82717 May/June 2019

MAY / JUNE 2019

21 Summer things to do this

TOP 6

HOT DOG

PICKS

CLOVER KIDS

DISC GOLF,

WHAT?

FOOD TRUCK FUN

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TREAT YOUR GUESTS TO THE BEST. Will you be hosting family & friends this summer?

Contact the Campbell County Visitor Center and we’ll help you set up a perfect itinerary for their stay. Tours, activities & events all highlighted by locally crafted food and drink.

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VISITGILLETTE.COM MAY / JUNE 2019

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Contents 14 DCF

The annual free music festival takes over Gillette College outdoor amphitheater June 21 to 22.

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20 OH, HOT DOG!

We’re taking hot dogs and outdoor BBQ’s to a whole new level.

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12 MUST-DO CAMPBELL COUNTY School’s out (almost), the sun is shining and our friends at CCCVB have created the perfect summer to-do list with fun for everyone in the 82717.

45 #CCFCLOVERKIDS

This month’s Campbell County Fair Clover Kids series takes us to meet cowboys, sister seamstresses and a riegning champ in Rozet.

35 WHAT WE’RE READING

Our kickass two-(wo)man editorial team tells us what we really should be reading while camping and road trippin’ this summer.

52 #CCFCloverKids

26 MEET THE MAKER

We take you inside Area 59 for a first-hand look at what it means (and costs) to be a member at Wyoming’s largest makerspace. (It’s way cooler and cheaper than you might think!)

37 SERVIN’ UP THE OLD WEST What are you doing this weekend? Take a trip to Chugwater’s small-town saloon that really knows how to party!

23 TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS

Mrs. C’s Catering and bright orange mobile food truck is having a bit a moment and Gillette can’t get enough! Self-taught chef/owner Carrie Sieh shares her recipe for success.

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GRIN AND BEAR IT?

OR CALL BEAR’S NATURALLY CLEAN DRY CLEANERS AND LAUNDRY.

DRY CLEANING LAUNDRY WASH AND FOLD LEATHER AND SUEDES COMFORTERS AND LINENS GARMENT PACKAGING ALTERATIONS PICK UP AND DELIVERY

CONVENIENT. SPOTLESS. GUARANTEED. 305 W Lakeway • Gillette, WY

Naturally Clean

307.685.4455

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Let us

take out the trash RELIABLE WASTE REMOVAL

Editorial CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Erika C. Christensen MARKETING DIRECTOR Stephanie L. Scarcliff CHIEF OF STAFF Lisa A. Shrefler

New Patients Welcome!

SALES Jessica L. Pierce Jason N. Kasperik CONTRIBUTORS Jennifer C. Kocher Ryan R. Lewallen Charity D. Stewart ART DIRECTOR Richard W. Massman DESIGNER Candice E. Schlautmann PHOTOGRAPHER Adam D. Ritterbush

Convenient Rentals 24/7 Service Better. Faster. Safer.

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Delta Dental Provider 417 West Flying Circle Drive, Gillette, WY 82716

Call (307) 682-3353 www.GilletteDental.com

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Professional tenured drivers Service center, field supervisors and staff located in Gillette

PaintbrushServices.com 3575 N Garner Lake Rd. Gillette, WY 82716

307-682-3913

Inquiries & Customer Service Outliers Creative, LLC P.O. Box 3825 • Gillette, WY 307.686.5121 • 82717@mcllc.net 82717 is a publication of Outliers Creative, LLC © 2019, all rights reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or part, without written permission is prohibited.

This magazine accepts freelance contributions. 82717 is not responsible for loss, damage, or any other injury to unsolicited manuscript, unsolicited artwork (including but not limited to drawings, photographs, or transparencies) or any other unsolicited materials.

Outliers Creative, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The MC Family of Companies, LLC.

Ready Set

Summer!

Editor Steph Scarcliff offers a sneak peek inside the May / June Summer Issue

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s I sit down to write this note, it’s midMay aaaannd it’s snowing. But summer’s coming. I can feel it. I’m practically willing it into fruition. School’s nearly out, and I can almost hear the mountains calling. I’m not alone. OC staffers are busy planning summer road trips and plotting out all the best camping spots to hit.

For this sunny summer issue (get excited!), we’ve partnered with some pretty remarkable people, innovative minds shaping Gillette’s summer scene, including Donkey Creek Festival Board of Directors Chairman Jennifer Toscana, Campbell County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Executive Director Mary Silvernell, Campbell County Fair Coordinator Bobbi Jo Heald and Area 59 Executive Director Guy Jackson, among others.

With their help, a little guidance and feedback from our contributors and a few of our closest friends and influencers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, we’ve been able to pull together a Gillette summer to-do list for the ages. On it, you’ll find some of the hottest — and cheapest — local happenings and daytrip destinations within reach.

You’ll meet the bands making their way to this year’s DCF stage, and up-and-coming entertainers

who always seem to know just how to party. You’ll learn “What We’re Reading” right now (and should totally be on your summer reading list).

Inside, we share some fun ways to take your backyard BBQ game up a notch like how to top your hot dog. We give you a first glance at the Gillette College Student Veteran’s Association’s second-annual Oscar Mike Ruck March for PTSD awareness (flip back two pages), and invite you, your family and your business to show support.

We also take you behind-the-scenes at Wyoming’s largest makerspace, Area 59, for an inside scoop on individual membership with member Jim Perchard.

Don’t miss the business profile on Mrs. C’s Catering, “Takin’ it to the Streets,” where selftaught chef and co-owner Carrie Sieh tells us what’s cooking in her bright orange food truck.

It’s all in here! The good news? It’s always free, thanks to the awesome advertisers you’ll also find inside, local businesses and organizations who help support this small but mighty hometown magazine.

To you, our readers, big ups and happy summer.

Thank you for picking us up, reading along and following us online.

By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff

82717LIFE.COM

Clover Kids In this issue, we introduce our new “Clover Kids” series, where we invite you to follow along with local 4-H’ers of all ages and competitive classes as they train their livestock and prepare their projects in anticipation for the upcoming Campbell County Fair, beginning July 26 through August 4.

Let’s get social Look for CCF Clover Kid updates across our socials @82717Life.

#CCFCloverKids

facebook.com/82717Life

Find and share your progress — from beef to cake decorating — by scrolling through our #ccfcloverkids hashtag on Instagram.

It’s serious fun!

More online at 82717Life.com There are more great things happening online! From local events to added features from award-winning contributors and community mavens, along with exclusive video discussions about the stories you see here in print, we’ve got it going on all month long at 82717Life.com.

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@82717Life

@82717Life

Connect with Us on MAY / JUNE 2019

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Must-Do

Campbell County By: Campbell County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Photo: Durham Ranch has a long, nearly 50-year history of raising majestic animals like Bison.

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Campbell County is home to countless opportunities for fun for everyone, from history museums, dining and shopping downtown to guided tours of Durham Buffalo Ranch and local coal mines.

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ou can find stunning views, clear, wide open skies and abundant wildlife — along with exceptional recreation, retail, restaurants and lodging — almost anywhere you go in Campbell County. These are the Wild West experiences guaranteed to provide the ultimate Wyoming souvenirs: life-long memories.

your own pace with this self-guided tour that can start at any location on S. Gillette Avenue. The walking tour is also accessible via the smartphone app, TravelStorys “WY Tour Gillette,” which offers an audio tour with photos that will pop up in front of each location. Also, while enjoying our historic downtown, you can stop into many of our unique shops and restaurants.

1. Durham Buffalo Ranch

4. Wildlife Loop Tour

This close to 55,000-acre ranch is home to roughly 2,500 American Bison. Years ago, bison roamed the plains in such vast numbers that early explorers could not count them. By the late 1800s, bison were endangered. However, through the efforts of conservationists and ranches like the Durham Buffalo Ranch, they are no longer endangered.

The Ranch offers summer tours, and reservations should be made through the Gillette Visitor Center staff at (307)686-0040. The 2019 tours are offered on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. at the Ranch, starting June 4 and ending August 30.

Two self-guided driving tours are available around Campbell County, which are designed to showcase local plants and wildlife along with some history and geology of the area.

Pronghorn, a.k.a. antelope, outnumber residents in Campbell County and share their habitat with badgers, coyotes, elk, mule and white tail deer, as well as ducks, geese, pheasants, turkeys, grouse, and jackrabbits to name a few. Pick up a Wildlife Loop Tour map at the Gillette Visitor Center, 1810 S. Douglas Hwy.

2. Eagle Butte Coal Mine Tour Take a guided tour of one of the surface coal mines in Campbell County, offered through the Gillette Visitor Center at 1810 S. Douglas Hwy., Ste A. The tours are approximately 2 hours and are offered at 9am and 11am, Monday through Friday. Tours run in the summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The tour is $5 per person, cash or check only. Summer 2019 tours start Friday, May 24 and end Friday, August 30.

Experience our nation’s first national monument, Devils Tower, some 60 miles east of Gillette and 110 northeast of Wright. President Theodore Roosevelt used the 1906 Antiquities Act to establish this wondrous monument that rises some 1,200 feet above the Belle Fourche River, surrounding grasslands and Ponderosa pine forests. Plains Indians have revered this geologic wonder for thousands of years. Today, many people are awed by the Tower’s enormity.

3. Gillette Main Street

6. History, Fitness & Family Fun

Tour historic downtown Gillette with a walking tour developed by a member of the Historic Society. Visitors can pick up a free copy of the Downtown Walking Tour guide from the Gillette Visitor Center at 1810 S. Douglas Highway Suite A or from the Gillette Chamber on Gillette Avenue. Enjoy learning the history of the city at

The Gillette Recreation Center features a six-lane, 200-meter indoor track, six-lane lap pool, a recreational pool with slides and a lazy river, racquetball and basketball courts and a state-of-the-art weight room and cardio area as well the opportunity to climb “Devils Tower” — on a smaller scale. There are also

5. Devils Tower

three museums to visit in Campbell County, including The Rockpile Museum, Frontier Relics and Transportation Museum, and Wright Centennial Museum.

7. Get Outdoors!

Watch games and eat ballpark food at Bicentennial Park or at the Energy Capital Sports Complex, a brand-new, state-of-the-art sporting facility with four pro-level softball fields. Plus, there’s always something happening out at the CAM-PLEX Multi-Event Facilities, whether it’s wrestling, equestrian sports, motocross, or outdoor rodeo in town or at the Southern Campbell County Ag Complex in Wright. No, you won’t get bored outdoors in Campbell County!

7. For the Foodies…

Stop for lunch or a leisurely dinner with firstclass dining and unique, locally owned pubs and restaurants, like Big Lost Meadery and Brewery, Pizza Carrello, Gillette Brewing Co. and Gone Postal Pizzeria, and The Prime Rib Restaurant and Wine Cellar, to name a few. For more information, check out our “Meet the Locals” section on the Campbell County Convention & Visitors Bureau website at: visitgillettewright.com/meet-the-locals.

PLAN THE PERFECT CAMPBELL COUNTY VISIT with CCCVB at (307) 686-0040 or info@visitgillettewright.com DOWNLOAD GILLETTE TOUR APP MAY / JUNE 2019

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ENTERTAINMENT

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There’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the sun rays of summer in the Nation’s Energy Capital — but we rounded up a few Donkey Creek Festival shows and events to help narrow your list.

From the storied music scene of the Upper Midwest comes the cutting edge Front Porch Americana soundscapes of The Last Revel, performing as the Saturday night headliner at this year's Donkey Creek Festival, on June 22nd.

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The Music Cascade Crescendo "Newgrass"

The Lique

New Age Hip-Hop “Wait a minute, you don’t know the Lique?” The Las Vegas-based quintet (pronounced “leak”), dubbed “Best Band” by Las Vegas Weekly and The Trusted Ear, are coming to DCF after having performed at venues like Life Is Beautiful, the three-day music fest in downtown Las Vegas, where they shared the stage with acts including Mumford & Sons, J. Cole and G-Easy. Decked out in suits, this group is everything great about new age hip-hop.

The Opskamatrists Ska

Ska’s not dead! And this epic Idaho Falls, Idaho, ska band, formerly known as Super Skunk, is killing it on the scene, and in all the right ways. With a big brass sound and a band history well worth the Google (peep tunecore), roughly 20 years — and 20plus band members — in the making, The Opskamatrists, much like their music’s genre, has withstood the test of time, triumpetly.

Cole & The Thornes Canyon Kids Indie Folk Rock

Rafting photographers turned indie folkrockers Bo Elledge and Dusty Nichols have been called “one of the best and most forward-thinking bands” in Jackson.

The duo, often accompanied by a 5-piece rhythm section of like-minded and equally, amazingly-talented musicians, swings seamlessly from folk to rock, pop and hip-hop with a hometown Wyoming swagger not to be missed.

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New Age Hip-Hop

The “soulful R&B-infused reggae band out of Bozeman, Montana,” recorded their first album, “Map Maker,” with the help of a Kickstarter account. They’ve been called an “eclectic, funky group with an infectious, uplifting energy,” and have wowed DCF attendees in past years. No doubt, their powerhouse, sultry vocals, rhythmous horns, island uke and jazz guitar are a welcome (back) addition to Saturday night’s late-night lineup.

Portland, Oregon-based, banjo and mandolin-infused, high-energy outfit Cascade Crescendo has been finetuning its sound — and its own brand of bluegrass, “newgrass” — since early 2013. With three albums under their belts and sold-out shows across the Pacific Northwest, they’re “Chasing the Sun” and bringing “Every Little Thing” to DCF as the Saturday night openers for headliners, The Last Revel.

The Last Revel Modern Americana

Two-time DCF vets, heartfelt songwriters and instrumentalist trio, The Last Revel, bring their honest and modern American front porch music back for another year, this time as headliners. Three-part vocal harmonies, acoustic and electric guitars, upright bass, fiddle and banjo dance between folk and punk for a loud and rowdy grand finale guaranteed to be a knee-slapping, foot stomping good time.

If you’re looking for raw musicianship and songcraft, look no further than DCF.

The Art DCF kicks off Friday, June 21, with local bands the Native of Nowhere at 4 p.m., followed by the Unknown Knowns, also of Gillette, Freddy Rodriguez of Denver, Colorado; Vegasbased, The Lique; and Jackson’s alt-rock persuasion, Canyon Kids. But there’s more to DCF than just the music! Attend the 16th Annual Avenues of Art Reception, hosted by the Mayor’s Art Council Friday night at 5:30 p.m. in the Gillette College Technical Center, where seven new art pieces, sculptures to be displayed around town on Gillette city streets, will be revealed to the public for the first time. Hear from the council about their first-ever increase in artists stipends, which resulted in higherquality works this year, examine the art up close and personal, talk with the artists, enjoy the live pianist, tasty appetizers and a cash bar.

It’s a fun and memorable experience for all ages.

The Grub Today, the tireless efforts talent bookers make to secure the summer’s top acts for the best and baddest outdoor shows and venues is being matched by a similar (and relentless) commitment to equally impressive food and drink lineups. From Austin’s taco, taco, taco craze to New Orleans’ Cajun persuasion, music fests are quickly gaining notoriety for more than just their music, including hyper-local, unique food and drink offerings, and DCF is no exception.

This year’s DCF foodie finds include Gyros and cheesesteak sandwiches, polish and Italian sausages and decadent funnel cakes. And that’s just from JJ’s Concessions — one of the many stands slatted to be in attendance. You’ll also find Pizza Carrello stage side, with impeccable woodfire confections made to order; K’s Backyard BBQ’s smoked brisket, ribs, pork, chicken, mac and more; Las Marg’s tacos, nachos, burritos and agua fresca; handmade ice cream from hometown favorite, Ice Cream Café; Tasty Kettle Corn’s sweet kernels and, of course, booze and brews at the DCF Energy Station Beer Garden.

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Cool People Donkey Creek Festival acknowledges the significant contributions and ongoing support of our board and loyal donors whose generosity allows DCF to present over a dozen musical acts during our two-day event each year. Thank you to all who play their part to ensure the festival’s continued success.

SPONSORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jennifer Toscana, Chair Doug McGee, Co-Chair Maria Franz, Secretary Breanne Ramirez, Treasurer Jody McGee, Member Elizabeth Albin, Member Meredith Duvall, Member

Friday, June 21st @ 4 p.m.

Saturday, June 22nd @ 10 a.m.

Gillette College Campus - www.donkeycreekfestival.com

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WHAT ELSE?

WHAT'S IT COST?

WHAT TO BRING?

DCF also boasts incredible food and art vendors, a beer tent for adults, face painting, glitter tattoos and Fun On The Go inflatables for kids.

Due to community grants, fundraising and tremendous support from the City of Gillette and Campbell County, this event is absolutely free. But bring some cash and support the talent and great, local vendors.

DCF is an outdoor event. Lawn chairs, blankets, water and sunscreen are a plus, if not a must. donkeycreekfestival@gmail.com www.donkeycreekfestival.com @donkeycreekfestival

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FREE TO THE PUBLIC

2 0 1 9 M U S I C F E S T I VA L

G I L LE T TE COLLEGE CAM PUS www.donkeycreekfest iva l.com

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FEATURED MUSIC ARTISTS Natives of Nowhere • Figures in Fiction • Freddy Rodriguez • The Lique Canyon Kids • Big Horn Band • Cascade Crescendo • The Land Band

THE LAST REVEL WILL BE THE CLOSING ACT OF THE FESTIVAL

Friday, Jun 21, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM – Saturday, Jun 22, 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Fun On the Go for kids, Laser Tag, Food and Art Vendors including the unveiling of the selected sculptures for Avenues of Art MAY / JUNE 2019

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, h O

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etchup and mustard are fine, but why not take your hot dog game up a notch? We ate a whole lot of hot dogs — more than 20 different kinds, you guys — to find the best, most unconventional hot dog toppers guaranteed to jumpstart your summer grilling with a bang. Here's our top six picks for summer barbeque bliss. Eat your hearts out.

By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff Photo: Adam D. Ritterbush

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Mix avocado with lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Add guacamole, romaine lettuce and red onion to your wiener and top with hot sauce like Tabasco or Holy Habanero.

PIZZA DOG

The best of two culinary worlds come together for this delicious American-Italian mash-up, boasting savory marinara sauce, melted mozzarella and whole fresh basil leaves.

GARDEN DOG

A fresh, summertime favorite with thinly-sliced radish, cucumber, quartered cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh arugula, dill, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and black pepper.

BAHN MI DOGGIE

Give your all-American go-to a flavorful Vietnamese twist with spicy mayo (equal parts mayonnaise and siracha), cucumber, shredded carrot, chopped peanuts and fresh mint.

HOT & PEACHY

Combine diced peaches, jalapeùo, red onion, cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper for a fresh and spicy kick that’s perfect (and easy) to pack and bring to any summer BBQ!

COUNTRY CRUNCH

This tasty beauty comes to life when coleslaw, BBQ baked beans and green onion are topped with crushed kettle-style potato chips and placed atop your frank.

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GUACAMOLE DOG

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Connect with Us

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r s t e e r t S

Takin' it to the

Mrs. C’s Catering: The bright orange eatery taking Gillette’s mobile food scene by storm.

By: Stephanie Scarcliff MAY / JUNE 2019

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T

his summer, take your plate on a culinary road trip with Mrs. C’s Catering and mobile food truck.

If you want to see what good eats in Gillette really taste like, beyond the typical brick and mortar offerings, you could do worse than a vacant parking lot — as long as Mrs. C’s has parked her 48-foot-long, persimmon orange food truck up in it and owner Carrie Sieh (pronounced “see” or “C’ — get it?!) is at the window cooking up tasty, homecooked goodness, with a smile.

In the city that births energy, the former coal miner said she was rebirthed following a life-altering work injury in 2014.

“I was told I’d never drive again,” Carrie said. “When the doctors said that, after 20plus years in the industry, I knew my life as a driver was over.”

Where one wall went up, Carrie quickly found a window. Literally.

The mother of four and grandmother of three said the decision to start their family catering and food truck business was both a blessing and a thrill that she and her husband Michael, lovingly referred to as “quality control,” simply couldn’t pass it up.

“For the first time, I was able to take my true passion and God-given talent for food and create a business that, God-willing, continues to grow every year,” she said.

The homestyle foodie franchise is now serving up restaurant-quality eats across the city and state, parking mostly at street fairs, county fairs and food-friendly events and venues.

Carrie credits their hard-earned successes to her authentic meals and flavors and a commitment to genuine and caring customer service.

“Very few events do people not see my face,” she said. Carrie oversees everything from

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ordering to pricing, prep work on the line, plating and serving, and says she tries “very, very hard” to cater to people who want, need and love home-style cooking.

“We’re out here cooking for good folks and families,” she said. “And we have fun with it! You can taste it. It’s a gift, really, to put foods together that just work and be able to share them.”

Carrie’s a self-taught chef, but you’d never know it. Just take a look at their menu, which offers traditional American fanfare from hamburgers and cheeseburgers to something incredible she calls Smoked, Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf Sandwich and the world’s next quintessential comfort food, Rednek Nachos.

Mrs. C’s is focused on community engagement, too, working to build year-round demand for their delicious food. At every turn, she’s looking to donate extras to local groups and organizations in need.

“We give to the food kitchen quite frequently,” she said. “Recently, we overordered and over-prepared for a Thunder Basin High School food truck student event. We shared our leftovers with Celebrate Recovery at First Assembly of God Church.”

Giving back to the community is important to Mrs. C’s. Carrie recalled just two years ago, when they catered the GARF

Chuckles for Charity event, and Mrs. C’s Catering was still very new to the Gillette catering scene. At the time, they had made miscalculations that resulted in them making too much food. “We just gave the rest to GARF to take back to the women and children at their shelter,” she said.

“Everyone seems to love our food,” she continued. “Right now, my signature meat is a java brisket. I created my own coffee dry rub, slather that on and cook it for about 12 hours.

It comes out juicy and tender.”

Carrie says her prime rib is a close second, with its light, smoky flavor. “I’ve been told by a group of local cattle producers, the Campbell County Cattlewomen, that it’s the best prime rib they’ve ever had — which is about the best dang compliment I think that I could ever ask for.”

By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff

“We’re out here cooking for good folks and families,” she said. "And we have fun with it!"

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Meet the Maker:

Retired Local

Jim Perchard By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff | Photos: Adam D. Ritterbush

The former truck operator, U.S. Army and Air Force veteran shares how he saw the Area 59 sign from the highway, walked right on in and made a hinge (and a few close, creative friends).

At 68 years old, Jim Perchard doesn’t stray from learning new things. “You can learn something every day, if you care to do it,” he said, inspecting a shiny, new precision micrometer. It’s part of a pristine, 23-piece mechanical micrometer set, valued at over $2,200. Just one of the many tools, toys and techie gadgets Area 59 has for its

members to use. And a small one at that, especially when compared to any of the many top-notch mills and lathes, CNC milling machines or the 5x8 plasma cutter in the building.

There is 1.5 million dollars of cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art equipment at Jim’s fingertips as he walks us through his most recent

designs, 360 blueprints he’s drafted from scratch on a sleek, dual-screen desktop computer smack dab in the middle of the makerspace. After designing, drawing and 3-D printing his first project, a hinge (he never used it, he admitted, “It’s probably in a drawer somewhere at home”), Jim’s moved on to bigger, more complex projects, most of which have MAY / JUNE 2019

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evolved into trinkets and gifts for his girlfriend’s 5-year-old granddaughter, Lauren.

“She just loves them,” he said.

As a member, Jim’s access to Area 59 resources, including “the fun guy” Manager Ian Scott and “the funds guy” Director Guy Jackson, have helped the retiree’s projects immensely, he said.

In past months, he’s made keepsake boxes on the laser cutter, handheld toys on the 3-D printer, a potbellied stove for Lauren’s dollhouse. Today,

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he’s building tiny, ornate components he’ll cut and engrave on the CNC Router — parts for a wooden clock, complete with exposed gears, which he plans to gift to Lauren. “I think she’ll really get a kick out of this,” he said, admiring his handiwork.

Although he’s long-considered himself a bit of a maker and a creator, he dabbled in photography while stationed in Germany and has what he describes as a “somewhat innate” understanding of the inner workings of things, Jim credits Area 59 for giving his creativity a much-needed jumpstart at this point in his life.

MAKER MEMBERSHIP Maker membership at Area 59 in Gillette gives you full access to the largest makerspace in the state of Wyoming, including its wood shop, machine shop, metal working space and so much more. Individual, family and corporate membership levels are offered.

Whether you’re an experienced maker or just learning, it is a place where you can collaborate on creative projects, learn, teach and make things, prototype new ideas, start ventures and share knowledge with other like-minded people.

Area 59 operates off of membership fees, with memberships open to individuals, families and corporate groups. While it is tied to the college, it’s a separate entity serving the community and general public in addition to Gillette College students, faculty and staff.

Learn more at area-59.com/memberships

Well, Area 59 and YouTube. “I walked in, got the nickel tour and paid my dues,” he said. “I’m in here for a few hours here and there, and work my projects three, four times a week, if I’m lucky.”

In addition to fueling his creativity, and getting him out of the house from time to time, something he says his loving girlfriend Lynn surely appreciates, Jim says his membership feels like an open invitation to connect with other local creatives. “We’re a community of makers,” he said. “People have different ways of doing things, different ideas. One guy might

say ‘hey, try it this way’ and someone will. And together, they’ll make something great, better.”

Then, he paused and looked up with excited eyes. From somewhere under the brim of his wellworn baseball cap toting our Second Amendment rights, he said, “It’s that one person that comes in and it just clicks for them, you know? That’s fun to see and even more fun to be a part of.”

By: Stephanie L. Scarcliff

Photos: Adam D. Ritterbush

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Boom or Bust:

Mountain Biking to Diversify Gillette?

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rodie Rice got hooked on mountain biking after a trip with his friend Stan Israelsen to Curt Gowdy State Park, outside of Cheyenne. Before he’d even made it back to Gillette, he was already visualizing the new mountain bike he would buy once home.

“It’s an incredible feeling that sticks with you, even when you aren’t riding, and something you can’t find while on the road or paved path,” Rice said, describing the feeling of flying around those steep corners as “exhilarating.”

But as he soon realized, getting away for

mountain biking treks to Cheyenne, the Bighorns or Moab, Utah, was becoming increasingly harder, given his busy job as a doctor at Campbell County Health and his two small boys, wife and new baby on the way.

The desire for trails closer to home prompted the question: why not carve out terrain in Gillette?

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and challenging climbs. And when he heard about friend David Bauer’s idea for building a Centennial Trail system, which would run across a 640-acre plot of land north of Gillette, he immediately got on board.

“The rolling hills and buttes around Gillette are perfect for designing exciting features and trails to ride,” Rice said.

Bauer first proposed a 5K-trail system to be installed this year, utilizing existing horse and game trails that zigzag across the plot. Pending necessary funding, Bauer’s plan would then be expanded to include another 5-mile, or even a 10-mile, trail with help from International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) experts.

Rice, like Bauer, believes the Centennial Trail System would bring Gillette two things it needs: diversification and an influx of tourists. In his position at the hospital, he’s experienced firsthand the difficulty of recruiting out-of-town professionals to Campbell County.

The only selling points for an athlete in Gillette, he noted, are the impressive Recreation Center and its geographic positioning close to the Black Hills and the Bighorn Mountains.

“It would be nice to say we have some options for outdoor recreation here in Gillette,” he said.

Along with mountain biking, he foresees the trails also being used for running, walking, and other recreational opportunities.

“It opens new opportunities for more outdoor activities, from mountain biking and trail

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um R Hann

There are roads and places to ride a bicycle in and around Gillette, according to Rice, but nothing quite as satisfying or challenging as some of the trails he’d been on. In the meantime, his new 2018 Trek Remedy 9.8, a carbon mountain bike designed specifically for rough trails and extreme speeds, sat gathering dust.

“Riding my new bike around town feels like driving a 4x4 pickup in downtown Chicago,” Rice said. “You just don’t get to enjoy its full potential.”

He craved the steep jumps, nervewracking switchbacks, high-speed descents,

N US HWY 14-16

A DIVERSE OPTION

oad

Northern Drive

running in the warmer months to cross-country skiing and fat bike trails in the winter,” he said.

POSSIBILITIES While a mountain bike trail may not be the endall solution for a city like Gillette in terms of diversification, Rice noted, there are other examples of the sport bailing out communities hung out to dry by industries moving on.

Take, for example, the community of Crosby, Minnesota. At one time, iron mining served as the pillar of the small community. But when the mines closed their doors around 50 years ago, Crosby was

left barren and desolate.

In 1993, the Minnesota state government stepped in and declared the hills around Crosby a state recreation area, seeking to stop illegal dumping and to preserve the area’s mining heritage, according to Outdoor Magazine.

When mountain bikers learned of the red dirt hills surrounding Crosby, they quickly came together to lobby the state government to create Minnesota’s first state park focused entirely on mountain biking.

In 2011, Crosby was designated a bronze-level IMBA ride center, attracting riders of every skill level and type from across the country.

Tourism to Crosby skyrocketed. A survey at the time revealed around 25,000 people ride the Crosby trails every year, bringing in around $2 million to the local economy, Outdoor Magazine reports.

Since then, Crosby has had several new businesses set up shop, most of which were started by young residents moving to the area or those that chose to stay because of the trails, which further adds to Crosby’s relative economic prosperity.

WHY NOT GILLETTE? Crosby isn’t the only community to have experienced success from the mountain biking industry.

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Department, but the trails won’t take a single penny from local tax payers, Bauer assured the Campbell County Commissioners when he broached the idea to them in March.

He intends to raise the necessary funds himself, through grants and entry fees for events hosted by his organization, Energy Addicts.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

From town to town, stories of overcoming adversity and economic busts through mountain biking suggest possibilities for diversification. In communities left high and dry when the industries they solely depended on closed up shop or moved elsewhere, mountain biking created revenue to help them hang on.

Oakridge, Oregon, had once been a booming lumber town, but it was decimated when the local lumber mill closed in the 1990s.

Weaverville, California, formerly a gold rush town, was nearly barren when the rush died out. Anniston, Alabama, once a steel town near the Appalachians, again, left suffering when the industry left.

The examples can go on and on, and in an energy-dependent economy like Gillette, swings in industry can dictate the future of that town.

Bauer himself works at a coal mine and sees firsthand how the industry can fluctuate from one extreme to another. He acknowledges that the city is trying to diversify the economy by focusing on sports tourism, despite a less than favorable public reaction to the multi-million-dollar sports complex commonly referred to as the Field of Dreams.

But so much more could be done, Bauer believes.

He’s pushing for the area to become part of the Campbell County Parks and Recreation

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Money aside, the only major obstacle standing in the way of the Centennial Trail System is Gillette College. Right now, the county leases the Centennial section to the college as grazing pastures for horses and other livestock for the college rodeo program.

Gillette College Vice President and CEO Janell Oberlander said that talks have started between the college and the county to see what options are available. In a county commission meeting in mid-April, the idea of the college sharing the land with mountain bikers had been mentioned as a potentially viable option.

However, livestock had been the reason Bauer moved away from an earlier idea to have the trail system installed in Burnt Hollow, an 18,000-acre plot of public land owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Ranchers in the area release their cattle onto the land to graze, and Bauer didn’t want to take the chance of someone getting hurt colliding with livestock. Sharing the Centennial section with college-owned horses could result in a similar scenario.

Bauer has yet to receive the green light to begin the trail building process, but he remains strongly committed to the cause.

There are other communities around Gillette, such as Sundance and Sheridan, that already reap revenue benefits of hosting largescale IMBA competitions and events.

“If Gillette had its own mountain bike trail system, we could be a part of that,” Bauer said.

By: Ryan R. Lewallen

WHAT WE'RE

Reading

A splash of all the best books we’re reading right now. – Steph + Jen

OUTLANDER Diana Gabaldon

The Outlanders series, an eight-book saga turned Starz Network original series, is rich with passion, character development and historical details. Riddled with Scots, intrigue, time travel, magic and science, this is the story that started it all in 1991.

DEAR LIFE Alice Munro

Reading Alice Munro is like sitting down with a good friend who is honest, wiser and full of insight. Her stories are refreshingly smart, impactful and resonate far beyond the page. She writes with heart and finds the beauty and grace in our best and worst moments.

THE SPIDER AND THE FLY Claudia Rowe

A gripping true story of self-discovery and good vs. evil, eighteen painstaking years — and eight proven murders — in the making, Rowe spins a twisted web between her real-life reporting of a serial killer and the meaning of murder to confront the past and overcome its demons.

GIRL, STOP APOLOGIZING Rachel Hollis

Inspirational powerhouse Rachel Hollis offers up a shame-free strategy for embracing and achieving goals. She speaks about overcoming her own missteps and drives home a message that we’re enough as-is to begin moving toward what we want in life, today.

PRESENCE Amy Cuddy

Amy Cuddy knows how to inspire. Using her own story about recovering from a brain injury during college, she proves that we can rise about our limitations – physical or otherwise – and be our best selves. She changed my perception of a super hero, and that’s just a lead in.

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Enjoy an Allergy-Free Summer

Don’t Let Allergies Slow You Down

S

ummer is the season for outdoor fun with family and friends. Everything is vibrant, alive and buzzing with activity. For some, unfortunately, their sinuses are just as active.

“Northeast Wyoming is full of allergens,” Dr. Thomas C. Davis said. “I see a lot of people struggling here, for it being such a small community.”

Davis speaks from experience, having practiced

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otolaryngology around the country before returning to his home state in 2008. In fact, he’s the only physician in the state, who is board-certified in both otolaryngology (treatment and surgery for disorders of the ear, nose, throat), and sleep medicine.

Although Dr. Davis can treat any disease or disorder relating to the ears, nose and throat, he estimates around 20 percent of the patients he sees

are for allergy-related ailments.

When treating allergies, Davis likes to take a tiered approach.

“I’m of the philosophy to have people on the least medication as possible,” Davis said.

“We don’t like to take it, and it’s easy not to take it, so compliance can be a big issue, as well.”

Most who suffer from seasonal allergies deal with symptoms using over-the-counter remedies, Davis said, and which medication to reach for depends on whether one’s primary complaint is congestion or sneezing, runny nose or itchy eyes.

Nasal steroid sprays go straight to the source of congestion.

“Stuffiness bothers people,” Davis said, who has suffered with allergies his entire life. “No one likes to breathe through their mouth when they’re sleeping.”

For sneezing, runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, Davis suggests pairing nasal spray with an antihistamine.

If allergies are still affecting your quality of life, Davis suggests getting allergy testing done to determine what exactly is causing the adverse reaction.

Once the culprit is identified, allergies can be treated with avoidance, medication and immunotherapy.

By: Charity D. Stewart

Servin' up the Old West

Small-town western saloon & eatery serves up history and family-friendly country western fun.

By: Jen Kocher

TT

ucked between the wind-blown bluffs of Chugwater off Interstate-25 between Wheatland and Cheyenne, the neon lights from the Stampede Saloon and Eatery glow like a beacon in the inky, dark sky.

While most of the sleepy town shut down hours ago, the Stampede Saloon is just getting going. On a crowded Friday night, the tiny Wyoming town of just over 200 nearly doubles in size as couples and families from neighboring ranches and communities stream into town for a night of dining and entertainment.

Inside the door, Merwyn “Mer” Nilson greets customers with an armful of menus as he leads them across the wooden floor to a large family style table.

Dressed in a turquoise bolo tie and western leather vest, the slim 82-year-old, like the ambiance in the room, might have stepped right out of the Old West.

Posters of old-time country music legends line the walls next to ranch brands that have been seared into the knotty pine posts. Bucking horses rear back their legs as cowboys and Indians fight it out in a large mural on the back wall.

Overhead wagon-wheel chandeliers set the mood in the room, complemented

by the flicker of candles from the handmade elk shed candelabras in the centers of the dozen or so booths and tables.

He hopes they’ve worn their dancing shoes, Mer says to a couple as he leads them to their table. This weekend’s band, Dakota Country, is pretty much the best country western dance band, he says.

Of course, he might be a bit biased given that his son Lance and daughter-in-law Lilly played in the band for nearly 40 years until recently stepping down to open the Stampede Saloon nearly two years ago. Prior to this, Lance and Lilly had toured all over the West and Nashville. And though Lance and Lilly are humble about their resumé, Mer doesn’t mind giving them bragging time. Along with the being one of the most popular country dance bands throughout the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming, they’ve also played backup for many country western legends, including Johnny Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Jim Ed Brown, Jeannie Seally and Jack Greene, to name a few. Over the years, the band has even opened for big name acts like Charlie Pride, MAY / JUNE 2019

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Come for dinner and music and make it an overnight or weekend getaway in the historyloaded town of Chugwater. The Buffalo Lodge offers an affordable, comfy overnight stay.

Sawyer Brown, Mel Tillis, Gene Watson, Hal Ketchum, Bellamy Brothers and long list of other top bands.

Leaving life on the road to open the restaurant came out of the blue for the couple, who had their home base in Chugwater, where Lilly is from.

The restaurant had long been an icon while she was growing up, but in recent years the previous owner had closed it down and it had been sitting vacant for six years. It wasn’t necessarily their dream to open a restaurant, but as more and more venues continued to dry up for them on the road, they wanted to preserve the type of places they loved as kids.

Restoring this type of experience was their driving motivation, which also meant bringing Mer and his wife Margie over from South Dakota to help out. Along with their parents, they also bring in well-

known bands from around the region. Lance and Lilly have also brought a lot of newcomers to the stage with their karaoke contests the first Friday of every month.

Ultimately, their goal is to provide a portal back in time where families gathered around the table in company and music. “Come for the fun, leave with their memories� remains their predominant motto. Their laidback personalities and mild-mannered kindness helps invoke this oldtime spirit when life was much more simple and relaxed, at least when it came to entertainment.

So far it seems to be a winning combination.

By: Jen C. Kocher

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Not Your Dad’s

D

Golf Game

isc golf has come a long way since the 70s when kids were throwing Frisbees at trees on college campuses. Now, there’s backpacks, fancy gear and discs in varying weights and sizes for putting, driving and chipping, and people can even go pro.

For others, like Gillette transplant Michael Rensch, it’s a great way to get outside with his buddies and roam the rolling, lush green terrain at Energy Rotary Club Disc Golf Course at Cam-

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Plex. He and about a dozen others have started a league that plays on Tuesday nights and Saturdays.

Usually, there are half a dozen guys who turn out each week, depending on the day of the week and work schedules, but on this particular Tuesday, the crowd is a bit thinner given the unseasonably cold spring weather and the menacing purple clouds clotting overhead like a large bruise.

Competing in the league means playing against yourself to beat your own personal best.

That said, the guy with the lowest score gets to hang onto the no. 1 disc and ultimate bragging rights, and they throw in $5 for anyone who gets an ace, or hole in one. Rensch has yet to net a fiver, though he has received a buck for getting a black ace, which means accidentally hitting the wrong hole in one.

Tonight, the guys take turns launching their discs from a cement pad as they work their way through each of the 20 holes on the course. With

their backpacks full of discs, stacked neatly like plates in a dish rack, the guys admit it’s pretty easy to spend some cash when it comes to buying equipment, which come in a variety of sizes and weights much like golf clubs. Some of the discs can get pretty pricey too, averaging between $16-$20 a piece, and sometimes, up to $25. Each disc has a flight number, speed and glide factor stamped on the plastic, and it’s become popular among players to also dye them to make them more distinctively unique.

Like anything else, all of the players have a unique throwing style, which varies according to the obstacle of that hole and the particular disc being used. There’s the spin putt, push putt and overhead lob, to name a few.

According to the Disc Golf Scene, the course at Cam-Plex was designed in 2004 by Gillette locals. The front nine is wooded while the back 11 holes are longer and wider, more open, with a challenging tunnel obstacle and a 700-foot downhill pitch on the 16th hole. According to a survey on the Disc Golf Scene website, the course received at B+ rating, with many commenting on the many improvements over the years, including pads, baskets and hole placement.

Rensch, who is originally from Rapid City and started the Cambpell County Disc Golf Association two years ago, has been playing disc golf since he was 13. Now 28, he began playing as a way to stay in shape during the off-season of wrestling, and it just kinda stuck.

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DISC GOLF HISTORY The sport of disc golf was established in 1976 by “Steady” Ed Headrick, the father of the modern disc sports and driving force behind the era of Frisbee sports. Headrick trademarked the term “Disc Golf” after inventing and patenting the original Disc Pole Hole. He had originally wanted to call it a Frisbee Pole Hole but ran into trademark issues with Wham-O, owner of the Frisbee brand, where Headrick was also vice president. After creating the Disc Golf Association and the Professional Disc Golf Association, Headrick released the term ‘disc golf’ from trademark restrictions in order to help grow the sport. ____________________________________

Matthew Sorenson Memorial Disc Golf Tournament If you are interested in participating in the Matthew Sorenson Memorial Disc Golf Tournament or becoming a sponsor, details can be found on the Campbell County Disc Golf Association Facebook page or by contacting Kevin Couch at kevin.couch@anbbank.com or (307) 680-5688.

MAY / JUNE 2019

He likes the camaraderie and the fun form of exercise, much like the others who have all come out to compete. The playing levels range from novice to serious competitors, from Chris Blakeman, who just started last fall, to Gabe Fischer, who recently returned from a competition in Kansas, where about 1,600 people played.

The athletes have also started their own local tournament in honor of friend and climber Matthew Sorenson, who died in a climbing accident near Devil’s Tower. This September,

they’ll be holding the third-annual Matthew Sorenson Memorial Disc Golf Tournament, with all proceeds going to Joe Heather Zabel Family.

It’s a fun sport, Rensch added, and they are always recruiting new members, regardless of gender, age or skill level. Anyone can join, so check out their Cambpell County Disc Golf Association Facebook page for course info, practice and game times.

By: Jen C. Kocher

Photos: Adam D. Ritterbush

Community Calendar Our hand-picked guide to the best local events in May / June.  May 22-24

Community Blood Drive Transform a stranger’s life and your own at the Campbell County Public Library May 22 from 3p.m.- 6p.m., May 23 from 11:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. and May 24 from 9:30am – 2:30 p.m. Call (605) 6462625 or log on to www.bloodhero.com to make an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome!  May 25-26

Horse Nations Indian Relay “Tour of Champions Season Opener” Two of the most extreme days of racing: new teams, new horses and seasoned veterans. Competitors

Customs will host old cars, new cars, trucks, rat rods, and works in progress will all be on display in the CAM-PLEX Wyoming Center. Admission is $5.  June 1

Rockpile Museum Association’s 3rd Annual Dance through the Decades This family friendly event will be held at the Campbell County Senior Center. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6 and dancing to follow.

Tickets are available at the Rockpile Museum.

Proceeds benefit Summer Internship Program.  June 3-8

Wyoming State High School Rodeo Finals CAM-PLEX is hosting the Wyoming High School Finals Rodeo for the first time June 3 - 8. Morning and evening performances are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, with the finals on Saturday.

For more information, visit www.CAM-PLEX.com

 June 12

Gillette Area Leadership Institute Graduation Join the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, June 12, at the Gillette College Pronghorn Center for the commencement of the 2018/2019 G.A.L.I. class. Keynote Speaker will be the Wyoming Congressional Delegation. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and the program will begin at Noon. Lunch will be served. Register by contacting the Chamber at (307) 682-3673.

More events

 June 8

from six states and Canada will race their way to the year-end Championship of Champions September 20 - 22 in Walla Walla, WA. Cheer on your favorite team, buy them in the Calcutta, or pick a new up-and-comer Memorial Day Weekend at the Indian Relay Season Opener. Tickets are available at the CAM-PLEX ticket office or online at www.horsenationsrelay.com  May 26

Safe Kids Campbell County Benefit Breakfast Gillette Elks Lodge 2825 Fundraiser breakfast for Safe Kids Campbell County. Biscuits and gravy, eggs, sausage, pancakes, bacon, fruit, juice, milk and doughnuts will be served. Cost is $9 per person, $5 for children age 5 and under.  May 31-June 2

Energy Capital of the Nation Car Show Everyone welcome! Campbell County Classics and

20th Annual Children’s Charity Golf Tournament The Boys and Girls Club of Campbell County will host their annual fundraiser at Bell Nob Golf Course June 8, with the Calcutta the night before.

Sponsorship and team registration information can be found on the Boys and Girls Club Facebook page.  June 8

Coal Miner’s Daughters Roller Derby Bout If you haven’t watched a roller derby bout, you are missing out!

The Coal Miner’s Daughters will face the Black Hills Wildfire June 8 at the CAM-PLEX Spirit Hall.

Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Cost is $8 per person.

www.82717Life.com

 June 26-27

Energy Exposition The Energy Exposition is the largest oil and gas trade exhibition in the Rocky Mountain Region.

This year’s exposition will be held at the CAMPLEX. Attendees represent a wide range of services, including but not limited to, exploration, production, downstream, and all phases of support to the industry. Visit www.energyexposition.com for a list of this year’s speakers.  June 29

Coal Country Gravel Grinder The Coal Country Festival is an all-day event celebrating the love of cycling. There are fun activities for youth and adults, food vendors and so much to see and do on Gillette Avenue, all day long. The live music and street dance start at 5 p.m.

Who would miss that? For more information or to register, visit www.energyaddicts.net.

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As a small part of a greater effort to celebrate agricultural and rural lifestyle that constitutes the backbone of our community, we’ve recently launched the new Campbell County Fair Clover Kids campaign (“CCF Clover Kids”), where friends, family, and the community of Gillette and Campbell County are introduced to local 4-H’ers and invited to follow along as they train their livestock and prepare their projects for the Campbell County Fair 2019, beginning July 26 through Aug. 4.

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s y o b w Co

W

ith its head tethered to the fence, Gus craned his meaty neck back to check out the action behind him.

Eyes wide, the Red Angus steer gave a snort and shook his head as 15-year-old Cody Boller combed around the mud on his back leg. Across the corral, Cody’s younger brother, 10-year-old Brady, was also giving his steer a comb down. Beast Mode, so named for his lessthan pleasant disposition, monitored his handler’s movements with interest.

Hair is a big deal when it comes to a 4-H beef competition. Right now, the steers’ coats are looking a little patchy, so this week they’ll start spending their days in the cool barn and do their grazing by moonlight.

Keeping them cool will give their coats a chance to fill out, Cody explained, as he navigated behind Gus and gave him a few consoling slaps on his rump.

Gus was named after the iconic cowboy gentleman, Gus McCrae, from one of Cody’s favorite movies, “Lonesome Dove.” Just like the

characters in the movie, Cody is all cowboy, and if it were up to him, he’d bypass school altogether to become a full-time hand.

His dad Jake gets it. After high school, Jake took a job at the coal mine and moved to town.

After a short career, he returned to the family ranch his great aunt and uncle homesteaded in 1906, 40 miles outside of Gillette off Highway 59. But like his grandpa, he insists that his three boys go off and do something else before returning, should they choose to do so.

For now, the boys are enjoying their first day of spring break doing what they love.

There’s roughly three months until the Campbell County Fair, so they’re making up for lost time.

Right now, their steers are in good form, so it’s just

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way around the massive girth of their 1,000 poundplus frames that could easily squash them.

“Don’t run your face into a pole,” is the advice from their father, “and don’t let go of the rope.”

Both boys have learned this lesson the hard way. Brady was kicked by his older brother Tyler’s steer when he was two. After flying a few feet into the air, landing him a trip to the ER, he was able to escape with just a few cuts and bruises. Cody, meanwhile, slipped on ice this winter while trying to tie up one of the steers. Heeding his dad’s warning, he held tight to the rope and slid face first into one of the poles and broke his nose.

Despite past injuries, however, they showed no fear as Cody led Gus in a circle around the dried gumbo corral and Brady followed behind, tapping Gus on the butt to keep him moving. Working with the steers is the only way to get them tame enough to stand still in front of the judges.

“You have to train everyone to trust each other,” Jake explained, as he yelled out a few tips for Cody, who coerced the steer into standing position.

“He’s setting up nicely,” Jake told his son, and Cody nodded in return.

It’s just a matter of time and practice. In the meantime, there’s fencing to do and a host of other chores.

This is how the boys earn their keep and food for their animals. During auction, the steers will sell between $3,000 and $5,000, money they turn around and invest back into their operation.

But it’s not about money; that’s not why they’re out here. It’s in their blood, and those veins run deep. a matter of fattening them up and taming them enough to wow the judges.

The food part is easy. Two feedings per day of up to 24 pounds of grain. Because Gus, who has about 50 pounds on Beast, seems to be hogging the chow, they’ll soon be separated during feeding times.

The harder part is getting the steer to follow your lead.

From the day the steers are pulled out of pasture into the corral, they’re fighting you, Brady said. It takes a lot of time working with them to make them compliant.

To see Brady, who is just barely tall enough to reach the massive animal’s neck, manhandle the steer speaks to the skill that these boys are making look easy. There’s no timidity as they work their MAY / JUNE 2019

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g n i o G e g a t Vin S ewing and crocheting afghans with your grandma might not be every teenage girl’s idea of a good time, but for 14-year-old Sawyer and 17-year-old Meghan Hanson, it’s one of their favorite things to do. Not only is their Grandma Carol super fun and cool to hang out with, but she also has some valuable skills to pass on. Not to mention, access to vintage patterns and unique fabrics you can’t find just anywhere.

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For the past five years, the Hanson girls have been churning out one-of-a-kind couture fashions while stacking up championship 4-H ribbons at the county fair.

Take the pale, pink wool coat with silky pink lining that Meghan made last year or Sawyer’s lime green wool shift. Both look like they came off a designer rack with superior craftsmanship and style.

They make it look easy, but it’s not.

What you can’t see in the straight hems

and tidy seams is all the work – and headaches – that goes into pulling this off. Not to mention, modeling and explaining their designs to the 4-H judges, who turn the clothing inside out, silently accessing their handiwork as they stonily jot down notes on their clipboard.

“It’s a little like Project Runway,” Meghan said, noting the hardest part is the silence because you have no idea what’s going on in the judge’s mind.

Sometimes, it’s much more obvious. Like

the time a judge attempted to unsnap Sawyer’s jacket, at which point all the snaps flew off.

“I wanted to cry,” Sawyer said. “It took me four hours to sew those on.”

Over the years, the judges have continually pushed them to take their designs to the next level. Last year, Meghan sewed a plaid suit coat and skirt ensemble, complete with her first foray into high heels, which prompted the younger girls to ask if she was going to an interview.

Meghan laughed. Working with the younger

girls is part of what makes the competitions so fun. Last year, she helped teach them the finer points of modeling.

There’s a lot of sharing of knowledge across generations in general, like the girls teaching their grandmother to order from Amazon while she teaches them how to work from a pattern and put in darts.

Sometimes, they turn to YouTube for help, like the time Meghan’s design called for a hidden zipper, which Grandma Carol was vehemently

against. They didn’t do those in her day.

This year, Meghan has her eye on a white chiffon T-length party dress, with a gauzy, flowy skirt, very Audrey Hepburn “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” and Sawyer is thinking about making a peplum jacket to wear while showing her horse, Sugar.

Along with sewing, their grandmother is also teaching them how to bake, make and can jelly. In many homes, these skills are getting lost between generations, but not here.

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g n i n i e R p m Cha

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lot goes into getting a horse ready, 8-year-old Taebyn McGinley explained, as she deftly cross-tied Heidi’s halter to hooks on either side of her stall. Inside the horse barn on the family’s property off North Heptner Road in Rozet, Heidi, Taebyn’s 15-year-old quarter horse, stood patiently as her young charge combed the dust out of her coat and picked rocks out of her hooves.

In her cowboy boots and silky, robin egg blue western button-down shirt tucked into blue jeans with a fancy belt buckle, Taebyn moved around the horse like she’s been doing this her whole life, which she pretty much has.

She was riding shotgun in her mom’s belly before she was even born and got up onto her first pony not long after.

It’s safe to say it’s a life that Taebyn was born into, her mom Connie pointed out, given she and her husband J.D.’s active role in the horse community. Both long-time competitors, she in English and J.D. in western, Taebyn grew up feeling comfortable working with and riding horses.

Grabbing one end of the halter, Taebyn climbed up a fence post and shimmied over onto the saddle on Heidi’s back and gave her a

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horse a kick in the flank before trotting off into the biting, cold wind with eyes narrowed and forehead crunched in concentration.

Today is her last day of Easter break, so Taebyn is making the most of the chilly morning as she galloped toward her practice arena on the hill above her family’s home. In just over a month, she’ll have her first practice trial in preparation for this summer’s 4-H horse program where she will be competing for the very first time. Already, she is showing a lot of promise as a skilled rider.

This winter, she competed in the KPH Ranch Horse Versatility Series for the first time and won high point for the series.

Connie watched from a distance as her daughter leaned over and eased the gate open from her saddle, pulling back the rein to guide Heidi in a side pass. Once through, she closed the gate and headed into the arena where her mom gave her instructions to trot, canter and walk over poles, all of which Taebyn handled easily. She struggled a bit to get the horse backward through the L formation of logs as Connie gave her a few pointers.

“It’s a gift and a curse,” Connie said of her role as her daughter’s coach, but it clearly is paying off as Taebyn expertly navigated Heidi across the bridge for the final obstacle in today’s practice. In the meantime, Taebyn will continue to memorize and practice patterns from a book she won during the recent 4-H Horsemanship Challenge.

This summer, Taebyn will have her work cut out for her as she prepares to compete in a long list of events, both English and western, including trail, reining, western horsemanship, ranch riding and English Equitation to name a few. She’ll also have to wow the judges with her showmanship skills, which is all about getting Heidi washed and groomed and answering a whole bunch of questions as she leads her horse through the motions.

In the coming weeks, her mom will work with her on her showmanship skills, which she has yet to practice. For now, Taebyn’s enjoying her last afternoon of freedom with her horse.

By: Jen C. Kocher Photos: Adam D. Ritterbush

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Have Motorcycle, Will Ride

W

hat do you do on a beautiful day in Wyoming? Go for a motorcycle ride!

Whether you’re new to northeast Wyoming or have been traveling our two-lane highways for a while, here are

some escapes to help you determine where to ride.

SHORT Looking for a quick ride to a yummy meal?

Head east on old highway 14-16 (State Highway 51/ US Highway 16) through the little burg of Rozet and into Moorcroft. You’ll find Donna’s Diner on the north side of the highway and N. Cheyenne Ave. One way is about 28 miles.

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MEDIUM If you aren’t ready to head back to Gillette, continue on US Highway 16 southeast through Upton and down on to Newcastle. Look to your left as you head into town and you’ll see a different kind of steel horse and rider!

An easy winding ride on US Highway 85 north out of Newcastle provides lots more incredible views including antelope, cattle (including some longhorn), the occasional hawk, geese and some sheep.

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Shortly past Mallo Road, you’ll see the turn-off for State Highway 585, which will take you through Four Corners and on up into Sundance. There’s a great little gas station and convenience store right where State Highway 585, US Highway 14, State Highway 116 and Interstate 90 all converge. Take a break, stretch your legs, gas up and head back out. I recommend taking State Highway 116 back down to Upton where you can take the old highway 14-

16 back into Gillette through Rozet. It’s quicker and you don’t have to be on I-90!

Altogether, it’s roughly 225 miles. Be sure you have a camera (with a wrist strap!) because this route takes you into the Black Hills and just gets more beautiful as you go.

Black Hills

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LONG The Devilstone Run, celebrating its 3rd year in August, was recommended by our own Adam Ritterbush. The organizers describe it as “a wild quest through the wild west.” Starting at Devils Tower and ending in Yellowstone (get it? Devil … stone? Pretty clever!), you’ll pass through the Bighorn mountain range as you hit Sheridan and Cody in just four days.

It’s a hard ride, but the scenery is outstanding that time of year.

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The Devilstone Run

NOT TO BE MISSED A ride I particularly love is Needles Highway (South Dakota Highway 87). Located just 30 miles south of Rapid City, this winding two-lane highway takes you through Needles Eye Tunnel. Since it’s only a little over 8 feet wide, traffic flows one direction at time so be kind and patient (especially if you take this route during Sturgis week!).

A trip to Meadowlark Ski Lodge and back is a fun all-day trip. Take US Highway 14 north toward

Spotted Horse and around through Ucross, down into Buffalo and west to the lodge. If you hit Ten Sleep, you’ve gone just a little too far.

These are truly just a few of the great motorcycle rides available in this part of the country.

Wherever the winding road takes you, may the sun rise in front of you, the rain fall behind you and the wind follow you. Now, get out there and ride!

By: Lisa A. Shrefler

Photos: Adam D. Ritterbush

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