Ten Towns Less Travelled: Part Three - Cheyenne, Wyoming

Cheyenne, Wyoming is right off Interstate 80 on one's way to New York from California. I say this because that was my perspective, that it was merely a pit stop for me and my then cat, Wendell, to enjoy a bit of viddles and much-needed respite.

What I found over 24 hours, though, was a peaceful, expansive, grand vista where few people meet great treasures: an old train depot, rugged red granite mountains, friendly police officers (someone may or may not have been driving too fast but didn't get a ticket), dog-gone good bar-be-que, and a day-long trip to Yellowstone.

If you like cowboys more than you like Wall Street stockbrokers, and a restful night's sleep more than nightclubs and amusement parks, Wyoming is for you. It is the least populated per square mile state in the Union. I know because the state proudly displays signs in town that attest to it.

Here are some Cheyenne activities:

1. Frontier Days: without a doubt, a Cheyenne signature attraction. This July come and see Luke Bryan, Championship Bull Riding, an old-fashioned shootout (don't judge) and a rodeo. Frontier Days is such a staple it even has an arena named for it.

2. Dang good burgers. This is ranching country. Vegans and vegetarians need not apply. Can't recall the name of the place I went to but it was dusty, and an old cowboy with a dry sense of humor was hanging out there. Check Yelp if you like, but I'd just wander into anyplace downtown with character. (You're thinking Old West, not New McDonald's.)

3. Take a trip to Old Faithful: it's a day away but worth the gas. Yellowstone is one of the country's national treasures, and you'll marvel at the beautiful countryside along the way. Don't forget your bear-noculars.

4. Go see the Lincoln Statue off I-80. I was driving east when I spied to my left, the grand visage of America's 16th president. The statue by Robert Russin is at the highest point on the Lincoln Highway (this stretch of I-80), near Laramie or about 45 miles west of Cheyenne.

5. Go get lost. Not literally, but for me the best thing about places like Wyoming is the wonder of it all. Take pictures. Talk to strangers. The natural setting is ripe for jumping out of your comfort zone. Go buy a cowboy hat. Turn on the Country Western channel. Drink with the locals.

Photos: By Laurie Wiegler - Top to bottom: The Lincoln Statue on the Lincoln Highway/ Hwy 80 near Laramie, Wyoming; the author in Green River, Wyoming, about four hours before getting to Cheyenne; and the author in Cheyenne, Wyoming, June 2001.

Tomorrow: Part Four - San Anselmo, California