Category Archives: Travel

Heat Wave

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My mama called me last night to check up on me and see how my Yankee blood was dealing with the heat. Everyday I’m becoming more and more convinced that this is Mother Nature’s way to keep the North out of the South. I don’t think dealing is exactly the right word to use, coping perhaps… maybe even suffering would be more appropriate.

Here is an update: We are on day 30+ of triple digit temperatures. Did I mention consecutive? The record for Texas sits at 43 consecutitve days. They say we’re going to hit it and surpass as there is no end in sight. Lucky us.

One way I’m dealing with the heat is I’ve started taking a water aerobics class because when you think about it, what else can you really do? I call it my Old Ladies Class, no offense anyone. On a side note, John Jones – this class really does kick your butt, I don’t care what you say, haha 🙂 It’s an “easier” way to deal with the scholding temperatures even though they do ask us to bring a bag of ice every once in a while to throw in teh pool to cool it off.

Needless to say, I think I have it pretty easy compared to some other people.

Entire lakes are drying up. I mean they even found a piece of the space shuttle that desinigrated in 2003 in a lake in Nacogdoches. NASA confirmed, so it must be true (now if they would just admit that there are aliens). Water resources no longer exist in some Texas and Oklahoma towns. Farmers have had to sell their entire livestock because they have no water to give to the cows. Poor, poor cows. I even heard about how in one Western Oklahoma town, the farmers congregate in the town hall every day to pray for rain because they have no idea what else to do. School is starting soon, which means high school football practice is in full swing. Seems like every year there is a catastrophe when a student is brought into the hospital for dehydration or heat stroke. One coach died the other day after practice. I hate to see what happens this year.

On Tuesday, Texas Motor Speedway’s racetrack was sitting at 145 degrees. The newstation decided to try to cook bacon and a pizza on the track and they even went for cookin’ cookies in a car. The sad part is, it worked.

I’ve come to terms that this triple digit heat isn’t going away anytime soon so it’s great timing that I’m heading North in a week or so from today. Weather.com said when I leave DFW it will be 103, when I get to the Green Mountain state the high will be 78. I keep joking about how I’ll be home, walking around in pants and a hoodie because I’ll be cold.

Maybe if we all just stop talking about it and pretend that it’s not that hot (either that or our bodies just get so use to it, it will seem “normal) maybe it will just go away. That’s probably just high hopes. In actuality someone seriously pissed Mother Nature off and I think they should put their pride aside and say “I’m sorry” pretty soon. 

Laramie, WY & the Wyoming Territorial Prison

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Laramie was my next destination, home of the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Territorial Prison. Yes – I said prison. I was excited!
Getting back onto the I-80 from Happy Jack Road.
I arrived in Laramie and this is the view. I don’t think you can ask for anything better!
Laramie is home to the University of Wyoming. From what I could see there really wasn’t anything else in the town other than the school and housing.
Chief Washakie is one of the statues on campus.
Chief Washakie (“Shoots on the Run”) was a warrior who led a band of Shoshones to the Treaty of Fort Laramie council meetings in 1851. He is well known for his leadership in fighting and friendliness with the white pioneers. He had a distinct sound heading into battle as he carried with him a balloon of dried buffalo hide filled with rocks which earned him the name “The Rattle” or “Gourd Rattler”. Chief Washakie later became a scout for the US Army. He is known as one of the most respected leaders in Native American history, even honored by the US Government by naming a US Outpost on a reservation as Fort Washakie. This is the only US Outpost ever to be named after a Native American and the only Native American to have a full military funeral. The dining hall (see in the background) is also named after Chief Washakie (not nearly as cool as a Fort or County but none the less).
His life was pretty interesting, you can read more about him here and here.
I think this is the most popular statue at the University of Wyoming – Wyoming Cowboys / Cowgirls.
Wyoming Territorial Prison can also be found on the outskirts of Laramie.
The prison was built in 1872 and its as creepy as it is old, well as long as you are touring it by yourself. Crazy me was roaming around Wyoming and where do I choose to go? A old prison, go firgure. In 1890, the prison was renamed the Wyoming State Penitentiary. The prison was open for 30 years, housing over 1,000 men and only 12 women along the way. Outlaws like Butch Cassidy, Dan Parker, Clark “the Kid” Pelton and Eliijah Canary were all housed here.
In 1903, the prison became the stock farm for the University of Wyoming. In 1989, local citizens fought to have the building restored to a historical landmark and here it is today.
The prison offers self guided tours and give yourself a couple hours because the property is extensive. You can tour the prison museum, Warden’s house, Horse Barn exhibit, Box Car house, Broom Factory (where the prisioners worked), Church and the Ranchland.I don’t have a lot of pictures of inside the buildings as I was attempting to take videos and kind of run thru it as it kind of freaked me out. Have I mentioned that already? Walking through old buildings alone isn’t really the kind of thing that I’m super excited about. One building was filled with two floors of individual cells and rooms used by the prisoners and you could hear every little noise. I was bound to get the heck out of there but I also wanted to see everything the landmark had to offer.
The property also showcased part of what would have come with the livestock holdings from the University of Wyoming.
A small western town was also built on the property all decked out for Halloween. I suppose this would be a good place to go for haunted houses or tours. I’ll leave that up for one of you to tell me how it is.
The view definitely wasn’t bad though, that’s for sure!
After all my fright and the sun beginning to set, I figured it was a good time to get the hell out of there (I really was creeped out). But the views, man, I’ve wanted to go back since before I left.
The entire way back to Colorado, I would see these land for sale signs and the land was pretty cheap if I remember right. Wouldn’t that be an adventure to just settle out in the middle of nowhere.
I can dream.
Back on the road.