Wyoming Rural Electric News May 2021

WYOMING

MAY 2021

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HELPING HEROES W h e at l a n d c ow b oy s h a r e s e x p e rt i s e

RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS

CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

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Service Through Generations

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This is one of the best areas in the nation to raise bees.

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− Dusty Backer, Backer Bees

Environment isn’t just a buzz word at Basin Electric. Backer Bees has bees at Glenharold Mine, a reclaimed coal mine that used to supply coal to our first power plant. The reclaimed pasture has a variety of flowers−alfalfa, clover, sunflowers, wildflowers−making it one of the best areas in the nation to raise bees. Environmental stewardship has always been a guiding principle for us. That’s why we’re committed to reclaiming and restoring land back to its natural state, like Glenharold Mine.

Your energy starts here. basinelectric.com

2021 M A Y

ON THE COVER

12 CENTERPIECE

Helping Heroes: Wheatland cowboy shares expertise BY RACHEL GIRT

PHOTO BY TYSON KRINKE

Cover Photo: Heroes and Horses CEO Micah Fink, left, and Program Manager Chris Bova get the horses ready for the day. Heroes and Horses is a program for returning or transitioning combat veterans.

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JUST FOR FUN CORNER 20 KIDS’ M AY F LY GIVEAWAY 22 BOOK B U RY H I M

BY DOUG CHAMBERLAIN

23 PUZZLE CONNECT

THE KNOTS

BY KENDRA SPANJER

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FEATURES YOUTH 06 CO-OP GARLAND LIGHT & P OW E R’S JAMES SHEETS

11 H O M E TO W N H I T S SPOTLIGHT 24 CO-OP S E RV I C E T H R O U G H G E N E R AT I O N S

BY ILENE OLSON

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FROM OUR READERS

ESSAYS & ANECDOTES

STATE NEWS & EVENTS

COOKS 26 COUNTRY PIZZA

NOTES 04 WREA A S I LV E R L I N I N G

08 THE CURRENT 10 COWBOY STATE BUZZ 32 WHAT'S HAPPENING

TO PAPER 27 PEN W I N D Y WAV E S

28 T R A N S P O R TAT I O N JUST PICTURE IT

BY SHAWN TAYLOR

ON THE RANGE 18 HOME HUMANS AND HORSES

BY GINA LUTTERMAN

US 36 ENLIGHTEN BULL RUN

BY JACKIE DOROTHY

WREA NOTES

A Silver Lining The year was 2020 and COVID was her name We closed businesses and schools and nothing was the same. But we did what was best, according to our beliefs, And thankfully we don’t live on the coasts, man what a relief. We masked up, washed our hands, and kept 6 feet apart. We shopped online and filled our virtual shopping cart. Zoom is now a thing for kids and adults alike, And when the weather was nice we walked more and the kids rode their bikes. Curbside pick-up, DoorDash, Grubhub and contactless delivery helped keep us fed, While Wyoming and the nation’s economy continued in the red. Protests and violence and political divides, Elections and recounts the growing anger in the country was impossible to hide. But with every problem a silver lining can be found. Connecting with family and friends and virtual happy hours abound. We’ll never forgot the year of the ‘Rona and we’re not out of the woods yet. But let’s take a deep breath and be thankful for all that we have, because it’s time to get ready and to get set. Let’s heal up and hairover and let bygones be bygones, for 2020 has passed, and now it’s time for all to come together and kick a little … tail.

SH AW N TAY LO R

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OK, I’ll admit it, I had a severe case of writer’s block trying to decide what to write about for this month’s column and with my deadline looming I was coming up blank. While we’re already five months into the new year, it was just over a year ago when things went south due to the coronavirus and other 2020 “things.” So, for my column this month I thought I would share a little ditty that I wrote at the beginning of this year. Sorry for my laziness but I hope you enjoy.

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VISIT US AT www.tristate.coop/BE

Tri-State is a not-for-profit power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.

CO-OP YOUTH PHOTO BY DANIEL WENGER

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THE WREN MAGAZINE WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS The official publication of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association

WREN: Tell us about your studies and interests.

The WREN Magazine, Wyoming Rural Electric News, volume 67, number 4, May 2021 (ISSN 1098-2876) is published monthly except for January for $12 per year by Linden Press, Inc., Periodicals postage paid at Cheyenne, WY (original entry office) and at additional mailing offices. WREN Magazine is owned and controlled by rural electric cooperatives in the interest of the economic progress of rural areas specifically and the entire population of Wyoming and the nation generally. WREN Magazine has a total average monthly paid circulation of 40,437 for 11 months ending September 2020. WREN Magazine is delivered to rural electric member/ consumers and other subscribers throughout the entire state of Wyoming and the nation. Acceptance of advertising by WREN Magazine does not

HOMETOWN: Powell

imply endorsement of the product or services advertised by the publisher or Wyoming electric cooperatives.

WREN STAFF Publisher: Linden Press, Inc. — Editorial Team — Maggie York Kelly Etzel Douglas Alison Quinn — Design Team — Dixie Lira David Merkley Shawna Phillips

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Garland Light & Power, Powell – Scott Smith, President High West Energy, Pine Bluffs – Michael Lerwick, Vice President Wheatland REA, Wheatland – Sandra Hranchak, Secretary/Treasurer Basin Electric, Bismarck, ND – Paul Baker

HIGH SCHOOL: Powell High School YEAR OF GRADUATION: 2018 COLLEGE: University of Wyoming MAJOR STUDY INTEREST: Mechanical engineering with a minor in computer science

Big Horn REC, Basin – John Joyce Bridger Valley Electric, Mountain View – Ruth Rees Carbon Power, Saratoga – Kenny Curry Deseret Power, South Jordan, UT – Gary Nix High Plains Power, Riverton – Matthew Frericks Lower Valley Energy, Afton – Fred Brog Niobrara, Lusk – Andy Greer Powder River Energy, Sundance – Mike Lohse Tri-State G&T, Westminster, CO – Julie Kilty Wyrulec, Torrington – Dewey Hageman

SUBSCRIPTION RATES $12 per year, Single copies $1.50 each

ADVERTISING To purchase, contact Dhara Rose: [307] 996-6552 • dhara@golinden.com

OFFICE OF WREN OWNER 2312 Carey Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001

Wyoming’s rural electric cooperatives are proud to support our youth, giving college scholarships and lineman scholarships.

THIS MONTH: Garland Light and Power awarded James Sheets with a $1,000 college scholarship in 2018.

SEND ADDRESS CHANGES AND CORRESPONDENCE TO PUBLISHER AT WREN Magazine • 214 West Lincolnway, Suite 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001, [307] 286-8140 wren@wyomingrea.org

POSTMASTER — Send address changes to — The WREN Magazine, Wyoming Rural Electric News, c/o Linden Press, Inc., 223 S. Howes St., Fort Collins, CO 80521, [970] 221-3232. Include 3-digit co-op code.

PRINTED WITH VEGETABLE INK

JAMES SHEETS

Youth Tour and youth camps were canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Your rural electric cooperative may be taking applications for next year. See the insert in the center of the magazine for contact information.

JS: I’ve always had an interest in engineering and computer science. Both my parents graduated from the University of Wyoming and I am a proud fifth generation Wyomingite, so naturally I wound up studying at this university. I’m quickly approaching my fourth and final year at the University of Wyoming, and I can honestly say that I have enjoyed my time here. This summer I will have the opportunity to intern with J.R. Simplot at their phosphate plant in Rock Springs. I am excited for a glimpse of engineering in the real world, and to learn more about things I may want to do once I graduate. WREN: How have your hometown, family and/or friends influenced you? JS: My family has played a very influential role in my life, they have always supported me and pushed me to achieve my best. My mother is a third grade teacher at a local elementary school in Powell and my father is a retired engineer. Their support has meant a lot over the years and I am very thankful for them. Powell is home to Northwest Community College, and our local high school allows its students to enroll in college courses during their junior and senior year. This allowed me to get a fair amount of college credits during high school, which made the workload during college much nicer. I am very thankful for the Garland Light and Power scholarship, and others like it from the community that helped me succeed during my years here at the University of Wyoming. WREN: What are your plans for the future? JS: I’m very excited to see what the future holds. During my schooling I have developed a particular interest in mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer, so I hope to find a career field that lets me use those skills. I still have a lot of interests and have not been able to specify one company or one career that I’d like to have after graduation. Of course I would love to stay in Wyoming, but if I can’t do that right after graduation I’d love to make my way back here someday!

Spring is in the air. The squirrels are dancing and the Earth is smiling. With a lower environmental impact, UltraPole NXT is the first major innovation in treated wood pole protection in decades. Its environmentally advanced preservative means less chemicals in the environment. If you liked penta, you’ll love UltraPole NXT.

THE CURRENT

Pandemic, Weather Can’t Stop Wheatland ’s Annual Meeting HISTORIC STORM

Wheatland Rural Electric Association had an ironclad plan for its 2021 annual meeting. After the 2020 meeting was canceled to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the co-op decided to hold the 2021 meeting at an outside venue. The meeting was planned to take place on March 17 as a drive-in style event at the fairgrounds, where members could remain in their cars and still meet. Then the storm hit.

01 The March 13 snowstorm dropped up to 4 feet of snow, shutting down the state from Casper to Cheyenne and causing multiple outages for Wheatland REA. The storm, which rivaled the historic blizzard of 1949, created heavy wet drifts that made even Interstate 25 impassable for days. Co-op members weren’t able to leave their driveways, much less travel to town. The annual meeting was postponed for a week.

PHOTO BY FROSTY ADAMS, WHEATLAND RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

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1 WEEK OF LINE REPAIRS

“The number of meters out of power was up to 2,000 at one point as line failures occurred as the ice melted from the line, causing the neutral and phase wires to touch, creating short circuits and tripping switches,” Wheatland REA posted to Facebook on March 18. For the next week, Wheatland REA’s lineworkers were out in the field, closing switches and repairing lines from dawn to dusk. When line trucks were getting stuck, they used tracked vehicles, and even a helicopter, to restore power. Lineworkers from Carbon Power & Light, High West Energy and Tri-State Generation & Transmission came to help. The last line was reconnected on March 21.

METERS OUT

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4 FEET OF SNOW

Multiple co-ops and utilities helped repair Wheatland Rural Electric Association’s power lines in the aftermath of the March 13 storm. Pictured northwest of Wheatland are, from left, Wheatland’s Posten Anderson, High West Energy’s Bryan Warden and Wheatland’s Clay Becker.

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MAY 2021

You guys are amazing, thank you for all your hard work in getting power back to everyone in the county. I know it hasn’t been easy with this crazy weather but you are truly amazing,” -Becky Anne wrote on Facebook on March 17.

THE CURRENT PHOTOS BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS

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WHEATLAND REA ANNUAL MEETING

Then it was time for the annual meeting of the membership. Wheatland REA decided to hold a drive-thru event for two days, March 24 and 25, to reach as many members as possible. They set up a tent in the co-op’s parking lot and collected ballots there. Members who came through could take a boxed lunch and, if eligible, receive their capital credit check. The membership showed up: 178 Wheatland REA members registered during the drivethru event, meeting the co-op’s requirement for a quorum and conducting the necessary business of the co-op. Four board members were re-elected and the updates to the bylaws passed.

Candy Wright casts her vote with the help of Member Services Manager Al Teel during the drive-thru annual meeting for Wheatland REA on March 25.

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Thank you, our member-owners, for your patience and understanding, you are the best!” -Wheatland REA shared to Facebook on March 21.

Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Basin Electric Power Cooperative, a member-owned G&T cooperative, is seeking candidates for the position of CEO and General Manager. Basin Electric, headquartered in Bismarck, ND, generates and transmits wholesale bulk electric power, primarily to 141 member rural electric systems located in nine states. Please see BasinElectric.com for a full description and additional information. Click on About Us, then Career Center. Applicants interested in this opening should email a cover letter and resumé to executivesearch@bepc.com Basin Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Wheatland REA Billing Specialist Peggy Ervin talks with member Candy Wright during the co-op’s drive-thru annual meeting.

MAY 2021

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COWBOY STATE BUZZ

Welcome Home Ceremony Honors Troops The state of Wyoming held a virtual Welcome Home Veterans Day Celebration on March 30 to honor and thank the men and women who served during all wars, especially the Vietnam War. The ceremony included remarks from the governor, the adjutant general and the Veterans Commission chairman. “The horrific events of Vietnam veterans coming home and what they went through upon their return to the United States was simply unacceptable. That’s why every year we take this opportunity to properly welcome all veterans so no one has to go through what they went through,” said Gov. Mark Gordon. “We need to make sure we thank you and your families every single day.”

PHOTO BY SGT. 1ST CLASS JIMMY MCGUIRE., COURTESY OF WYOMING NATIONAL GUARD

A Vietnam veteran looks for the grave of a fallen friend at the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery in Evansville prior to a memorial service in 2015.

PHOTO BY TECH. SGT. JON ALDERMAN, COURTESY OF AIR NATIONAL GUARD

Capt. Derek Sanborn, a pilot with the 187th Airlift Squadron, reunites with his family in 2020 at the Wyoming Air National Guard base in Cheyenne.

“We dedicate today to you and all our veterans, so we learn from those past experiences so they stay in the past, and all our veterans receive the welcome home they deserve,” said Maj. Gen. Greg Porter, the adjutant general of Wyoming, who oversees the Wyoming National Guard. Porter noted that Wyoming continues to send troops on shortand long- term deployments. They are greeted by their family, friends and community when they return.

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In 2020 Wyoming National Guard welcomed home more than nearly 400 soldiers and around 200 airmen after serving in various deployments around the world,” -Maj. Gen. Greg Porter The day of welcoming was codified in state law in 2011 to take place on March 30 of each year, the date U.S. combat troops would have set foot on Wyoming soil after returning home from the Vietnam War in 1973. The event, which is usually held in person, took place online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All Wyoming veterans, especially those from the Korean War, Vietnam War, and other veterans who were not properly thanked upon their return home were invited to watch the event and receive the welcome and thanks of a grateful state.

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MAY 2021

The Welcome Home ceremony is available for the public to view on the Wyoming National Guard website and social media accounts.

Nearly 600 Wyoming Vietnam War veterans gathered in Casper in 2015 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the start of major ground operations in the War. PHOTO BY SGT. 1ST CLASS JIMMY MCGUIRE, COURTESY OF WYOMING NATIONAL GUARD

HOMETOWN HITS

THIS MONTH:

HEART MOUNTAIN INTERPRETIVE CENTER

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HEART MOUNTAIN INTERPRETIVE CENTER

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WHERE YOU’LL FIND IT:

TYPE OF SPOT:

On the eastern side of the iconic Heart Mountain between Cody and Powell.

GARLAND LIGHT & POWER MEMBER

I-25

Museum with original buildings and hiking paths.

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I-25

ABOUT THE SITE: The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center tells the story of Japanese American families who were confined at the site during World War II due to prejudice.

PHOTOS BY KEVIN J. MIYAZAKI, COURTESY OF HEART MOUNTAIN WYOMING FOUNDATION

WHY IT’S SPECIAL: The board that oversees the Heart Mountain Foundation includes former incarcarees and their descendants, who are committed to keeping the history alive, lest it be repeated. MAY 2021

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C E N T E RCENTERPIECE PIECE

HELPING HEROES: Wheatland cowboy shares expertise with veterans’ program BY RACHEL GIRT

Wyoming cowboy Jack Finnerty, 82, eagerly tied 25 rope halters by hand upon learning from his son that nonprofit Heroes and Horses needed them for its veterans’ equine program.

PHOTO BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS

The veterans learn horsemanship, how to ride, shoeing, farriery and other skills needed to survive a 12-day expeditionary style pack trip. They also work at partner ranches for a week and complete an internship. About 24 combat veterans, split between three classes, navigate the program each summer. The program typically receives hundreds of applications each year. “If we had the capacity to take all of them on, we would, so our vetting process tries to identify the guys that are seemingly the worst off,” said Chris Bova, Heroes and Horses program manager.

Heroes and Horses CEO Micah Fink, left, and Program Manager Chris Bova get the horses ready for the day. The program currently keeps 65 horses. PHOTO BY TYSON KRINKE

The whole human approach “I’m really

impressed with them, especially with the program’s successes of helping veterans using only donations.”

Heroes and Horses, based in Montana, is a 41-day reintegration program for returning or transitioning combat veterans incorporating a 360-degree whole human recovery approach. The process is a mixture of diet, exercise, meditation, horsemanship, ranching skills, two wilderness pack trips and an internship. “I’m really impressed with them, especially with the program’s successes of helping veterans using only donations,” said Finnerty, who has served on the Wheatland Rural Electric Association board since 1979 and the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association board since 1988. Under the innovative program, each participant is paired with a horse, many of them former wild mustangs.

The transition out of military service, especially for combat veterans, can be extremely difficult and polarizing. When many arrive at the program, their lack of activity and basic care for themselves has plummeted to a point where they may as well have not existed at all, Bova explained. The program applies the appropriate amount of pressure to spur the veterans to change in a more holistic fashion. From the start, they’re eating a diet based on the Whole30 Program, getting proper amounts of sleep and putting their minds to work every day. Most participants even lose up to 18 pounds. “Our program allows these guys the opportunity to rediscover themselves and reframe what they’ve just gone through and use their strengths moving forward in life to do things that have value to our society,” Bova added. The nonprofit started in 2014 after the founder and CEO Micah Fink, a former Navy SEAL, had trouble adjusting to civilian life. Fink found great value in immersing himself in hard agricultural work and the wilderness found in the remote backcountry of Montana. Fink started bringing along former teammates who had been deployed with him. That led to growing the nonprofit into today’s comprehensive reintegration program, offering veterans an alternative solution for defining and approaching their physical and mental scars. Last year, Heroes and Horses bought a 3,500-acre ranch near Virginia City, Montana.

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HELPING HANDS

Jack Finnerty has been tying, and giving away, horse halters for years. One halter takes about 20 feet of rope.

Impactful but simple gifts To run the day-to-day ranch operations, Heroes and Horses relies heavily on in-kind donations. The ranch, combined with a large horse herd—currently at 65—equates to almost insurmountable equipment costs to the small nonprofit, which is 100 percent donor-funded. One of the Heroes and Horses’ online requests last year caught the attention of Finnerty’s son, Matt, who runs Finnco Services in California.

1. The lacing on the nosepiece came from a young person in Wheatland. Finnerty taught the boy how to tie halters, and the boy added the lacing and taught the technique to Finnerty.

Matt gave his dad a call, offering to have his company pay for the rope if he would tie them. The father and son duo then drove to Montana to deliver the halters. Heroes and Horses gave them a commendation for their help.

“What Jack did may seemingly not be that big, but, for us, it’s huge,” Bova said, calling Finnerty an “amazing American.”

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“When sweat equity is put into something that’s given to us, that has special significance,” Bova said. Finnerty first learned to tie halters from his father and neighbors while growing up on the M Bar Ranch, located near Slater. His father bought the land from the Swan Cattle Company in 1945.

Those cowboys knew how to tie different knots since they used rope every day; nothing was mechanized, Finnerty said. “I was fortunate enough to get around a couple of them who taught me.”

2 2. The fiador knot under the horse’s chin can hold a lead rope. A horse trainer named Pat Parelli taught that knot to Finnerty.

PHOTOS BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS

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“When sweat equity is put into

something that’s given to us , that has special significance.” Finnerty uses about 20-25 feet of rope per halter and four different knots. His halters feature the four-strand diamond fiador knot, more commonly called in the West as a Theodore knot after U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Tying a rope halter takes 10 minutes if he’s in a hurry, Finnerty said. Most days, though, he takes his time. “I’m not really in the business of making them to sell. It gives me something to do in the wintertime.”

3. Finnerty uses a lanyard knot to secure the halter. A Montana bulldogger named Rod Lyman taught Finnerty that knot.

While he has been out of the cattle business for several years, Finnerty still has four horses on his property outside of Wheatland. He keeps several halters on hand in his truck, just in case someone needs one. Finnerty has received many accolades for rodeo and his impact on Wyoming. Over the years, he has placed in bareback, bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, and team roping, even taking All Around Cowboy at the 1969 Wyoming State Fair. In 1997, he was inducted into the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association’s Hall of Fame.

His induction into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2019 was not something that Finnerty ever planned. “I was deeply honored,” he said. Finnerty has dedicated many years to community service, serving on the Wyoming High School Rodeo board, over 30 years on the Tri-State board and over 40 years serving on the Wheatland REA board. In 2018, he received the Craig Thomas Cooperative Service Award from the Wyoming Rural Electric Association. A rural electric cooperative is a very interesting business that constantly has to adapt to changing technology, Finnerty said, explaining his decades of service. “Working with the greatest people has been very rewarding, and there’s never been a dull moment.” As for tying halters for Heroes and Horses, it was a simple way for his family to give back, Finnerty explained. “It’s a tremendous program.”

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Former Navy SEAL Micah Fink started Heroes and Horses in 2014 after he had trouble adjusting to civilian life.

“I fully understand why people

A LIFESTYLE

truly love the Western cowboy culture —there’s something special and amazing about it.”

Heroes and Horses works to make a sustainable, lasting effect on each participant’s life.

A better approach The Heroes and Horses experience changed the trajectory of Bova’s life. The former Marine and CIA paramilitary contractor was having a rough transition into civilian life before he went through the program six years ago. “I fully understand why people truly love the Western cowboy culture— there’s something special and amazing about it,” Bova said. Bova’s internship with the program took him to Alaska, where he worked for an outfitter. He went on to work at a ranch at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan and then to running a security firm in Texas. When the program manager position opened at Heroes and Horses, he put in his notice and headed to the mountains.

“When you’re caring for 65 animals, it’s a lifestyle in itself, but I feel truly called to this mission. This is my life’s work.”

“My friends and family think I’m crazy because we’re working seven days a week here,” he said, laughing. “When you’re caring for 65 animals, it’s a lifestyle in itself, but I feel truly called to this mission. This is my life’s work.” The organization is concerned about the growing suicides among the veteran population and is trying to make a sustainable, lasting effect on each participant’s life, Bova explained. Recent partnerships have aligned the nonprofit with universities and researchers to define success better and find improvements. “We think it’s a duty of ours, especially in the veteran community, to help people transition to the society that they’ve sacrificed to protect,” Bova added. W Veterans in the program learn horsemanship, how to ride, shoeing, farriery and other skills needed to survive a 12-day expeditionary style pack trip.

Rachel Girt is a freelance writer and owner of Girt Communications based in Cheyenne. PHOTOS COURTESY OF HEROES AND HORSES

MAY 2021

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HOME ON THE RANGE

Humans & Horses BY GINA LUTTERMAN

My ex-brother-in-law taught me the bits and pieces I know about riding horses. Biological evolution taught me the rest. While their temperament may vary according to breed and training, horses are thousandpound animals with eyes on the sides of their head to constantly search for predators. On the range, they are always on high alert and get their confidence from the people who are either leading or riding them. I was raised with a healthy respect for horses, but not horsemanship skills, so it is ironic that I’m writing this column on my equine acquaintances. My New Orleans college friends, who introduced me as the first person they had ever met from Wyoming and who thought that everyone who lived here rode a horse to school every day, would agree.

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MAY 2021

I appreciate folks who are devoted to working on and with horses. Domesticated horses have been pulling plows, herding cattle and providing transportation for business and pleasure for centuries. But they are still animals and it is not in their nature to do these things. They must be taught. Investing in the horse-rider relationship is a dance between coaxing and teaching, not fighting. It is the regard for cooperation while providing some room to fool around to make things interesting and develop personality.

little fear. Which is, apparently, where she and I differ.

Jill says that the horse-rider relationship is built on a mutual trust between you and a 1,200to 1,500-pound animal that is allowing you to ride it and to take care of it in exchange for power and freedom. And because the animal feels like an extension of yourself, the instinctive capability is almost like being an elite athlete. On horseback, you are able to get places you can’t go by motor, over long distances that would be painstakingly slow by foot. The sense of accomplishment and satisfaction You simply in the symbiotic relationship is won’t be able unparalleled. It to pet or bridle straddles the line a horse if you between wild and disciplined. are agitated.

My riding friends tell me that their horses will not learn if they are afraid. Neither will you. I joked with my friend Jill when I asked her, “Why would anyone want to ride a horse?” She said that for anyone who has ridden their entire lives—for anyone that has no memory of their first ride because they have been doing it since infancy—there is relatively

In my line of work as a mental health counselor, there is a type of therapy called equine therapy. In this type of mental health treatment, the client works with a trained psychotherapist

and a horse trainer on an animal that is chosen based on size, temperament and ability to withstand unpredictability and distraction. It usually starts with low-level interactions such as feeding and grooming and graduates to riding. Because horses are so finely tuned to fear, anger and irritability in humans, the bonding process allows for self-reflection and managing the autonomic nervous system in interactions. You simply won’t be able to pet or bridle a horse if you are agitated. The horse’s ability to mirror human emotional expressions without motive or expectations facilitates healing. It is especially successful in treating trauma, anxiety, depression and ADHD, but perhaps horses tame the wild spirit in all of us. On the other end of the spectrum, the unbridled power of wild horses is a thing of legend. The passing of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burro Act that former President Richard

Nixon signed into law in 1971 states that “Congress finds and declares that wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West...” For better or worse, the pioneering, wild horse spirit is ingrained in Wyoming culture. And while we won’t delve deeply into the controversy here, a 2017 National Geographic article by filmmaker Ben Masters reveals that the definition varies. “Depending on whom you ask, wild horses are a reintroduced native species indigenous to North America, an invasive pest disrupting ecological functions, or feral livestock that are culturally significant and whose numbers need to be closely managed,” Masters writes. A balance between wild freedom and domesticated temperance. I have ridden horses a handful of times with moderate success, not much of which is story worthy. But the time that my son came around the corner at

the ranch with his bike and spooked my horse? That was a wild ride. As the horse chose to traverse the drop-off the wrong way—sideways—I was happy to just hang on. I navigated the hill, eventually righting our course. After my heart found its rhythm again, I was proud. Somehow, I had managed not only to let go and flow with the rhythm of the missteps, but to steer and, eventually, tame the wild beast. I think his name was Snakebite. It was my goal to be a competent horseback rider by age 40, along with being more confident with a standard transmission and having done at least one backpacking trip. But that decade turnover has come and gone, two years since. I don’t know if I’m afraid of being too wild or afraid of being too tame. But one thing is for sure—life is giving me riding lessons in both arenas. W Originally from Laramie, Gina Lutterman draws inspiration from five generations of agriculture to tell the stories of rural living.

214 East 23rd Street, Cheyenne, WY 82001 • (307) 634-2273 • cheyenneregional.org MAY 2021

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDREA PEREZ

KIDS’ CORNER

Meet the

LITTLE WYOMING

MAYFLY

01

Sticky Situation

Mayflies belong to the insect group Ephemeroptera, which comes from Greek words that mean “short-lived” and “winged.” Mayflies, as winged adults, usually live for only one day! Even though the adults do not live for long, mayflies are extremely important. They are food for fish, birds, bats and predatory insects. There are 97 species of mayflies in Wyoming, and around 3,000 worldwide.

Mayflies lay their eggs on the surface of clean streams and rivers. The eggs sink to the bottom and stick to plants or rocks. After a few weeks, the eggs hatch and mayfly nymphs emerge.

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Problematic Pollution Mayflies can stay in the nymph stage for one to two years. Mayfly nymphs are very sensitive to changes in their environment and cannot survive in polluted waters. If you flip over rocks in a stream and don’t find any mayfly nymphs, it could mean that the water is polluted or of poor quality!

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Spread Your Wings 03

Mayflies emerge from the water as winged adults, called the subimago. This emergence occurs in Wyoming from March to November, depending on the location and species. Often, all of the mayflies in a population will emerge at the same time. The subimago stage lasts only a few hours before the mayflies molt into their final adult stage.

Socially Short -Lived Once they reach their final stage, called the imago, males swarm up into the air and females fly into the swarm to mate. After they mate, the females lay eggs in the water, then fall to the water’s surface and die. Male mayflies often die over land, where their bodies become fertilizer for the soil.

05 Mayflies are a favorite bait of trout anglers. That’s because mayflies, at every stage of their lives, are appetizing to trout! Many fly fishing “flies” are tied to resemble the stages of mayfly development. Anglers use different names for them; they call subimagos “duns,” and imagos “spinners.” Duns are dull colored with opaque wings, and spinners are brightly colored with translucent wings. Fish rise up to capture both of these stages at or near the water surface. To see what size and color of mayfly fish are feeding on, skim the water surface with a net, then find a fly in your tackle box to match.

20

MAY 2021

Win a Free

AQUATIC GUIDE! Win a free kid’s aquatic macroinvertebrate guide! Guides are available for the first 10 people who send their mailing address to biodiversity@uwyo.edu. Aquatic macroinvertebrate guides for adults are available for purchase at www.wyobiodiversity.net/products.

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B OB O KO K G IR VE EV AI WE WA Y

BURY HIM A Memoir of the Vietnam War DOUG CHAMBERLAIN DESCRIPTION BY RETIRED ARMY MAJ. GEN. EDWARD WRIGHT

For most of his life, Capt. Doug Chamberlain has lived and worked on his family ranch in LaGrange, Wyoming. Doug has had experience in public education as both a classroom teacher and administrator, in radio broadcasting and the transportation industry. He has been a community and state leader serving in the Wyoming Legislature for 18 years culminating in his election and service as speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives. Perhaps his greatest public service, however, was his time as a Marine company commander in Vietnam. It was a time for him to serve his country, but at the same time, the source of one of his greatest regrets. Like many Vietnam vets, Doug went over alone and came home alone. And, like many other vets, he came home with baggage, violent memories and unfinished business. He was haunted by what he did and failed to do in the war.

ORDERING INFORMATION:

WIN A

FREE COPY

SIGNED

MARCH BOOK WINNER:

Name: Phone:

2019 | 272p. | $24.95 hardcover | $19.95 paperback ISBN: 978-1-950647-05-7 Publisher: Love the West Publications

BYRON FETTER

Address:

AURORA, CO

Print, audio and e-book available online and from the author: PO Box 158, LaGrange, WY 82221, 307-532-1559, lovethewest10@gmail.com

ENTRIES DUE BY JUNE 15 One entry per household, please. 22

MAY 2021

 BURY

c/o WREN Magazine 214 W. Lincolnway, Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001

 wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions

PP UU ZZ ZZ LL EE

Connect

BY KENDRA SPANJER

You don’t have to be a rope expert like Jack Finnerty (page 12) to need knot know-how— whether you’re tying a rope to itself, another rope or simply making sure something stays put! Below are several basic knots, what they’re called, and what they’re for. Draw a line to hitch each correct threesome together.

Knot to attach one rope to another pulling in parallel

FIGURE 8 KNOT

HALTER HITCH

A knot for tying together unequal ropes SHEET BEND

SLIP KNOT

ROLLING HITCH

Quick-release knot to tie something to an anchor point

Stopper knot that can be untied even after it was tight

Stopper knot that can be untied by pulling its tail

A sliding knot that tightens when pulled NOOSE KNOT

UNTIE ANY TANGLES WITH THE ANSWERS ON PAGE 35 MAY 2021

23

PHOTOS BY ILENE OLSON

CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

Spencer George stands at the original site of the dairy farm homesteaded by his grandparents, Arley and Evaleen George. These days, Spencer repairs and maintains the machinery on the George Farms dairy.

SPENCER GEORGE SPENDS HIS WORKDAYS ON HIS FAMILY’S

DAIRY FARM, BUT INSTEAD OF

COWS, IT’S USUALLY MACHINES

HE’S WRANGLING.

Spencer George:

Service Through Generations

each other during the war,” Spencer said.

BY ILENE OLSON

S

pencer is the grandson of Arley and Evaleen George, who homesteaded the

farm in the Heart Mountain

area between Powell and Cody. He’s also the youngest member of the board of directors for Garland Light & Power, the rural electric co-op that serves the area. “The dairy starts with a story of World War II,” Spencer said.

24

MAY 2021

“We have a book of letters they wrote to When Arley finally came home,

Arley George met Evaleen in Perowan, Utah, and they were promised to one another when World War II broke out. Arley decided to join the Army early on during the war, with the promise that he would be discharged after one year of service. Then he and Evaleen could start their life together. But that all changed after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. One year of service stretched to become five long years. But Arley stayed committed to Evaleen, and she to him.

the couple’s romance picked up again in earnest, and they were married two weeks later. Their dream was to start a dairy farm on a mountain with some milk cows. Arley knew about a homesteading opportunity for GIs near a place called Heart Mountain, where a canal was built in the 1930s. He put his name in the drawing for a homestead and drew a 110-acre plot of land near the mountain. They moved there in 1947, 17 months after they were married.

“It’s a beautiful place, but it’s not the best place for agriculture [because] some spots are rocky,” Spencer said. But Arley and Evaleen made a go of it, anyway, and the farm has grown over the years.

“We all get along.

we’ve individually served on,” Spencer said. “Dad sat on the Western Dairy Milk Council and Dairy Farmers of America. My uncle Scott was president of the National Beef Council Federation. And Scott, Lynn and Adam have all served on the Wyoming Beef Council. I had an opportunity to go to Washington, D.C., with National Milk Producers Federation and with Dairy Farmers of America and lobby with our lawmakers about a bill that would affect the way milk is labeled.”

own gifts and

Spencer also values his role on the board for Garland Light & Power, and the importance of the electrical service that Garland provides.

Arley died in 1988, but Evaleen, 97, still lives in the original farmhouse. “Grandma is always amazed about how much the farm has grown over the years,” Spencer said. Many other things have changed as well. One of the most momentous changes was energizing the farm with electricity in 1949. “It was a nice day,” Evaleen said.

And that’s where Spencer’s talents come in. “I oversee maintenance and construction on the farm,” he said. “It entails every part of mechanics. I oversee the construction of our facilities, overhaul, maintain and repair the equipment on the farm, and oversee the mechanical systems. Basically, if it’s broken, I fix it.” He pointed to a bookshelf in his office filled with books, magazines and other publications about machine maintenance and repair.

We all have our talents. I think

we appreciate each other’s talents.”

“Basically, a bunch of farmers were trying to get a stable, reliable, economic source of electricity,” Spencer said. “It took a while for electricity to get up to this farm.”

Before that electric line was brought to the farm, everything had to be done in daylight, by the light of a candle or a lantern, or in the darkness. Gas also was unavailable, so heating and cooking were accomplished with a wood- or coal-fired stove. Arley milked the few cows they had at the time by hand, twice a day, every day. These days, George Farms is operated by Spencer’s father, Arley, two of his uncles, Scott and Lynn, Spencer and his cousin Adam, with the help of 24 full-time and part-time employees.

“It takes a library of books to fix machines,” he said. Spencer said his family continues to work together harmoniously well into the third generation.

“We all know that we rely on one another,” he said. “We all get along. We all have our own gifts and talents. I think we appreciate each other’s talents.” They also place a high value on service— serving their family, helping neighbors, giving tours of the farm to area school children and volunteering for leadership positions in their community and industry.

“I understand the co-op model,” he said. “Garland’s biggest issue is we’re small—the smallest co-op on Tri-State [Generation & Transmission Association]. You have to pay your fair part of it to keep it affordable. I don’t mind that somebody has a renewable electricity resource, but we need to pay our fair share of the distribution plant costs. … We all want affordable electricity. If you use more energy, you pay more into that co-op. As a dairy farm, we use a lot of energy.” W

“For being a small dairy, we actually are recognized nationwide through boards

Ilene Olson is a freelance photographer, writer and editor in Powell.

Spencer and his wife, Heidi, have five children: Dawson, 14, Brittlynn, 11, Kaytlee, 10, Darcee, 7, and Reese, 4.

A large barn with milking machines makes it possible to milk many more cows daily with less physical effort. These days, they milk an average of 600 cows twice a day. The farm also has a small beef herd. Huge tractors, loaders and other machines make short work of chores formerly done by hand or with the aid of much smaller equipment.

MAY 2021

25

COUNTRY COOKS

PIZZA CHICKEN PESTO PIZZA HOMEMADE 1 LOAF FROZEN BREAD DOUGH, OR YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA CRUST DOUGH, THAWED 1 (10 OZ) JAR CLASSICO TRADITIONAL BASIL PESTO PARMESAN CHEESE GARLIC POWDER 5 CUPS MOZZARELLA CHEESE 2 CHICKEN BREASTS, COOKED AND SHREDDED 1 PURPLE ONION, CUT IN HALF AND SLICED 1 RED, YELLOW OR ORANGE BELL PEPPER (CAN USE MIXTURE OF ALL THREE OR JUST ONE BY ITSELF) 8 OZ FETA CHEESE, CRUMBLED

Take thawed bread dough and spread on a large pizza pan. Drain some oil from pesto and spread entire jar on pizza crust. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Sprinkle with 4 cups mozzarella cheese. Layer chicken, sliced purple onion and peppers of your choice. Then sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and feta cheese on top. Bake in 425-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. NANCY DENK

PIZZA SUPREME DOUGH: 1 PKG ACTIVE DRY YEAST 2 CUPS WARM WATER (110-115 DEGREES) 3 TBS VEGETABLE OIL 1-1/2 TSP SALT 4-6 CUPS FLOUR SAUCE: 1 (16-OZ) CAN TOMATO SAUCE 1-1/2 TSP MINCED ONION 1 TSP DRIED OREGANO 1/4 TSP SALT 1/8 TSP PEPPER

TOPPINGS: 4 CUPS SHREDDED MOZZARELLA CHEESE 4 OZ CANADIAN BACON, DICED 3 OZ SLICED PEPPERONI 1 MEDIUM SWEET RED PEPPER, SLICED 1 MEDIUM GREEN PEPPER, SLICED 1 (2 OZ) CAN SLICED RIPE OLIVES, DRAINED 1 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE 1 TSP DRIED BASIL

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. Combine sauce ingredients; set aside. Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll each portion into a 13-inch circle. Transfer to two greased 12-inch pizza pans, build up edges slightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Spread with sauce and sprinkle with toppings. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: two pizzas, six slices each. ANNE METZLER

RIVERTON

RIVERTON

FOR HOT DAYS

26

MAY 2021

YEAST MIXTURE: 2 PACKAGES OF YEAST 1/2 CUP HOT WATER 1 TSP SUGAR Mix first 3 ingredients together and let sit 5 minutes until it rises.

INGREDIENTS FOR SEPARATE BOWL: 1/4 CUP CANOLA OIL 2 - 1/2 TSP SALT (USE LESS OIL IF YOU 2 CUPS WARM WATER WANT A THIN CRUST) (ABOUT 100 DEGREES) 1 TBS SUGAR 3 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR Mix together and add your yeast mixture after it has risen. Beat with mixer about 1 minute or by hand 200 times. Put in a greased bowl and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place. Punch down dough, divide dough in half and roll out the dough on a floured surface and place in two, 12- inch greased pizza pans. Let it rest 5 minutes and add

PIZZA SAUCE, SHREDDED CHEESE, MEAT AND VEGETABLE TOPPINGS of your choice, then add more shredded cheese on the top of that. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cheese will bubble when pizza is done.

JENNIFER ROBERTS

FARSON

Send Send complete complete recipe recipe by by JUNE March15! 10!

JULY:

COLD TREATS

DEEP DISH PAN PIZZA

Please Please include include your your name, name, address address and and phone phone number. number. S SU UB BM M II T T A AR RE EC C II P PE E

[307]286-8140 772-1968  wren@wyomingrea.org |  [307]  214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions

Windy Waves

PEN TO PAPER

Windy wings bloom Red, yellow, Borrowing starlit clues; A box top treat with caramel corn, Peanuts, Popcorn, A special prize inside: Wondrous wizards’ puzzle Floating among Wandering gypsies Standing over their Precious simmering Butterfly stew. Leprechauns dutifully trimming Radiant, Slithering trails, Hosting chocolate, Butternut Pebbles, Immersed among Buttery crumbs; Garnishing cream castles, Rising gracefully Above frosty Strawberry dew covered Lion dens.

We share a selection of WREN readers’ creative writing (poems, limericks, haiku, short verse, and prose) every issue as space and content allow. To be considered for publication, please include the author’s consent to be submitted, his or her mailing address, and confirmation that the work has not been published elsewhere. If you would like us to return your work, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Twinkling jeweled coronet stars Atop her silken crown; Venetian crystals sparkling, Sinister solar lights Squeezing through Tapping, Twirling toes, So pleased to Jingle their Mischievous, Playful choral bell Chimes; Oft times Teetering, Balancing atop Bubble bath waves Blooming plentiful Squadrons of puffed-up Beach balls, Popping atop Swirling swells; Falling, Somersaulting, Rising up Over treble clef Trumpeting Measures,

Ever so lovely; Entertaining clumps of lucky Four leaf clovers, Nestled between Gumdrop stones Crowning bowing, Evergreen hills. Graceful Mayfly damsels circle, Zigzagging upon dizzy Solar blooms of spring; Racing ahead, Orbiting gloomy, Dark, Mushroom clouds Chasing scarecrows aglow On one more breezy day, In frost covered fields Filled with corn, Dancing delightfully Beneath the November wind. EDWARD E. MORROW, JR.

POWELL

Put Your Pen to Paper!

Please include your name, address, and phone number. SUBMIT A PIECE

 wren@wyomingrea.org |  [307] 286-8140  214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions

MAY 2021

27

01 02 06

03

04

01

Winter ride, Denette Price, Newcastle

02

Hitching a ride, Angie Martin, Mountain View

03

Two young travelers, Melva Baldwin, Van Tassell

04

“Two can’t fit.” “Yes we can.” Julie Crossley, Fort Bridger

05

Spring ridin’, Jennifer Roberts, Farson

06

Blaze, Denette Price, Newcastle

07

Sisters traveling on the three-wheeler, Linda Torczon, Cody

05

07

JUST PICTURE IT

THIS MONTH:

JULY (DUE JUNE 15):

TRANSPORTATION

HERITAGE

08

09

08

Trail bike at Pole Mountain, Frank Mellblom, Cheyenne

09

Transportation the old-fashioned way, Robin Riesland, Newcastle

10

Coal train, Campbell County, Sandy Pokorney, Gillette

11

Pile of old vehicles in buffalo pasture, Judy Cramer, Thermopolis

12

Sammy in the hills, Tristan Gabel, Lander

13

A field in Bosler, James Alsop, Laramie

10

11 12

13

Sheep wagons are a home away from home A band of sheep running anywhere from 500 to 1,000 head of sheep usually has a herder watching for predators, so he needs a camp to stay in. The sheep wagon, the home away from home, has a bed, small stove, a pullout table, a dishpan, lantern and plenty of storage cupboards. Two different sheep wagons or gypsy wagons are used. Story goes if the cook stove is on the right side when entering the wagon, it is called a sheep camp. If the stove is on the left side, it’s a gypsy wagon. Most all the wagons have the Dutch door, or double doors. One theory for that is so the herder can move his camp by staying in the wagon to guide the team of horses while moving camp. The sheep wagon’s doors are always facing front and to the east when a spot is picked to camp. Each wagon and its herder have what they call a “camp tender.” The camp tender comes out each week or every other week to bring supplies. The camp is usually by water for a good supply for his saddle horses and sheepdogs. Newer streamlined sheep wagons are being built today and are so effective for the sheep rancher to guard for predators and they are an essential part of

Western heritage. The modern sheep wagons have the rubber tires and can be pulled by vehicle, while the older style had wooden wheels with iron rims and most were pulled by a team of horses. The sheep wagons have the curved roof, supported by hoops and covered with a heavy tarp to shed the water and snow. The wagons usually run 7 to 8 feet wide by about 12 to 16 feet long. They all have a good understorage for fire, grain for the horses and other supplies. A snug camp in the winter or summer, either high on the mountain or desert overlooking their band of sheep. A lot of the older wagons and maybe even some newer sheep wagons have been restored and set up as guest cabins. The older wagons have no modern utilities, just the cook stove for heat and an oil lantern for light. I grew up around sheep, and in my later years my husband and I worked on a ranch that ran a few thousand head of sheep. My husband was a ranch manager, and I was involved in all aspects of the ranch. Between all the sheep and several hundred head of cows, we kept pretty busy. STORY AND PHOTOS BY Carole Martinez, Kaycee

17 18 19

20

17

Retirement, Kaitlyn Tompkins, Cheyenne

18

Early transportation, Carrie Miller, Laramie

19

Traveling in Wyoming time, MJ Roth, Wright

20

Tundra Taxi in the Arctic Ocean, Jerry Longobardi, Meeteetse

21

Winter travel—don’t forget your shovel, Lauree Scott, Gillette

22

It was back in 1965, Robert Niezwaag Sr., Riverton

21

SUBMIT A P H OTO

 wren@wyomingrea.org  214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions Please include your name, hometown and a title.

22

Please submit high-quality digital files* or an original we can scan, as well as details about the artwork, the artist’s name and the co-op. *Use the highest quality setting on your camera, or save digital artwork as a .jpg or .tif file with at least 300 dpi resolution. If you would like your work returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. MAY 2021

31

WHAT’S HAPPENING

WHAT’S HAPPENING REGIONAL MAP

02

03 04

01

JUNE

01 | SOUTHEAST

02 | NORTHEAST

CENTENNIAL

CLEARMONT

JUNE 19

Centennial Valley Volunteer Fire Department 50th Anniversary: Fundraiser and anniversary celebration. Raffle, silent auction, free pig roast. 12p, Valley Volunteer Fire Department Station 1, 4 North Fork Road, free, info 307-745-9322.

C H U G WAT E R

JUNE 12-13

SageRidge Ranch Workshop: Fiber and Meditation, info 307-217-2594, sageridge.net. ONGOING

Clearmont Historical Center: Open 2-4p Thu year-round, 10a-5p Wed and Sat from June 2 to September 1. Free, info 307-758-4524.

JUNE 19

FEATURED EVENT

Chugwater Chili Cook-off: Chili cooking and tasting, live music, ranch rodeo, car/tractor show, games, vendors, food and fun for the whole family. All proceeds go to local nonprofit organizations. Info 307-715-9518.

LUSK JUNE 25

Niobrara Alumni Golf Tournament: Lusk Municipal Golf Course, info 307-334-2950. JUNE 26

HELP US BURN OUR MORTGAGE: JUNE 11  5:30P Fundraiser for Unaccompanied Students Initiative to pay off $277,000 mortgage on home. USI of Laramie and Natrona Counties provides housing to youth ages 16-20. Info 307-220-2391, usinitiative.org.

FRONTIER PARK, CHEYENNE SOUTHEAST

Niobrara Alumni Banquet: Banquet at the fairgrounds. Book sale 8a, ice cream social 1p, at the library. Free barbecue at Lusk State Bank from 11a-1p. Info 307-334-2950.

MEDICINE BOW FOURTH TUESDAYS

Bingo: 7p, Community Hall, info 307-760-8402.

S A R AT O G A JUNE 23

Saratoga Historical & Cultural Association Dinner: Dinner honors founding members. Platte Valley Community Center. Info 307-326-5511. ONGOING

Saratoga Museum: Tue-Sat 10a-2p, info 307-326-5511, saratoga-museum.com. 

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, events may be postponed or canceled. Please call ahead before attending events.

32

MAY 2021

W H E AT L A N D JUNE 11-13

Treasures Along the Platte: Antique, arts and crafts, junk and garage sale extravaganza in Chugwater, Wheatland and Guernsey. Info 307-322-6232.

GILLETTE JUNE 5

Dance Through the Decades: Family event with dancing, silent auction and prizes for best costumes. Benefits summer internship program at Rockpile Museum. 5:30p, Campbell County Senior Center, $50. Info 307-682-5723, assocrma@gmail.com. JUNE 19

Histories of a Wyoming Homestead: Presentation by Christine Scoggan Gillette, niece of the late Olive Marquiss and Dick and Lucille Dumbrill. 1p, Campbell County Rockpile Museum, info 307-682-5723, rockpilemuseum.com.

HULETT JUNE 12-13

Hulett Rodeo: Parade 10a Sat, slack 10a Sun. NRCA & WRA approved rodeo starts at 1:30p. Kids’ events. Lunch and beer on the grounds. $10, $5 kids 14 and under, 7 and under free. Info 307-467-5668, 307-467-5929, rodeohulettwy.com. ONGOING

Hulett Museum and Art Gallery: 8a-4p Mon-Fri, free, info 307-467-5292.

MOORCROFT JUNE 4-6

Wy Historical Society Trek: Hosted by Crook County Historical Society. Info 307-283-3666.

WHAT’S HAPPENING JUNE 12-13

Crook County Junkin: Countywide yard sale. Start time varies. ONGOING

Senior Center Events: Coffee and rolls 9a Wed. Toenail clinic 9a fourth Thu, dinner 6p fourth Thu, info 307-756-9550.

UPTON JUNE 1-JULY 23

Summer Reading Program: 12-5p Mon-Fri, Upton Branch Library, info 307-468-2324. JUNE 11-13

Community Yard Sale: Sponsored by Upton Chamber of Commerce. 8a-5p, info 307-468-2372, uptonchamberofcommerce@ gmail.com. JUNE 12

Wyoming State Youth Hunter Challenge: 7a, Outdoor Gun Range, $10 entry fee, info 307-281- 9980. JUNE 26

Upton Gun Club Fundraiser: Upton Community Center, $50, $750 for table of eight, info 307-281-9980.

03| NORTHWEST DUBOIS TUESDAYS STARTING JUNE 8

Learn Traditional Square Dancing: Dubois tradition since 1948. 8-9:30p, Frontier Room of the Rustic Pine Tavern, $4, 12 and under $2. Info 307-455-2313. JUNE 10

Prisoner of War Camps Across America: Kathy Kirkpatrick to speak. 7-8p, Dubois Museum, info 307-455-2284, fremontcountymuseums.com. JUNE 11-13

Don Scheer Memorial Packhorse Race: Races, Calcuttas, live music, awards ceremony. Various locations. Info 307-450-3009, Facebook. JUNE 11, 18, 25

Friday Night Rodeos: Familyfriendly real Western entertainment. Bulls, broncs, roping, barrel racing, kid’s events, food and drinks.

Land Ho! Rates as Low as

5.50%

APR*

JUNE

7:30-10p. 5649 Hwy. 287/26. $10, $5 under age 12, under 5 free. Info 307-710-7080, duboiswyoming.org. JUNE 13

Dennison Lodge Concert: Wind River Valley Artists’ Guild sponsors classic American folk music by Jackie Miller Davidson and Gary Brandt. 7p, Dennison Lodge, free, donations accepted. Info 307-455-2414, Dennison. lodge.dubois@gmail.com. JUNE 29

Tie Hack, the First Years: Hike the Upper Wind River Valley including the Tie Hack history and ruins. 9a-2p, Dubois Museum $10 registration required. Info 307-455-2284, fremontcountymuseums.com. WEDNESDAYS

Kid’s Exploration Series: June 2 Mason Draw hike. June 9 ice cream making. June 16 archeology dig. June 23 flint napping with rock candy. Dubois Museum, reservations

and info 307-455-2284, fremontcountymuseums.com. THIRD WEDNESDAYS

Wyoming Health Fairs Monthly Wellness Screen/Blood Draw: 7-10a, Dubois Medical Clinic, appointments encouraged, info 307-455-2516, whf.as.me/dubois.

F O R T WA S H A K I E JUNE 25-27

Eastern Shoshone Indian Days: Fri 7-10p Grand Entry. Sat 9a Indian games, 10a parade, 1p and 6p Grand Entry. Sun 2p Grand Entry. Info 307-349-6053, esecommittee@gmail.com, easternshoshone.org.

HUDSON JUNE 19

Hudson Daze Festival and Craft Fair: Enjoy old-fashioned Western activities, kids’ activities and much more. 10a-3p, Gold Star Memorial Park, info 307-335-8125, Facebook.

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800.726.5644 | MyMeridianTrust.com MAY 2021

33

WHAT’S HAPPENING LANDER JUNE 5

Wyoming Writers Conference: Featuring poets, writers, marketing and publishing professionals. 11a, Lander Community and Convention Center, $190 in person, $90 students, $30 online, registration closes May 28, info 307-431-5447. JUNE 4-5

Alchemy Cooperative’s Grand Reopening: Celebrate with local artists. Specials, refreshments. 12-6p, 202 Main St, info 307-349-8638, alchemyartistscoop.com. JUNE 5, 12

Mini-Garden Expos: Concessions, arts and crafts and kid’s corner. June 5 Lander Valley farmers tradeshow 9a-1p, Lander City Park. June 12 Barnyard and Backyard Workshops at Alpine Science Institute at Sinks Canyon Center Field Station. Free, info 307-332-3114, popoagie.org. JUNE 12

Fremont Area Road Tour Cycling Event: Unique biking experience for the whole family. Bike the Lander Clover Leaf or mix and match to suit your level. Social distancing. 405 Fremont St, info fremontarearoadtour.com. WEDNESDAYS JUNE 23, 30

Eagle Spirit Dancers and Singers: Skilled dancers in colorful regalia perform at outside venue against the Wind River Mountains. Benches provided. Lawn chairs, blankets welcome. 7-8:30p, Museum of the American West, free. Info 307-335-8778, museumoftheamericanwest.com.

ONGOING

JUNE 26

Atlantic City Cemetery Trek: Meet at the Pioneer Museum and take a bus to Atlantic City for a walk-through of the cemetery. 10a, $8, reservations required. Info 307-332-3339, fremontcountymuseums.com. SATURDAYS

Acoustic Music Jam: 11a-1p, Lander Bake Shop, info 307-332-3237.

34

MAY 2021

SHELL

First Friday: New artist and local musician each month. Art show reception 5p, music 6p. Middle Fork Restaurant. Info 307-335-5035, facebook.com/MiddleForkCafe.

JUNE 26

PEAKS to Conga: Bicyclists ride from Cody to Shell to support nonmedical expenses for local cancer patients. Evening event in Shell with live music & silent auction. Info 307-272-8766, Facebook, peakstoconga.org.

R I V E RTO N JUNE 2

Archeology in Yellowstone National Park: Doug MacDonald led an effort to understand the Native American history and prehistory of Yellowstone. 6p, Riverton Museum, free, reservations required. Info 307-856-2665, fremontcountymuseums.com. JUNE 12

Children’s Archeology Day: Dig box, wall painting, snacks, crafts and more for the whole family. 2-4p, Riverton Museum, free, reservations required. Info 307-856-2665, fremontcountymuseums.com. JUNE 26

Castle Gardens Adventure Trek: Craig Bromley points out sacred petroglyphs. 9a-2p, Riverton Museum, $20, reservations required. Info 307-856-2665, fremontcountymuseums.com. PH

BY JENNIE HUTCHIN SO OTO

N

SHOSHONI JUNE 12-13

SUBMIT AN EVENT

Shoshoni Day: The whole town gets involved. Pancake breakfast, car show, ATV poker run, kids’ activities, cowboy poetry, home-cooked supper and more. Info 307-876-2615, shoshoniwychamberwix.com. JUNE 12-13

Send complete information by

JUNE 15!

We are updating the event dates for the What’s Happening section. Please send events occurring in August. Also, be sure to include the date, title, description, time, cost, location, address and contact information for each event. Photos are always welcome.

Wind River Flywheeler Antique Engine and Tractor Show: Tractor drive, tractor pull, kid’s activities, auction, raffle, food, vendors and live music. Free. Info 307-856-1164, cmaule@wyoming.com.

S O U T H PA S S C I T Y ONGOING

Carissa Gold Mine Tours: See the pits & shafts where miners labored, then follow the transformation of the ugly grey rock to a gold bar. 2p Thu-Sun. Reservations recommended. $8, $4 Wyo residents, under 18 free, info 307-332-3684, southpasscity.com. ONGOING

Look for more events at wyomingrea.org/news.

JUNE 24

A History of the American West: Author Sam Lightner tells how Wyoming defines the West. 7p, Pioneer Museum, free, info 307-3323339, fremontcountymuseums.com.

JUNE

JUNE 30-JULY 4

1838 Mountain Man Rendezvous: Walk in the footsteps of traders from the past. Fire starting with flint and steel, Dutch oven cooking, black powder shoots, flint napping, teepee setup, trap setting and more. End of Monroe Ave, info 307851-4457, 1838rendezvous.com. WEDNESDAYS

Acoustic Music Jam: Join in or listen as musicians and dancers perform. 6:30-8:30p, Holiday Inn Convention Center, free, info 307-856-8100.

QUESTIONS & SUBMISSIONS:

 wren@

wyomingrea.org

English Tunnel Tours: Mile-long hike and candle tour of a real gold mine. 11a Sat. Reservations required. $8, $4 Wyo residents, under 18 free. Info 307-332-3684, southpasscity.com.

04 | SOUTHWEST

 [307] 286-8140

M O U N TA I N V I E W

 214 W. Lincolnway

SECOND WEDNESDAYS

Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001

 wyomingrea.org/

wren-submissions

Chamber of Commerce Community Luncheon: For business owners and individuals alike. $15/plate, noon, Mountain View Town Hall, RSVP bvchamber @bvea.net, 307-787-6378.

Connect

PUZZLE ANSWERS

PUZZLE ON PAGE 23

Knot to attach one rope to another pulling in parallel

FIGURE 8 KNOT

HALTER HITCH

A knot for tying together unequal ropes

SHEET BEND

SLIP KNOT

ROLLING HITCH

Quick-release knot to tie something to an anchor point

Stopper knot that can be untied even after it was tight A sliding knot that tightens when pulled

Stopper knot that can be untied by pulling its tail

NOOSE KNOT

NOW

STREAMING LIVE TV PBS VIDEO APP

Wills, Trusts & Probate

WyomingPBS.org/app

Hey! You make that belt look GOOD!

Land Use GAY WOODHOUSE TARA NETHERCOTT HOLLI WELCH JEFF VAN FLEET



 

DEBORAH RODEN JOANNE SWEENEY KATYE BROWN CHRISTOPHER BRENNAN

1912 Capitol Avenue Suite 500 Cheyenne, WY 82001 (307) 432-9399 WRNLawFirm.com

Buckle up, Wyoming! MAY 2021

35

ENLIGHTEN US

Bull Run BY JACKIE DOROTHY

O

ur family fishing trip in the secluded high country of Wyoming had been a success. Our 8-year-old had gotten his quota of six brookies and the three of us had lingered longer than we intended, enjoying the peace. We had a two-hour hike back to the road and as dusk began to fall, we picked up our pace, pushing ourselves at a brisk step so that we could at least be on a real path before nightfall. We had several open fields and wooded areas to cross before we were back on the old road that led to our car.

My husband cut across the sage and we followed, weaving around the scratchy bushes. It was then that we heard him and I glanced back at the stomping cow. Behind the agitated cow, huffing and growling with his head

The owls began showing up as the sky

I wasn’t about to find out and hurried

down—a bull! Our weariness immediately

turned purple. The first one stared at

him on. At this point, we had just pushed

fell away. Legs were scratched and bruised

us from a dead pine before flying off in

ourselves hard uphill. Our legs ached and

by the sagebrush as we beat a hasty

we were out of breath, but we

retreat away from the bull and his herd.

search of smaller prey. Farther up the path, a screech owl swooped into a stand of aspen. Another owl circled overhead

found renewed energy.

Dark shadows of cows stomped and

as we emerged from the trees and

We followed an old two-track path but it

bellowed all around. We put our son

reached the open sagebrush.

angled north rather than west towards

between us. My husband surged

our vehicle. A herd of cows mooed at us

ahead with the headlamp glowing.

While his dad scouted ahead for the best path out in the fading light, our

and stood their ground instead of moving

son rested on a rock and I scanned the

away as they had done in the daylight. A

night sky for the owl. We heard a strange

black cow stomped forward, staring at us

huffing to our left. Mountain lion?

intently in the gloom of near dark.

The bull kept growling. A cow stamped forward and I pushed my son to hurry.

At this point, we were done being stealth and quiet. We all started yelling and I pounded a walking stick on the ground and they stopped huffing. I shoved our son on the far side of me and asked his dad, “Are the keys ready?” Never had I wished more for a working clicker!

The only door that the key unlocked was the driver’s side where the bulls stood guard.

It was then that we heard him

and I glanced back at the

stomping cow. Behind the agitated

cow, huffing and growling with his head down—a bull!

I was glad he didn’t hear my choice words as we plunged forward into the sagebrush and I banged my leg against the rough undergrowth.

Darn 8-year-old logic. We veered to a more westerly course and tried to gauge where we had parked our SUV. In the distance, we saw a car’s

The dark had descended completely

headlights and halted our trek to see

and we were stumbling as we tried to

how far away it was. It stopped and we

pick out a path, using my phone as a

realized cows were blocking their way.

flashlight. It seemed to take forever to get away from the bull and his cows. Just when we thought we were safe,

My husband pointed to the far right, “I see a reflection, our car is over there.”

there was a low huff and growl to

Over where the other bull was huffing.

our left. Of course, it happened to be

We couldn’t see him but could hear

in the same direction as our car.

his loud threats.

In a low voice, I tried to reassure my

A black silhouette of a cow, a phantom

son it could not possibly be another

in the moonless night, was to our

bull because there should only be

right. We veered off around her and

one per herd but he responded,

kept stumbling through the sagebrush.

“I don’t care what the scientists say—there’s another bull in here!”

With a fishing pole and walking stick in one hand, flashlight in the other, my husband briskly walked to the door. He kept close to the vehicle as he maintained a wary eye on the angry bulls. He hurried with the key, the unfriendly bulls staring at him and huffing. I kept pounding the stick on the hard ground, which seemed to keep them back, at least for now. Finally, my husband threw open the door and tossed in the gear, simultaneously sliding into the driver’s seat. He unlocked the other doors and we dove in, a cluster of arms and legs.

Finally—we could breathe and saw the angry bulls stomping as we backed the SUV out and pulled onto the dirt road. He didn’t stop the car until we got across a metal cattle guard and the highway was in sight. We had survived our Bull Run. W

Jackie Dorothy is a freelance writer, historian and owns a marketing agency in Thermopolis.

Finally—the road! We walked a few paces and realized with sinking hearts that more bulls were by our vehicle. They were warning us off with low huffs. MAY 2021

37

CLASSIFIEDS WREN CLASSIFIED ADS ARE $0.75 PER SIX CHARACTERS | CONTACT:  SHAWNA@GOLINDEN.COM

 970-221-3232 EXT 22

CATEGORIES 01.

EQUIPMENT

02. FOR SALE 03. HORSES 04. LIVESTOCK 05. POULTRY 06. REAL ESTATE 07. WANTED 08. CRAFTS 09. OPPORTUNITIES

New & Used Coal Stokers, parts, service & advice. Available for most makes. Thanks. 307-754-3757. Pre-inoculated certified alfalfa seeds. Wrangler, Surpass, Vernal, A&D 75-30-40 and Perry. All $3.25/lb. Order early while supply lasts. Call Richard Haun at 307-856-5748 or 307-851-9830. Shaver Outdoor Wood Boiler Furnace. Aermotor Windmills and parts, cylinders, pipe, rod, submersible pumps, motors, control boxes, Hastings 12 ga. bottomless stock tanks and more. In business for more than 75 years. Herren Bros., Box 187, Harrison NE. 1-308-668-2582.

10.

MISCELLANEOUS

11.

BUSINESS CONSULTING

12.

FOR RENT

13.

HELP WANTED

14.

DOGS

15.

EMPLOYMENT SOUGHT

Want to purchase minerals & other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557,Denver, CO 80201.

16.

BUILDING SUPPLIES

Antique Collector Looking For Oil Company

17.

TRAVEL & RECREATION

18.

HEALTH

19.

PERSONAL

20. FREE

38

02 | FOR SALE

MAY 2021

07 | WANTED Gas Pumps, Globes And Signs. Will pay fair market value! Also looking for general antiques for our antique shop. Please go to our website FrontierAutoMuseum.com. Located in Gillette WY, our passion is to preserve Wyoming history and the nostalgia of the past, especially Parco, Sinclair, Frontier, Husky and any car dealership along with all brands. We are also always looking for WY license

plates and WY highway signs and State Park signs. Please call Jeff Wandler 307-680-8647 wandlerfrontier@gmail.com or daughter Briana Brewer 307-660-2402 bbrewer@frontierauto.net. We Pay Cash For Mineral & Oil/Gas Interests producing & non-producing. 800-733-8122.

10| MISCELLANEOUS Soon Church/Government uniting, suppressing “Religious Liberty” enforcing “National Sunday Law.” Be Informed! Needing Mailing address. TSBM, PO Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540, thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com, 1-888-211-1715.

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2

1

creative cutouts Why should cookies have all the fun?

Caterpillar Squiggle Go ahead – play with your food!

Sushi Rolls

Supe

r

Sam

5

3

mies

Banish the midday blahs with these creative sandwiches kids can help make then gobble up. Part art activity, part sensory play, part exposure to new tastes and textures, these sammies turn lunchtime into funtime.

No chopsticks required!

Research shows that children who cook with their caregivers are more likely to have positive attitudes about food, feel a sense of accomplishment, and even develop a taste for more fruits and veggies!

BUILD HEALTHY BRAINS AND BODIES WITH LUNCHTIME PLAY

Sandwich ideas adapted from Taste.com. Research data sourced from the National Institutes of Health.

5

4

Ladybug on a Leaf Almost too cute to eat ... almost.

Rocketship Launchible Countdown to yum.

 For activities that support Strong & Healthy Bodies, visit wyqualitycounts.org/wren 

This month’s activity

WY Quality Counts, housed in the Department of Workforce Services, helps Wyoming parents and child care providers identify and create quality learning experiences for children, thanks to the funding of the Wyoming Legislature.

Super Sammies recipes!

All WY Quality Counts activities are supported by the Wyoming Early Learning Foundations and Guidelines, as well as the Domains of Development, which include: COMMUNICATION

SENSE OF SELF & RELATIONSHIPS

CURIOUS MINDS

STRONG & HEALTHY BODIES