April is Wyoming's snowiest month

In many states, March is the snowiest month.

When I lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota that was very much the case. Snowstorms always seemed to coincide with March Madness - all the basketball tournaments going on.

In Wyoming, and in particular Cheyenne, April is the snowiest month.

The view looking west outside my door, about 7 am on Tuesday, 25 April 2016

Just three or four days ago we had 70 degree weather and I was out for bike rides. 

Today I opened my door and saw a covering of snow - see the photo above. This was about 7 am.

By 8 am, the snow was really coming down. Blizzard conditions.

I had to go into town for my bowling league and just got into my car and went.  By the time I got to Greeley Highway I realized that the conditions were serious but by then it was too late to turn around (didn't want to be late for bowling and didn't know how long it would take me to get the 10 miles to the bowling center).

I spent the white-knuckle drive bemoaning the fact that I'd taken all my Winter Storm Survival Equipment out of my car - the blanket, the water, the food, an extra pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt.

I wasn't really afraid of getting stuck - I've got brand new tires and front wheel drive, but  lots of people drive too fast for the conditions and I'm always nervous that someone will run into me!

By the time 11 am rolled around and bowling was over, the snowplows had been through, and the roads were clear and the snow was melting.

Explore historical artifacts from Wyoming National Parks

 If you're like me, you use Google as your search engine of choice.

And all day today, in celebration of 2016 being the 100th anniversary of the founding of the National Park Service (on August 25, 1916), Google has a link on their home page saying " Explore historical artifacts from our National Parks."

Every state with National Parks is represented, though there only seems to be 4 photos from each park.

But, here are some screen captures of the artifacts on display from Wyoming National Parks.

(Note - since the National Parks service is a government entity, it's okay to share all these screen captures.)

I went to the home page (https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/u/0/collection/centennial-one-object-exhibit?projectId=national-park-service&utm_campaign=national_parks_us&utm_source=google&utm_medium=hppromo&utm_content=desktop)

and this is what it looks like (click on image to show full size):

National Park Service, Centennial One Object Exhibit

I did a search for "Wyoming"in the top left hand search box, and it came back with 5 results for some reason...

Five results found including Wyoming National Parks

Here's the home page for the Wyoming National Parks exhibit

Collections from Wyoming National Parks

First page - a painting from 1937 depicting the bear climbing Devil's Tower, which explains the grooves in the surface of the extruded column of basalt (actually, that's what happens when basalt cools), and a photo of David Haddenham from Fossil Butte National Monument.

Devils Tower painting, David Haddenham photograph

Sutler's store token, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, beaded buckskin dress, Grand Teton National Park

Our National Parks need your support, and deserve it, since there are so many beautiful and/or historic things to see at each and every one of them.

Cheyenne: What to do if you're in Cheyenne on a Thursday night

If you're visiting Cheyenne in the winter time (which runs all the way until the end of April - April is the snowiest month in Wyoming!), and in particular on a Thursday, you may wonder if there's any point in leaving your nice warm hotel room.

Well, if you are a fan of trivia, consider visiting Scooter's Scoreboard Bar at 507 E. Lincolnway. (Lincolnway is a west/east road that runs through Cheyenne, Scooter's is on the right hand side of the road as you head east. As you head east, first you come to the Village Inn Restaurant, then Scooters. On the left hand side of the road is Halladay's Collision Center.)

Sign for Scooter's Scoreboard Bar, heading east on Lincolnway, on a cloudy morning

Scooter's Scoreboard Bar on a cloudy (and snow on the ground) April mid-morning

Geeks Who Drink is, according to features writer Ellen Fike of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, "the popular trivia game series started in Denver and is currently held in 600 bars and restaurants across the nation."

If you don't drink but like trivia, I'm sure Scooters will have soft drinks for sale as well.

I learned about this in the Saturday, April 16, 2016 edition of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. The trivia series has been in Cheyenne for several months. Sadly, the original location that hosted the Geeks Who Drink series, the Cheyenne Brewing Company, closed about six months ago. (I am always sad when a business closes - well, most businesses!)

The Quizmaster at Scooters Scoreboard Bar is Tom Wann. He says that every Thursday, an average of 25 people come in to drink and play the trivia game.

The quizzes change from week to week, and consist of 8 rounds, with 8 questions in each round. The games usually run about two hours.

According to Wann, via Fike: Questions are geared to pop culture, random knowledge, current events and anything based in nerd culture. There are occasionally themed quizzes, such as "when a new Marvel movie is released." First prize, a $15 gift certificate, second prize, a $10 gift certificate.

If you're a trivia fan, check it out!

Good Friend's Oriental Chinese Restaurant

In the same building as Scooter's Scoreboard Bar, to the left/east, is a Chinese restaurant, Good Friend's. It is open every day EXCEPT Sunday. Hours are 11 am to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, and from 11 am to 9:30 pm on Friday and Saturday.

What is the Blue Star Memorial Highway?

If you stop off at a Rest Area on I-25N (or, as it might be, I-25S), chances are you'll see a sign saying it's a part of the Blue Star Memorial Highway.

Blue Star Memorial Highway at Southeast Wyoming Welcome Center

Several highways or sections of highways, in all states,  have received this designation throughout the years.

This tribute to our armed forces was started in the 1950s by the National Council of State Garden Clubs.

The use of service flags was started during World War I. Families of solders were given flags by the military to display in or outside their homes. The number of blue stars on the flag (which consisted of a white background) indicated how many brothers/sons the family had serving in the military. If the star was gold, it meant the soldier had died (either killed in action or some other service-related death).

Photo Comparison: Wind Code

Sculptor Stan Dolega and his crew installed "Wind Code" outside the Southeast Wyoming Welcome Center on July 17, 2012.

http://wyoarts.state.wy.us/stan-dolegas-wind-code-installed-at-new-southeast-wyoming-welcome-center/

"The sculpture was commissioned through the Wyoming Art in Public Buildings Program. It will be dedicated as part of the new facility later this summer."

Interestingly, the article - albeit a brief one - doesn't bother to give the meaning of the sculpture's name. What is "Wind Code?"

The website WYO Lifestyle (http://www.wyolifestyle.com/blog/?p=2306)provides the explanation:

WIND CODE was created in this manner to accompany the new Southeast Wyoming Welcome Center. Inspirational sources for this artwork include the architecture and purposes of the Welcome Center itself, the ever-present snow fencing along the highways, and especially the space and natural environment comprising the State of Wyoming. WIND CODE was designed to work with and react to the environment and the elements. The sculpture will continually evolve and change. Its patina will age, the wind will flow through the slats, the sun will cast ever-changing patterns and the ice and snow will cover and melt in surprising ways.

Here's a panorama I took with my Samsung Galaxy SIII:

Panorama of The Wind by Stan Dolega (Click to see full size)

The Wind, with a sign in the foreground

I've left Comments on. Which photo do you prefer?

Photo Composition: The Greeting and the Gift

It's not easy to take photos of the sculpture grouping, The Greeting and the Gift.

The two sculptures, one of an American Indian and the other of a Mountain Man, are placed 20 yards or more apart, on either side of a bridge spanning I-25N.

Because it's on a bridge, it's hard to get a panoramic shot of the sculptures - especially if it's a grey day!

I took these photos with my Galaxy SIII smartphone, on a cloud-covered day. I'll have to revisit on a sunnier day and try again.

But for now...

The Greeting and the Gift: click on photo to see full size.

The Robe-clad Native American holding a ceremonial buffalo horn filled with sweet water

Look at the Mountain Man's arm, follow it down, the Indian is the dark spot in the center!

Photo Composition: Welcome to Wyoming Signs

Here are three photos I took of the Welcome to Wyoming sign on the border of Colorado and Wyoming via US-85.

The first photo shows the Welcome to Wyoming sign with the Sand Creek Massacre Trail sign centered underneath it.

The second shows the Welcome to Wyoming sign with the Sand Creek Massacre Trail sign to the left.

(Of course both those photos would be better if you could actually read the text of the Sand Creek Massacre Trail sign, but my Galaxy IIIS wasn't up to the task.  I'll go back eventually with my Cybershot and see if I can't do better with it.)

And finally - and the one I use as a backdrop to this blog - there's the Welcome to Wyoming sign angled so that the wind farm on the opposite side of the road can be seen.  Thanks to Wyoming's ever present wind, there are a lot of wind farms here.

Welcome to Wyoming sign

Welcome to Wyoming sign

Welcome to Wyoming and the Wind Farm across the highway

I've left the Comments section enabled. Which photo do you like best?