Sundance

Back in my favorite part of the state: Crook County. Eastern Crook County to be exact (and NE Weston too). It's been raining, so there's green and the dirt is red and it is so delicious! Seriously, I think this is my heart place, and I would move here if it was a reasonable thing to do, in terms of supporting myself.

Sundance has a new restaurant. Sadly, I won't get to try it on this trip. It's called Etta's Place (after the Sundance Kid's girlfriend), and it has a changing menu (daily!). It is definitely a step above in terms of ambiance and food style from your average small town restaurant. I hear the food is good too.

The Crook County Community Room is very nice. It's conveniently located, and it has a kitchen, and it is big. But don't have meetings there; it has only metal folding chairs. A word to the wise.

Make sure to stop by the Sundance Mercantile and buy your favorite baby a pair of jackalope slippers. It's a must-have present!

Sundance is working hard on Old Stony, a neat old building which they are raising money to renovate for a museum. In fact, on June 11, they are having a fundraiser art auction. $20 to get in, with good appetizers and wine, and lots of artwork to bid on. I'm going to try to go; it's always fun to see the artwork, and to support local efforts to preserve their history.

Lingle

Lingle is in Goshen County, a tiny place near Fort Laramie. In fact, usually we say LingleFortLaramie as if it is one word. I've never yet been to Fort Laramie--in fact, I am ashamed to say I really haven't spent enough time in Goshen County. However, we drove through last week and stopped in Lingle at Lira's, a Mexican restaurant. The hard shell (fried) tacos are to die for! The place has nice atmosphere, if simple.

I'll be back to Goshen County sometime soon for an update.

Images from Crook County

New picture for the top of the blog--a rainbow, actually double but you can't see it so well, in Colony WY. Colony is only accessible from one highway, Wyo 212 which cuts across the northeast corner of Wyoming from Belle Fouche, SD to Alzeda MT. There's nothing there, really, except a bentonite factory. Apparently Colony produces more bentonite than anyone else. It is on the wide open plain, rather like what one thinks Montana will be like.

I spent some time--not enough, it never is--in Crook County this week. Aside from being home to the first national monument, Devil's Tower, and the western side of the Black Hills, it is, in my opinion, one of the most gorgeous sections of a beautiful state. It is raining like crazy up there and all the water is causing some problems because the ground and the creek beds can't handle it all. When ground is as dry as it gets in Wyo the water just doesn't soak in that easily. Anyway, the rain was coming down, a lot of it, and all the water ended up blowing out some culverts and bridges, resulting in people not being able to get home. It is starting to receed, but since it is still raining, it may take awhile.

I didn't get any pictures of this, but when it rains a lot, the grass gets to be a very bright green, nearly neon, and the red earth shows through in startling contrast. It was raining too much to get a lot of pictures, but here's one of a flooding area.

Crook County is a place of small towns. The biggest are Sundance, Moorcroft and Pine Haven, all on the western end. I prefer the eastern side of the county, where Hulett, Aladdin, Beulah and Alva are. Hulett is the only town of any size in this group and it is up near the northern area. It is the closest town to Devil's Tower, and possesses a new Best Western that is just fabulous. Super comfortable beds, large rooms, very quiet location, convenient to town, a nice breakfast, nice swimming area, and friendly people. I recommend it highly. This image is from Alva, WY, a settlement of about 30 people. This was sitting on the side of the road near the post office. There are no other businesses (obvious businesses, I should say) in Alva, unless you count this lemonade stand. Aladdin, population 15, has a 110 year old store, a cafe with good food, and a small motel. Aladdin is also home to the Woolly Llama, the studio/gallery of Ila Miller, fiber artist extraordinaire. If you go by, it is a must see stop. She makes clothing, bags and hats from felted llama, and sometimes includes fur in her creations. She and her husband run an outfitting business from their ranch nearby. Aladdin was once a bustling mining town of 450 with a train spur from Belle Fouche, SD. There's also a nice B&B called The Bunkhouse a few miles down the road towards the freeway. Aladdin will be hosting its first art & craft fair in the town park on June 21, 2008.

Beulah is the easternmost exit on I90 in Wyo. It is home to the Buffalo Jump Saloon and Steakhouse, which serves excellent food in a comfortable atmostphere. South of Beulah, if you come off the freeway and turn the other way, is the Sand Creek Canyon area. This section of Wyo really should be protected. Sand Creek is lovely. There's a lot of informal camping and fishing access (don't forget to buy a license if you plan to fish). You will also probably see flocks of wild turkeys and groups of deer. Back a ways there is a little housing area, and past that, you come to Ranch A. A historic site owned by the State of Wyoming, it is now run by a foundation which allows use of the lodge and property for educational purposes for very reasonable prices. It was built by some Finnish men for Moses Annenberg in the early 1930s. It is perhaps a tad rustic, with bunk beds and shared bathrooms, but the location cannot be beat for privacy and retreat type experiences. If you keep driving down that road, you eventually come to Moskee, which doesn't exist anymore. It is currently fenced off, but rumor has it that this is a delicate and beautiful area that is very unusual and should also be protected. I recommend you turn back and exit the way you came, although you can get to South Dakota or turn north and come out near Sundance if you know what you are doing or are adventurous.

from Thermop to Dubois

The river which runs along the highway as you leave Thermopolis is the Big Horn River. Going south the first thing you come to The Wedding of the Waters, just north of the entrance to Wind River Canyon. Apparently, this river had two names for a long time--the Crow and Absaroka Indians called it the Wind River, and the settlers to the north the Big Horn River. It was decided at some point to simply have a place where the name changes and that spot is called The Wedding of the Waters. Wind River Canyon is scenic enough to warrant driving slowly, although you will no doubt annoy the locals who speed through it. As you drive along, signs help you recognize various geologic eras which are visible in the canyon's rock walls. The Wind River which runs through it is wild and rocky and apparently a good one for rafting. There's nice camping along here as well. Trains run along the opposite bank and sometimes you can see people driving special trucks on the tracks.

At the south end, there's a dam and then the Boysen reservoir opens up on the plain. Boysen is a large lake in a state park. If this lake were natural, I am sure the pioneers would have been very excited!! The land around it could be considered boring as it rolls a little, is arid and dry with sagebrush. Prime rattlesnake land--and rumor has it that they swim, in balls, in Boysen. However! The lake is heavily used for fishing, boating, etc., in the summer. Lots of camping around here. For some reason, the desolate land appeals to me, just as the road from Shoshoni to Casper does. The fierceness of the weather and open space is delicious--and also formidable in the right circumstances.

The small town where the road comes to a T is Shoshoni. Shoshoni is famous for the Yellowstone Drug Store which makes malts. That's to the left, on the left side, in its new home. Shoshoni is a fun place to poke around if you like abandoned buildings.

Turning right takes you to Riverton. You can go to Riverton and turn west, or you can turn west part way along where the sign says Pavillion. This takes you into some back country through Pavillion and is a nice way to get a feel for the land. It also cuts off 7 miles and avoids the traffic of Riverton. Pavillion is a tiny place with a school, a bar and some houses. Rumor has it that the bar, Miss Ginny's Roost, has excellent food, but I haven't had the chance to try it for myself as of yet.

The road takes a sharp turn to the south after Pavillion (which most people might think is a blink and you'll miss it town, but wait--this is bigger than some coming up!) and comes out at Kinnear, also a small place. The next spot with a sign is Morton--truly a place where if you blink you'll miss it. It appears to be occupied by a ranch with an old house that is falling apart next to it.

I suggest stopping at the rest stop that comes after the turn to Ethete--it is the last place to go to the bathroom until Dubois. At this point, you enter the Wind River Reservation. This is tribal land, and is governed by the Shoshone and Arapahoe Tribes. Going off the road is not a good plan unless you have prior permission from the landowners, although there are points where you can access the river for fishing. There's also a couple of dams and lakes which I believe you can go to, but you do need a Tribal fishing license--not a Wyo Game and Fish license. Not sure where you get those. The land as you drive west through Crowheart is open valley between mountains. After you pass Crowheart (a long blink on the road) and Burris (a much smaller blink--I missed it and I was looking for it), watch to the right. The cliffs emerge, dramatically striped with a lot of iron created-red and grey and eroding, exposed rock. If you look, you can also find purples and blues in the cliffs. Behind the cliffs rise the Wind River Mountains, often snowy.

If you are driving this road in late afternoon or early morning, watch carefully for deer--a lot of them like the fields around here and they like to cross in front of cars. They are in no hurry whatsoever. Dubois, a sweet little town that bills itself as the gateway to Yellowstone, deserves its own post.

Evanston

Evanston is a town in the far southwest corner of Wyoming. While many people seem to think Evanston is a town to blow through on the way to Salt Lake City, I am very fond of it and always enjoy my visits.

One of my favorite places to eat and visit is Main Street Artisans. Right downtown on Main Street, this sweet cafe and gallery has just been remodeled for its 10th anniversary. They carry a variety of artwork from Wyoming artists, also art teachers, including Chris Amend, John Webelow, Bill Yankee and Terri Thurman. They make all their own food and it is good--salads, soups, sandwiches and cakes. Not to mention drinks.

Evanston has several other good restaurants. It also has a lovely remodeled depot, and a train yard, I guess it is, which is slated to become a town center. They have most of a roundhouse which they plan to convert to city offices and a plaza. They've already converted the machine house into a community use space for holding events. Elements of the original building can still be seen, including the train tracks and holes in the floor used for working on engines.

Evanston has an active music education and music scene which Bear River State Park along the river.

Lander

I'll probably have to write quite a lot about Lander over time. Lander is one of my favorite towns in Wyoming. For one thing, it is about the size Port Townsend was when I moved there, and I liked that--about 5000 people. Lots of artists, with a core of non-art people who have lived here forever. It has a sweet downtown and some very good eateries. The Cowfish and the Gannett Grill, right next to each other, are two of my favorites. The Gannett is casual--huge salads, pizza, burgers and some more "healthy" type stuff. There's a bar attached and a deck to eat outside. The Cowfish is more upscale with sophiscated Asian and American cross cusine. A section of their menu is called "Bowl Food" and, well, you get this huge bowl of spaghetti, or Thai curry, or other interesting food. The Gannett and the Cowfish share a yard and they have an organic garden which provides herbs and vegetables for salads and flavoring, and the Gannett serves organic beef, too. Definite points in their favor! They have a brewery attached, which provides the beer for the Gannett too. It's a Snake River Brewery, which originated in Jackson, and they have some nice beers. Nothing like that Framboise Lambic I mentioned a post or two ago, but some very good ones. There is also an excellent bakery called Wildflower which bakes yummy fresh bread, makes soup and sandwiches and good coffee.

Lander is a great town to walk in--the Popo Agie river runs through it and there's a river walk which feels secluded and wild. There's a mixture of house styles which is pleasing to the eye. Sinks Canyon State Park is just a few minutes away and this is a park that should be on the MUST SEE list. The Sinks are fascinating and there's nothing like this anywhere in the world--the water goes underground and no one really knows where it goes, or what it does, until it rises further downstream. They know it is the same water because they did die tests. There's a gorgeous hike up to a waterfall, but I don't recommend it for anyone who is not acclimated to the altitude. It is quite a climb, but breathtakingly beautiful--both the way, and the falls. Don't think too hard about swimming, though, because the water is cold. Very cold. Ice melt cold. Teeth aching cold. But possibly worth it on a very hot summer day, as you'll be practically dead anyway once you get there and it will revive you.

Enough for now, as I don't want to just skim over everything Lander has to offer.

Jeffreys

Jeffrey's Bistro is my very favorit-ist place to eat in Laramie. It is a contender for all time Wyoming favorite, too. I go there whenever possible, which is not always as often as I would like. They make everything from scratch; much of it is vegetarian, or can be; and they have an eclectic mix of food. On Fridays they make clam chowder, deliciously full of clams, potatoes and other good stuff, and without bacon! The salads are huge. They have this great full meal deal where, for a few dollars more, you get soup or salad, choice of dessert and coffee or tea. A very good deal indeed. Dinners consist of such delicious things as stir fries with many possible add-ins, seafood tetrazzini, siamese chicken and broccoli.... I have never had a thing I didn't like there.

The real problem with the good food is that you can get too full to have dessert and that is really a dumb thing to do. Sara's desserts are fabulous! I am a baker, and I regularly don't have dessert because I can nearly always make it better, but not at Jeffrey's. I have never met this woman, but I have a lot of respect for a baker who is as consistent as she is at 7000 feet. They consistently have at least 10 desserts, the regulars, and then usually also a special. One of her specials is frangipani tart with cherries. Some regulars include a Ghiradelli Chocolate Cherry Torte, a Mocha Butter Crunch Pie, Tiramisu, fruit crisps of varying flavors, and always at least 4 differently flavored cheesecakes.

Today I also had this lovely stuff called Framboise Lambic Ale. I have never had this before, and I highly recommend it, even if it is expensive for a beer. It is imported from Belgium, and has a gorgeous garnet color and a very strong raspberry flavor. They suggested it as a dessert beer, so I had it for that, and, well, yum!!

All this to say, this is not a restaurant to skip if you are going through Laramie.

Restaurant Disclaimer

Before I go any further into restaurants, here is the disclaimer.

I am picky. I grew up with two parents who cook "gourmet," although their definitions of that are very different, and one, at least, would be offended by the designation (the trials of having parents!). I prefer to eat fresh food, and organic, if possible. I like to cook, and love to bake, and am sometimes (regularly) good at it.

I eat out ALL the time. Way too often, really.

This might let you know why I tend to be somewhat negative about restaurants.

Rawlins...

Rawlins is a growing town. You can learn more about Rawlins, home of the Old Penitentiary, from the Chamber website. Lore I have picked up says that the State Pen used to have an excellent store which sold stuff made by the prisoners, but, alas, said store is no more (not enough space).

Rawlins is at a crossroads--I80 runs right through it, and the turn to go to Casper or Lander/Riverton leaves from here. It isn't a particularly pretty town on the surface, but don't be deceived. There's a lot of energy.

There's a new Comfort Inn and it's shiny and comfortable, with a "deluxe" breakfast. The Lodge at Rawlins has recently become the Quality Inn--this is since August, when we were last here. Rumor has it that they are losing population, but another rumor says they issued a LOT of drivers licenses recently. So who knows. Anyway.

We went to go for dinner, me eagerly anticipating dinner at Anong's Thai, the only Thai restaurant in this part of Wyoming (one of only 4 known to me in the state--two in Jackson, and one which barely deserves mention in Lander). It was closed--but luckily that's temporary, so you'll still be able to try it when you come through. It is located downtown at 210 5th Street. This little restaurant is a breath of fresh air in this town. It is painted a deep red and has elegant, modern furniture. The food is also fabulous.

Since it was closed, we went to the Aspen House (318 5th Street) instead. Food is good, if expensive. They serve a mix of steaks and Chinese/Singaporean inspired food. I had a chicken stir fry which was full of vegetables--shitakes, snow peas, broccoli, carrots (that's just a few), and lots of chicken. The sauce was a bit much though. Brown Chinese, a bit strong and too much of it. My dining partner had a Singapore Blackened Beef, which I did not try, but it was huge chunks of beef in a black sauce--very dramatic and elegant. He said it was good.

We were both disappointed to see that the Blake House, which opened earlier this year, has already closed. That was good, and the people who owned it seemed very community minded. Rumor has it they couldn't find consistent help.

Other than food, Rawlins has a very cool Concerts in the Park series in the summertime. Thursday nights in the park. They serve up a mix of jazz, folk, local and other music, free to anyone wanting to come. Local restaurants and groups offer food for sale as fundraisers. They also do a fundraiser every week for a local non-profit.

You should also stop by the Depot, downtown. It has been restored nicely.