers, little blue forget-me-nots, thrown in for good measure.  And the back drop to all the colors was the awe inspiring snowy mountains climbing up behind.  I felt like we had been transformed into Austria, and being a huge Sound of Music Fan, I felt like I had been dropped into the opening scene.  It definitely required a stop with a quick run through the fields, twirling in circles and singing "The Hills Are Alive".  Fortunately, Cliff was the only one there to witness that...I hope.   It also gave us the chance to have our first snowball fight in a very long time!

Fun with the bartender

Another ride took us through the beautiful red rocks of the Big Horn Mountains.  Sometimes it is just amazing how you can ride up one side of a mountain and feel like you are in the Alps and come down the other side and be immediately transformed to what feels like the Grand Canyon.   We found a great little town called “10 Sleep” named because it would take 10 nights  or “sleeps” to get from there to each of the main Indian camps in the area.  We also came upon a tiny place called the Antler Inn.  Nothing unusual for that part of the country.  As we talked to the owner he asked if we would like to see why they actually call it that.  Of course, we said yes and his wife took us to their house next door.

Antler collection

  They have another business that takes them deep into the woods on antler searches, collecting  them and creating things out of them to sell.  It was incredible to see the all of the things they made, along with piles and piles of antlers just waiting to become some piece of art.  We often see antler lamps and chandeliers and other antler artwork, but we never thought about who made it or how it got there.  What gracious people they were to bring us into their home and share their story with us.

The Occidental

The village of Buffalo was unique all in itself.  It had an incredible hotel/bar called the Occidental Saloon which is one of the most famous western hotels in Wyoming. Wild Bill, Calamity Jane and Teddy Roosevelt are some of the people who often stayed there.  There are still bullet holes in the wall, and since Wyoming is an open carry state, people still walk around with guns on their hips.   It was old and comfortable and you felt like at any moment the Sheriff was going to ride up on horseback and come in thru swinging doors. Being that we could walk there from the RV we may have spent an evening or two there  Buffalo is actually the town that the TV show Longmire is based on, a show that we really enjoy.  It was fun to see the places that they refer to on the show and see how the people love being a part of it.  The week after we left was going to be Longmire week where the stars of the show actually come stay in the town and just hang around with the residents and become part of the culture.  Apparently it has become one of the biggest festivals around, and if we wanted to stay longer we couldn't have because the RV parks were booked a year in advance.  It's always fun to come on little bits of pop culture as we travel around.

Our first houseguest

While staying in the area we met some really great people.  One of the first nights we were there I asked a man if he had any advice about fishing in the area.  If it’s going to be worth it, Cliff likes to get a fishing license where we are, but we ask around to make sure he would get use out of it.  When I asked this man about it he immediately offered for us to come to his ranch and fish in his pond there.  There are many parts of the country where you would think the worst of an offer like that, but we knew he was genuine and just wanted to see us enjoy ourselves.  We didn't end up taking him up on it….but I just love people like that.  We also met a couple from Canada who were travelling for a few weeks and on their way home.  They were going through South Dakota on their way home, stopping very near to where we would be going next.  There is more to that story…but I’ll leave you guessing until my next blog to see how that story ends.  And on a very exciting note, we had our first official guest in our RV.  We were sitting by the stream in the rv park when a motorcycle pulled up and the guy said he was tenting and this was the site he was supposed to be in.  Cliff realized immediately that he had the same bike that we do, so they immediately hit it off.  The more they talked the later it got, and he needed to go get something to eat.  He had been travelling alone for several days and was on his way home to Colorado.  Instead of him getting back on his bike and going out to find dinner, we invited him to join us for some burgers and beers.  It was really fun to just hang out at home with someone who had so many of the same interests that we did.

After so much hiking, great motorcycle roads, lots of geocaching and meting so many great people, it was difficult when it came time to leave Wyoming.   There are some places that we go where we feel like we have done everything in the area, or we need to move on to something different.  Buffalo wasn't like that at all.  We were so comfortable there and felt like we could be there forever and never get sick of it.  I guess that means a return trip someday.