Beautiful…

Photo from Billings Gazette story posted on February6, 2010

That’s the only word I can think to describe the scenery I drove through yesterday, and that one word doesn’t hardly do it justice. I left at 5 AM on a journey to Ten Sleep for an interview that will be featured in our new issue of WLM, due out in August — something about having to get up early in the morning, I never sleep well the night before because I am afraid of sleeping through my alarm! So, sleep-deprived and blurry eyed, I began my journey. I was jerked awake though by the sight of so many animals on the drive to Casper! I lost count of how many antelope, deer, rabbits, birds, etc. I saw…it was really something!

I traveled through Casper, to Shoshoni, up to Thermopolis, to Worland, and then over to Ten Sleep. The drive from Thermopolis to Ten Sleep was absolutely incredible — the river was full, the mountains were multi-colored and dotted with greenery…it was simply jaw-dropping. The last time I was up in the area was three years ago, with a car full of girls on our way to a state Job’s Daughters function — they were singing loudly and it was approaching nighttime, and I obviously failed to notice the scenery around me! Yesterday was a different matter: I was able to truly appreciate what I saw around me. It was breathtaking!

After the interview, I enjoyed a shaved ice from Ten Sleep at Sno Shavers — make sure you do NOT say it’s a snow cone, because it’s not! I made the mistake of using that term and was given a demonstration on how the ice is actually shaved — it looks like a spider web of ice, it’s really good! Said hello to some folks and met some new friends — what a neat little town!

I spun through Worland, where I stopped in at the Washakie Museum. WOW!!! Be sure to check out this brand new attraction with your kids! It’s a class act! http://www.washakiemusuem.org

I then traveled onto Thermopolis, although FIRST I stopped in Kirby to say hello to the nice folks, Steve & Donna Nally, over at Wyoming Whiskey. They run tours of the distillery and it’s a neat place — definitely worth the stop! Also check out the local restaurant, Butch’s Place, on the way into town — my husband says lunch there is also worth the stop! For Wyoming Whiskey, visit: http://www.wyomingwhiskey.com Butch’s Place is on Facebook! Check them out: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kirby-WY/Butchs-Place/143376546110?v=wall

I met the nice folks over at the visitors’ center in Thermopolis as well — what a beautiful town with some great tourist attractions! Be sure to check out their website! http://www.thermopolis.com/

I journeyed back through Shoshoni, where I need some more info on the Yellowstone Drug — are they now Shoshoni Malt? Is this the same place with a new name, or a different place? I’d love some info from WLM fans, please!

Traveled through Casper, where I stopped at my FAVORITE Cold Stone Creamery for some smiles from the girls working — they are an enthusiastic bunch! I tried the Key Lime Pie concoction, which I know has a catchy name that has escaped my brain at the moment…forgive me… At any rate, it was GOOD, and Cold Stone is ALWAYS on my list of favorites in Casper! They’re also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Casper-WY/Cold-Stone-Casper/120090941356284?ref=ts&ajaxpipe=1&__a=40

Then I made it home, where I nursed my aching head and sore back, but shared my travels with my husband…what a BEAUTIFUL day in Wyoming! Beautiful scenery, friendly people, new friends and fans, and TONS of wildlife…a 17 hour work day never was so much FUN!

‘Til Next Time — I’m loggin’ my miles!

Kati Hime, Editor

editor@wyolifestyle.com