WYOMING

 There are places I’ll remember

Some have gone but some remain...

I will always remember Sheridan, Wyoming.   I’ve never felt like I was coming home to a place where I had never lived before, until I came here.  When I think of northern Wyoming I find there is so much I could talk about:  histories, both indigenous and European, that speak deeply to me.  An incredible array of wildlife, from the occasional rattlesnake along the trail to high elevation clearings full of moose to huge herds of elk stopping traffic for minutes as they cross the highway to wild bison on hilltops framed by a crescent moon.  I could tell you about an amazing film festival that welcomed me to town or a lonely windy subalpine trail that sent me on my way.  And in between adrenaline filled days of skiing, hiking, biking, running and kayaking, to say nothing of the Wyo Rodeo, fantastic live local music and outstanding museums like the internationally renowned Brinton and cultural programs hosted by the Wyo Theatre and Sheridan College.

The natural wonder here is beyond description and made me feel like I was experiencing continual once-in-a-lifetime moments.  There were sunrises and sunsets that had to be seen to be believed, no words or photos could do them justice.  I’ve witnessed still oceans of cloud top-lit in brilliant sunshine stretching to the Dakotas broken only by islands of the highest distant peaks.  And it was my daily privilege to greet the morning from a vantage point a vertical mile above the city of Sheridan, surrounded by granite cliffs dating back to the beginning of time.  This is a place of indescribable yearning, so full of wonder and beauty it hurts.

 

There is moodiness in the light and weather; spiritual magic in the open plains and the tortured geology of the Bighorn Mountains that forms the backdrop for the incredible lives lived here.  Red Cloud, Jim Bridger, Plenty Coups and Bill Cody are just a few of the famous historical figures who called this region home.  Walking in their footsteps today are some of the best people I have ever met, friends for life.  I was made to feel at home by ranchers, rangers, cowboys and Indians whose honor, honesty and work ethic I recognize and celebrate.  As a proud liberal son of the Green Mountains we often held wildly differing political views, but without exception, we met and abided with kindness and respect. 

I’ve traveled from coast to coast to coast, greeted the morning under foreign skies and made my home in eight different states.  Each of these stops on my life’s journey has left indelible marks, helping to carve and mold me into who I am, and these are indeed places I’ll always remember.  But in my life, Wyoming, I love you more.