Crossing the Wind River Basin and then the Big Horn Basin involves towering mountains, spectacular canyons, beautiful rivers, and glorious fields this time of year.
I made that trip last Sunday and it was just perfect.
Lander is in the shadow of the Wind River Mountains, the biggest in the state by far, but on this trip, I soon put them in my rear-view mirror.
To me, Lander is one of the prettiest towns in the state, both because of its natural location nestled next to those mountains and the hard work of its citizens to keep it clean and progressive looking.
And then, it was time to go.
After whizzing through Hudson which always reminds me of my hometown, it was off to Riverton. Now the civic leaders in Riverton could show the rest of us a thing or two.
So much is going on over there. So many cities and towns lately have become bogged down in regulations and planning dilemmas, Riverton leaders just plow ahead.
Their latest audacious move is building a new hospital to compete with their existing corporate-owned entity. That should be an impossible project in these times and yet, there it is.
Next stop was Shoshoni, where the Fast Lane is my favorite convenience store in the state. Located at the busy intersection, it is busy 24 hours a day. Those folks provide great products and wonderful service.
I stopped off at the Tough Creek Campground on Boysen Reservoir to visit my brother Ron who was camping and boating there. Ron just retired from the Wyoming Education Association. He and his wife Tamara also still own a newspaper in Belize. What a life! Splitting your time between our mountains and the sandy beaches of the Gulf of America.
The guy who enticed me to Wyoming was the late Bruce Kennedy who lived in Greybull. Thus, 55 years ago, I made this drive often to go visit with him about projects. I loved this road then and still do. In many ways it was my first experience of driving across the Cowboy State.
Wow, That Canyon
North of Shoshoni, Wind River Canyon is truly spectacular. It features three car tunnels and the most amazing railroad tunnel in the Rocky Mountain Region. Plus, the drive through the canyon is an optical illusion. You cannot believe that you are not driving uphill and that doggone Wind River is also flowing uphill!
An even bigger miracle occurs when you emerge on the Thermopolis side in the Big Horn Basin because the river stays the same but changes its name. it is now known as the Big Horn River.
We lived among the red rocks of Squaw Creek outside of Lander for 21 years. I learned to love red rocks. When I drove into Thermopolis Sunday, it just dazzled. So much red under that blue sky and so much green. The super blue river flows through the heart of town and is spectacular. Go see Thermopolis. What a cool place.
A Great Whiskey
A little ways north of Thermopolis is the little town of Kirby where Brad and Kate Mead of Jackson set up the Wyoming Whiskey distillery. I always wanted to tour that place. It is on my bucket list.
As you drive north to Worland, you see all these irrigated fields. Just an ag wonderland.
Worland has always been one of my favorite towns. Plus, it has one of the nicest museums in the state. Go see it. It is educational and unique.
Next up was Manderson, where I planned to sneak off to the east and visit the Medicine Lodge archeological site near Hyattville. I was running late. So, it is still on my bucket list.
Basin and Greybull are two small towns that share a golf course and a hospital. Nice towns.
Most of these towns are in existence because of the Burlington Northern Railroad which built its line north from Shoshoni all the way to Montana.
When I used to go to Greybull, two things stood out. First, were all the old converted bombers at the airport that were used to fight forest fires for decades. There is now an airplane museum there.
Secondly, there used to be a refinery there with four or five of the tallest chimneys you ever saw. They are gone now but they were big landmarks for the longest time when I made that trip.
Lovell Is The Rose Capital
My trip ended in Lovell where Publisher David Peck promised me a tour of Big Horn Canyon, which will be the subject of a future news story or column.
Lovell is beautiful. The people there obviously have so much pride. Flowers everywhere. And neat. Did I say that town is neat?
This was a three-hour trip on state highway 789 and partially U. S. Highway 20 plus infamous highway 310 up to Lovell.
The roads were excellent and despite the height of the tourist season, I never saw excessive traffic on this Sunday drive.
One of Wyoming’s tourist themes is ROAD TRIP. Wyoming people drive more miles per capita than folks in any other state. This drive is obviously one that I would highly recommend.
One of my goals has always been to convince Wyoming people to go visit other parts of their own state. This road trip is just one more example of that.
So, get out there and go!
