September 10 ~Day 1
I made my annual trek to Wyoming last week. I started out Thursday and went a different route. I cut off at Rawlins and went through Casper to Douglas. I haven't been that way since 1997 and it's much more scenic than I-80 but then most roads are more scenic than I-80! I forget that southeast Wyoming does have some beautiful mountain ranges. It was also fun to see Martin's Cove, Independence Rock and the Sweetwater River. I always think about the pioneers as they passed through this area on their way to the Salt Lake Valley. Wyoming was not real kind to them.
Independence Rock
Pretty drive to Douglas
It was a beautiful overcast day. I made it to Douglas and spent the night there. My cell phone rang shortly after I arrived. It was my friend Susan calling from Ecuador. I was in the middle of nowhere and couldn't believe I was talking to her. Modern technology ... is really something!
"Home of the Jackalope"
The Jackalope legend in the U.S. was attributed by the New York Times in 1932 to Douglas Herrick (1920–2003) of Douglas, Wyoming, and thus the town was named the "Home of the Jackalope" by the state of Wyoming in 1985. According to the Douglas Chamber of Commerce, a 1930s hunting trip for jackrabbits led to the idea of a jackalope. Herrick and his brother had studied taxidermy by mail order as teenagers. When the brothers returned from a hunting trip, Herrick tossed a jackrabbit carcass into the taxidermy shop, which rested beside a pair of deer antlers. The accidental combination of animal forms sparked Douglas Herrick's idea for a jackalope. The Douglas Chamber of Commerce has issued thousands of Jackalope Hunting Licenses to tourists. The tags are good for hunting only during official Jackalope season, which occurs for only one day: June 31, from midnight to 2 AM. The hunter may not have an IQ greater than 72. Funny!
September 11 ~ Day 2
The reason I took this route is so I could visit my niece Heather in Lusk, which is about 50 miles from Douglas. She will be in Lusk for a time and I haven't seen her for a long time ~ too long. I passed by this quaint old country church that probably doubled as a school house. It's abandoned but I imagined a time when they held services for the farmers in the area. It is so remote and I am sure a church meant so much to the early settlers in Wyoming.
I really loved the bell tower!
I passed by this town, Lost Springs and did a double take when I saw "Population 1." Only in Wyoming!
I had a wonderful visit with Heather, some very tender moments. We were laughing one minute and crying the next. I was so glad I took the time ~ never mind that I went 500 miles to see her!! She is a person with grace, with courage and confidence. She has an inner strength that I know comes from knowing and believing that she is a daughter of God. She is facing a challenge right now but it has not diminished her spirit or her faith. She is a shining light to all those around her. I love her!
