MY WYOMING by Bill Sniffin – Two Funerals & A Golf Tourney

Washakie Museum Fall 2015 WLM

MY WYOMING:  Two Funerals Same Day + Golf Tourney,

Only in Small Town in a Very Small State

By Bill Sniffin

 

It might have been former U. S. Sen. Al Simpson who said all politics in Wyoming is personal.  I would expand on that by claiming Wyoming is such a small state that “everything is personal.”

On a recent Monday we experienced events that might only happen in a small town.  Two members of our community had died. Their families used different funeral homes. And, unfortunately, both funerals were scheduled the same time, Monday morning at 10.

Luckily, Lander is a city of about 7,500 people with not very long streets. We would try to be two places at once. This could get tricky.

Nancy loaded her famous scalloped potato dish that was required at the Catholic Church for Mickey Simmons Sr.’s funeral luncheon into my little car (easier to maneuver) and off we went to Holy Rosary.  I handed the dish to Annette Yates in the kitchen. Then we went to the front of the church.  After we signed Mickey’s guest book it was off to funeral #2 at United Methodist Church.

Joyce Nations Hornecker, 65, was a nice gal whose dad had been an editor years ago at our newspaper. She was revered for having operated the senior center for years.

After signing her guest book and greeting old friends like Cody Beers, Jean Mathisen Haugen, Sheriff Skip Hornecker, Pastor Mark Calhoun and City Councilman Dick Hudson, it was time to sit and listen to Ralph Mesa sing a few songs and hear about Joyce.  Her brother Jim Nations and her nephew Cody said some wonderful things and a slide show flashed life events about Joyce and her husband Johnny behind them on two big TV screens.

It was a nice funeral full of pioneer Wyoming folks. The Hornecker family has a long history in the Lander area, much of it in ranching.

Since we had sat in the back, we quietly slipped out and got into my little car and headed back to the Catholic Church.  Since Mickey’s service was a Mass I knew it would be longer so this was going to work out just fine.  Got there in time to sit with Mayor Del McOmie just behind former Mayor Mick Wolfe and his wife Marge.  Fr. James Schumacher and Deacon Rich Miller conducted the service.

The elder Simmons, 82, was a long time member of the parish and his son, Mickey Jr., had been public works director for Lander for many years.

After communion, the decedent’s eldest grandson, Lucas Anderson, gave a wonderful eulogy. In his tribute to his grandpa, he said the gentle older man left him with two big life lessons:  first was to always be willing to say you are sorry and second, to be quick to offer forgiveness.  Pretty neat lessons.

Lucas and Becky Murdock provided the vocals during the service. Becky plays one of the best cellos I have ever heard.

After the service we slipped out and drove back to the Methodist Church. There we joined the Hornecker family and friends having a brunch following and paid our respects to Joyce’s husband Johnny.

Not sure how many miles we put on but then went home and changed clothes and I headed to the golf course.

As a former vice-chairman of the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission, the annual Wyoming airport operators group meeting is always fun. They had invited me to be their banquet speaker. And since someone had cancelled a spot in their golf scramble, they asked if I wanted to play?  Sure, I told them, but I might be late since I have TWO funerals to attend that morning.

I managed to play the last nine holes with two guys who help run the Cheyenne airport.  Later Bob Hooper, Cody, who is president of the WAOA, called me a sandbagger.  I had luckily made four long putts in the nine holes I played and ended with a pretty good score.

That evening, we joined the airport folks.  There was a lot of gossip about the future of Wyoming’s home-owned airline Great Lakes.  Lately the struggling carrier has seen its market share slip. This has boosted flights out of Casper’s airport according to manager Glen Januska.

His staff counts license plates in their parking lots. He says on a typical day their lots are full of cars with Fremont, Johnson and Sheridan license plates.  It appears to be obvious that folks who used to fly out of Sheridan and Riverton on Great Lakes are now flying out of Casper.

 

Check out Bill Sniffin’s columns at www.billsniffin.com.  He is a longtime Wyoming journalist from Lander who has written six books. His newest is Wyoming at 125, which is now on sale at fine bookstores. His books are available at www.wyomingwonders.com.

Bill Sniffin WY at 125 October

 

COWBOY TOUGH ADVENTURE RACE

WY Beef Summer WLM 2015

CHECK OUT ALL THE TEAMS AT THE CAMECO COWBOY TOUGH ADVENTURE WEEK WEBSITE:  http://www.cowboytoughwy.com/#!teamroster/c1aam

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cOWBOY tOUGH RACE 2015

FROM WIND RIVER COUNTRY TOURISM:

Cowboy Tough Adventure Race, Here We Come! Lander Athletes Represent Wind River Country at the 2015 Cowboy Tough Adventure Race (July 16 –July 19)

 

Wyoming – “So what are you up to this weekend?”

“Oh we’re just headed to Buffalo to do a little trekking through the Bighorns, some mountain and fire road biking, a little Class III whitewater boating, and a touch of orienteering with 100 athletes from over the globe for an 84-hour adventure race ending in Casper.”

Here in Wind River Country, chances are you know one: your neighbor, best friend, co-worker, or even you and your partner are considered an “adventure athlete.” Whether you weekend-warrior up to Wind River’s Stough Creek for a 21-mile fishing excursion, wake up at 5am to run the Tomato Loop, bushwhack with topo maps through the Red Desert to find petroglyphs, ride at-skis/fat bikes/stout horses through the backcountry—there’s a familiar, prevalent breed of (and unspoken camaraderie among) outdoor-forward humans throughout Fremont County.

No surprise that Fremont County has its own adventure race team, for its second year, competing in Wyoming’s 2015 Cowboy Tough Adventure Race. Sponsored by the Wind River Visitors Council, Team Wind River Country is a coed team of four, all residents of Lander.

Captain Charles (Chuck) Schuster crunches 0’s and 1’s by day for Wyoming Life Resource Center. He and his Cowboy Tough teammate and wife Karla Wagner, a local OB/GYN physician, originally got the adventure racing bug at the annual Leadville 100 MTB (mountain biking) race. (Where they spend over ten hours biking 100 miles over 14,000 feet of elevation gain. Each year. On a tandem bike. For fun.)

Returning for a second round, Wind River Country teammate Shad Hamilton is principal at Fort Washakie, a husband, and father of two. Having met in 2006 at the cycling club, Shad has joined Schuster-Wagner on several Leadville races and adventures through the backcountry. Hamilton paddled a canoe singlehandedly across Boysen Reservoir for one leg of last year’s Cowboy Tough to keep the team rolling through an injury and brief and unofficial checkpoint in the Emergency Room. Shad’s wife jokingly refers to Chuck as “that friend” (who drags him out for days and hours of insanity.) We’re not sure if that’s better than a weekly game of poker with the guys or not.

Brad Young is a husband, father, Army veteran, and the newest member of Team Wind River Country. A behavioral therapist at the Wyoming Life Resource Center, Brad was inspired by Chuck’s endeavors over office water cooler conversations, and effectively turned curiosity into action. After surviving his “first date” with the team at the Teton Ogre Adventure Race in June 2014, Brad has been training and on board for Cowboy Tough ever since.

The 2015 Cowboy Tough race-course this year is set for a start in Buffalo, a gentle meander through the Big Horns (ha) and finish line in Casper. 360-430 miles of trekking, paddling, orienteering, fire road biking, single track biking, mountain and road biking, and plenty of checkpoint challenges over the course of four days. Teams are completely independent and self-sufficient for food and water, and are allowed one tote box on an eighteen-wheeler for transition stations. What does that mean? Racing “re-starts” each morning at 7am and even if you rolled into the transition station at 2am, you have to get your food, sleep, and gear ready to start all over again.

Paula McCormick, marketing director of the Wind River Visitor’s Council was adamant about supporting the team in its second year. “Wind River Country is known for its mountains, rivers, trails, and unparalleled terrain from high desert to alpine. Even more so are the people that live here. There’s a pool of adventure athletes who are ‘Cowboy Tough’ and we are thrilled to support them… and have Wind River Country represented at an international (and Wyoming) competition that receives global exposure. These are the people we run by on the trail or see out on the mountain pass. They are our own.”

To get a sense of what this year’s race looks like, look at the video and photos from last year’s race that started in Fremont County. http://www.cowboytoughwy.com/ – !media/c9v9

You can track Fremont County’s team during the race on posts on our Wind River Country Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/WyomingsWindRiverCountry?fref=ts

Related Links: Lander Chamber of CommerceRiverton Chamber of Commerce, Dubois Chamber of CommerceDestination Dubois

ON THE CALENDAR: Lander Brew Fest!

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Lander, WY — The Lander Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its annual Fremont Toyota Lander Brew Festival on June 13-14, 2014. For $30 (each day, or $50 both days) visitors are welcome to taste a wide variety of beer samples. Tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce or at the festival.

The Brew Fest will be held Friday, June 13, 5-9 p.m. (adults only on Friday night), and Saturday, June 14, 2-7 p.m., at the soccer fields next door to Lander Valley High School, 150 Baldwin Creek Road. The Lander Brew Festival features “20+ brewers, local vendors, rockin’ music, and all-around great folks for a two-day brew tasting and epic taste-bud hop-dueling competition.”

There will be whiskey and wine tasting on Friday night only. Whiskey tasting cards will be for sale, 4 samples for $10. The wine tasting will be included in the cost of admission. There will also be non-alcoholic drinks available. Contact info@landerchamber.org www.landerchamber.org

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And be sure to bring your appetite because there’ll be pizza, mexican and and lots more to keep your energy up for both days! Live music both days! Pets will not be allowed, so please keep your pet at home.

Saturday, June 14, an additional event this year includes the 1st Annual Brewers Golf Tournament beginning at 9 am at the Lander Golf and Country Club (1 Golf Course Drive). This 9-hole scramble is open for public entry ($21) and is your chance meet the festival brewers from all around the country who will be pouring beers later in the day.
The Fremont Area Road Tour (FART) will hold their ride on Saturday, June 14, and participants in the ride can get a discounted ticket into Brew Fest.  This is a Recreational Road Ride with routes from 3.5-100 miles, fully supported. Proceeds go to Injury Prevention resources to provide Bike Helmets to Kids. www.landercycling.com
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Also, the Central Wyoming Speedgoat Rugby Club will compete in a match on Saturday, 1:30 p.m. at the high school soccer field, 150 Baldwin Creek Road. Come watch this exciting event and then cool down with a nice cold beer at the Lander Brew Fest!For more information about event schedules and activities, call the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce 307-332-3892, info@landerchamber.org www.landerchamber.org,  www.landerbrewfest.com

For a complete calendar of events go to www.windriver.org/calendar, or to request a vacation packet, please visit us at Wind River Country or call 800-645-6233.

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Wind River Country to Have a Team in Cowboy Tough Adventure Race

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Chuck Schuster and Karla Wagner competing in Leadville. Photo credit: Shad Hamilton

Fremont County, WY – The Rev3 Cowboy Tough Adventure Race will return to Wyoming for a second year, and this year not only will a considerable portion of the race take place in Fremont County, but the county will have its very own team.

The Wind River Visitors Council is sponsoring a local four-person team for the three-and-a-half-day race on July 17-20. The Wind River Country Team will be the local team to root for as the race makes its way from South Pass City to Casper. Adventure racing mixes outdoor sports like mountain biking, trail running, trekking, and water sports with navigation challenges over a course that, in this case, totals 290-390 miles.

Casey Adams is part of the Wind River Country Team in the Rev3 Cowboy Tough Adventure Race. Photo credit: Kelsi Dean

“We are so fortunate to live in a place with such incredible outdoor and recreational opportunities and community support from organizations like the Wind River Visitors Council,” said team captain Casey Adams. “We are very grateful to the council for making this race possible for us.”

The Wind River Visitors Council is looking forward to following the team, comprised of Adams, Shad Hamilton, Chuck Schuster and Karla Wagner, as they prepare for the race in the Southern Wind River Mountains of Wyoming over the next four months. These competitors will keep the public updated about their adventures in preparing for the race, while helping spread the word about the amazing access and recreational opportunities Wind River Country has to offer.

Shad Hamilton screaming down the Powerline descent at Leadville. Photo Credit: Shad Hamilton

Wind River Country is hosting the start of the Adventure Race on July 17, as well as a significant portion of the route on July 18. The race will start at South Pass City State Historic Site. Competitors will hike, bike trek and paddle through the Shoshone National Forest, Sinks Canyon State Park, Lander, Riverton, Shoshoni, Boysen Reservoir and Boysen State Park. On July 19, competitors will head toward Casper for the final portion of the race.

According to Paula McCormick, Marketing Director of the Wind River Visitors Council, a partnership with Governor Matt Mead’s Office, Wyoming Office of Tourism and Central Wyoming College are making it possible to host the start of the race in Fremont County.  Joining the Wind River Visitors Council in supporting this team already are the National Outdoor Leadership School, the Lander Cycling ClubBrooks Running and Deuter.

Shad Hamilton screaming down the Powerline descent at Leadville. Photo Credit: Shad Hamilton

“The Wind River Visitors Council is working with our partners to make this race great for the competitors and for locals and visitors who may want to watch portions of the race. We are very proud that Fremont County was selected to be the start of the race in its second year in Wyoming,” McCormick explained.

Fremont County is a great place for adventures—an outstanding location to train for an adventure race such as the Cowboy Tough. Not only do the mountains afford excellent training grounds, but the communities also provide support like an extended family.

About The Wind River Visitors Council:

The Wind River Visitors Council is Fremont County’s Lodging Tax Board that oversees tourism promotion for the county and its communities. For a complete calendar of events go to www.windriver.org/calendar, or to request a vacation packet, please visit us at Wind River Country or call 800-645-6233.

Lander Art Center + Lander Pet Connection Art Fundraiser

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image by LC Bookout

Thanks to the Lander Art Center for sharing this neat event with us! What a fun, community-fueled idea!

The Lander Art Center and the Lander Pet Connection are holding a joint fundraiser in the form of an exhibition from January 27 through February 25, 2012.   The show opens Friday, January 27, 2011 from 6-8 pm.  The opening is free and open to the public; appetizers and drinks are served.

image by Magdalena Escudero-Kane

The exhibition is of artwork inspired by pets and pet ownership created and donated by members of our community.  All artwork will be priced between $50 and $250 and proceeds will be split 50/50 between the Lander Art Center and the Lander Pet Connection.

Although the details of our missions are different, the Lander Art Center and the Lander Pet Connection are both working hard to make Lander an even better place to live.  Expressing one’s self through the creation of art soothes one’s soul similar to spending time with your pet.

image by Asha Reid

Thanks again to the Lander Art Center for sharing this great event — what a fabulous idea!

Kati Hime, Editor

editor@wyolifestyle.com

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Our Sister Publications:  Wyoming Weddings:  www.wyoweddings.com  Wyovore:  www.wyovore.com