Musing: The Red Roads of Wyomings

A couple of weeks ago, I drove up to Casper, Wyoming via I-25. Casper is one of the prime viewing spots for the Great American Eclipse which is going to take place starting about 11 am across much of the northern United States. (Several Wyoming cities are in the path of totality, from Casper, to Glenrock, Douglas, Glendo, Torrington and Lusk.)

I've been up to Casper before of course, but this is the first time I really paid attention to the road. I took I-25 all the way up, and if you do too you'll see the grey asphalt of paving that's many years old, black asphalt of brand new (within a couple of years) paving, and red asphalt.

Red tinted asphalt on I-25

The red asphalt is quite pretty. But I know nothing about the paving of roads (except what I don't like, which is that the city of Cheyenne seems to be re-paving roads that don't need to be paved, and neglecting to re-pave roads that do need to be paved! But that's a rant for a different time.) so I decided to do some research to learn about.it. I wanted to know how and why some of the road was tinted red.

I had assumed that the road pavers had actually used red rock for some reason, but not so.

Here's what I learned by researching on the web:

The stuff that is used to pave roads is called asphalt concrete, blacktop or pavement. (In England, just as a point of interest, it's called tarmac or macadam.)

It is a composite material, consisting of a mineral aggregate bound together with asphalt. This material is laid down in several layers, and then compacted.

The color of the road comes from the type of mineral aggregate used. And the different aggregates depend on the type of minerals used - sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, etc.

The pink/red in the asphalt on Wyoming's roads (and on some other roads across the country, apparently) come from shale, which oxidizes - i.e. rusts, and turns bright red which fades to pink.

Well..that's what one source said. Another has said that the color comes from pink quartzite, which is stone, so there's no rusting involved!  (http://saltthesandbox.org/rocks/quartzitepink.htm) According to this source, many highways in western Minnesota and eastern South Dakota are pink.

So that actually sounds more logical...

Presumably this material is cheaper than the aggregate used to make the coal black asphalt, which is also used in several sections of I-25.

Passing through Cheyenne 2: The Hisstoric Cheyenne Depot

Whether you're coming to Cheyenne to stay preparatory to going up very early on the 21st of August, 2017 to see the Great American Eclipse, or just passing through on your way up to the Path of Totality because you've gotten your reservations (well done, you, as the Brits say) or back from it, you may as well stop in and see all that Cheyenne has to offer.

The whole raison d'etre of Cheyenne was to serve as a railroad town - first providing lodgings for those individuals building the Union Pacific Railroad across what was then a territory, in 1867.

The historic Cheyenne Depot, located on the left as you come over the bridge from the outskirts of Cheyenne into the city proper, is one of two main places to visit if you don't have a lot of time and want to learn as much about Cheyenne and Wyoming as possible. (The other is the Wyoming State Museum which I'll cover in a subsequent post).

The Cheyenne Depot houses the Wyoming Transportation Museum, which gives a history of the city and the trains that gave it birth.

The Depot's official address is 121 W 15th Street. It's actually at the corner of Lincolnway (also known as 16th Street) and Capital avenue, set back a bit in its own plot of land. There's parking all along 15th street, or in a lot at 15th street and Thomes avenue which is 2 blocks west of the depot.

Historic Cheyenne Depot. Wyoming Transportation Museum in two floors of right-hand wing

 Around the grounds of the Depot are several very large Boots, the result of a marketing and fund-raising idea from several years ago. Local artists painted the boots and businesses bid on them. After the auctions the boots were ranged around the city. There was an audio tour you could take to hear from the artist of each boot.

Now, several years later, some of the boots have been removed (one, a mosaic boot outside The Hitching Post Inn, a few miles west on Lincolnway, had severely degraded) and one wasn't wanted anymore so it was removed from its long-time location inside a car deaership and the Cheyenne Depot gave it a new home.

 There are six Big Boots on the grounds of the Cheyenne Depot. 

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play boot

Entrance to Cheyenne Depot Plaza

100 Years of Cheyenne

Governors of Cheyenne

On the train tracks side of the Depot

How to get to the Historic Cheyenne Depot

 If you're coming up to Cheyenne via Greely Highway/Highway 85, simply keep going north on Greeley Highway throughout the outskirts of Cheyenne. The road will soon split into two - Warren Avenue one way going north, which you will be on, and Central Avenue going south, which will be to your left. The two bridges/viaducts are separated in the middle by the Union Pacific tower. 

Once you've gone over the bridge, you'll come to Lincolnway (also Highway 30 or 16th Avenue.) Simply turn left, and the Cheyenne Depot will be on the left hand side. Turn left at Capitol, and you may be able to park along the right hand side of the road. (The left hand side is reserved for the Cheyenne Trolley which gives historical tours of the city - tickets can be purchased inside the Depot).

If there's no parking here, turn right on 15th Avenue, and look for parking on the right hand side. It may take you a few blocks to find something, or there'll be a lot at 15th and Thomes which is a couple of blocks away (as mentioned earlier.)

If you're returning to Colorado or points south via Greely Highway/Highway 85,  take the exit for Yelllowstone into the city. Yellowstone will turn into Warren. When you get to Warren and Lincolnway (just before the viaduct that leads out of 'historic old town) turn right. The Depot will be on your left.

***

If you're coming to Cheyenne from I-25/87 going north or south, take the Lincolnway Exit. You'll head east on Lincolnway. From this vantage point you'll pass several hotels and motels, incluidng the historic Hitching Post Inn. Part of it was destroyed by fire (arson) in 2010, but it is still open. There's also still a sign there for the Cheyenne Cattle Company Restaurant, but that restaurant no longer exists.

After a couple of miles you'll come to the Cheyenne Depot on your right. Turn right on Capital. Then follow the directions to find parking given above.
 

Where to watch the Great American Eclipse 2017 if you're in Glenrock, Wyoming: Paleon Museum

At 506 West Birch Street, across from the historic Higgins Hotel (across South 5th Street) is the Paleon Museum. The Paleon Museum is a dinosaur museum which features world class exhibits, and the story of the museum itself is an interesting one which I'll be sharing a bit later in this blog.

But my question is...when you come to Glenrock - or any other city in Wyoming that's in the Path of Totality for the Great American Eclipse that is going to happen on August 21, 2017- where are you going to watch it from?

You can watch it from your hotel room, of course, or from the parking lot of a mall, or in a campground. You may even have to watch it from the side of the highway if you couldn't get into one of the cities in time (there may well be bumper to bumper traffic of people coming up from Cheyenne or down from South Dakota (if you're going to watch the eclipse in Lusk).

My thought is that, if at all possible, you should watch it from somewhere symbolic. Or somewhere that will add extra meaning to the event.

If you're in Glenrock, that meaningful place just might be standing in the parking lot of the Paleon Museum, or better still out on one of their dig sites that is on the outskirts of Glenrock. (Starting this summer, Paleon will be re-opening its week-long dig camps for amateur enthusiasts who wish to help on their digs. While they haven't solidified their plans yet, they are considering holding a camp over the day of the eclipse. Stay tuned to learn whether that idea comes to fruition.)

Why is watching the Great American Eclipse from the Paleon museum parking lot or their dig site more meaningful/symbolic? Well, it's sort of alpha-omega. There's nothing earlier in time than dinosaurs (well, there is, but work with me here), and a total eclipse, so rare over the continental US, sort of represents the space race (well, space, anyway) so it's just ideal.

I visited the Paleon Museum today and talked with Sean, Stuart, and one of the bone biddies. (More on that after I have transcribed the interviews.)

If you'd like to have an up-close-and-personal tour of people working on fossils, the Paleon allows you to do that. After a tour of the exhibits given by an extremely knowledgeable guide, you can go into the Preparation Room and watch the Bone Biddies at work. (Or in the case below, Stuart - the administrator of the museum himself,  working on an exhibit while paleontologist Sean looks on.)

Stuart using an air gun to remove accretions on the fossil

The fossil fish and the skeleton diagram to help placement of the bones, prepared by Sean

Stuart and Sean discussing the work

If you're interested in dinosaurs at all, you'll want to visit the Paleon Museum in Glenrock - before or after you've watched the Great American Eclipse of 2017.

(Note that there's a sign on I-25, near the exit to Glenrock, that says the museum is open only from May to November. That's actually incorrect, the museum is open all year round. There Winter season hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. Call them at (307) 436-2667 if you want to make doubly sure.)

Check out their Facebook page for current news.

https://www.facebook.com/GlenrockPaleontologicalMuseum/

Where to stay in Glenrock, Bill and Esterbrook for the 2017 Great American Eclipse

Here's a list of the hotels in Glenrock, Bill and Essterbrook  where you can stay for the Great American Eclipse.

And remember even if the lodgings are booked now - as they probably are - you can always ask to be put on a waiting list should someone decide to cancel.)

Having said that -there's plenty to see in this region of Wyoming so even if you're not coming for the 2017 Great American Eclipse, you can always check out these hotels for visits during the rest of the year!

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(Click on photo to see larger version)

GLENROCK

 

4 Rooms on the Corner, on corner of 4th Street and Birch. Office is in the Classic Cafe

4 Rooms on the Corner
307-436-2244
201 S. 4th.
Amenities; Wi-Fi, Microwave, Refrigerator, Restaurant

Mabuhay Motel and Erlinda's Hair Salon

Mabuhay Motel
307-436-5468
302 West Birch St.
Amenities: Wi-Fi, Microwave, Refrigerator, Handicap accessible

Higgins Hotel on right. Across street, Paleon Museum

 The Higgins Hotel
(Historic landmark)
307-436-9212
416 West Birch St
HigginsHotel.com
Amenities: Wi-Fi, Restaurant, Bar, Corporate rates

The Higgins Hotel is also directly opposite Paleon, the dinosaur museum that is home to the Bone Biddies. More on these fascinating ladies and their work in future installments of this blog!

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BILL

Oak Tree Inn
307-358-0808
2522 N. Hwy 59
OakTreeInn.com
Amenities: Wi-FI, Microwave, Refrigerator, Guest Laundry, FItness Center, 24-hour restaurant, handicap accessible.

***

ESTERBROOK

Whistle Stop Cabin
307-331-4347
Esterbrookcabin.com
Amenities: Gas cooktop, oven, full sized refrigerator/freezer, microwave, cooking utensils. Sleeps up to 8.

Douglas and Glenrock WY prepare for the Great American Eclipse

It's 9 months,as I write this, before the Great American Eclipse which will take place on 21 August, 2017.

If you haven't made your hotel reservations in Glendo, Douglas, Glenrock, or Casper (all cities reachable from I-25 North) you are probably out of luck because they are all full.  However, from Cheyenne - Wyoming's capital - it is only a 2 and a half hour drive up to Casper (and will take less time to get to Glenrock, which is 18 miles this side of Casper, and Douglas which is even closer, and Glendo which is closer still).

Cheyenne has several hotels, motels and camping facilities. But if Cheyenne is sold out, don't despair. Fort Collins, Colorado, also on I-25, is a city of 100,000 people and has a commensurate number of hotels and motels.

From Fort Collins it's a 45 minute drive to the outskirts of Cheyenne on I-25. Just keep on I-25 and continue on to your ultimate destination.   (And if you don't want to take I-25 from Cheyenne, you can hop on Highway 85/Greeley Highway and go to Torrington which is only an hour north of  Cheyenne.  (All times dependent upon traffic of course. Normally traffic on these roads is very light, but there may be heavy "eclipse traffic."

Now that that preliminary is over, let's get on to the purpose of this blog post which is to share the brochure that the communities of Douglas and Glenrock put together to advertise the Great American Eclipse. (And note that Casper is only 18 miles further up on I-25.)

First I present scans of the front and back of the Douglas & Glenrock 2017 Solar Eclipse brochure, and then I present the text.  (Click on the image to download and/or read a larger version).

Glenrock and Douglas Wyoming Great Eclipse 2017 Brochure front

Here's the text from the front of the brochure:

Get your eclipse glasses [VERYimportant to protect your eyes] and head for Converse County Aug. 21, 2017 for the first solar eclipse to cross the continental United States since 1918. Less accessible solar eclipses have been visible from isolated areas, but the United States hasn't seen a solar eclipse stretech across the nation in nearly 100 years.

Converse County's communities offer numerous open areas, allowing spectators plenty of elbow room and wide open vistas from which to enjoy this historic occasion. The communities are also listed by eclipse enthusiasts as prime locations from which to experience the eclipse.

Dubbed "The Path to Totality," cities within the path provide the best view with the longest eclipse period. In Douglas "totality," the time during which the moon fully eclipses the sun, begins at 11:44 a.m. and will last two minutes and 22 seconds. The partial eclipse phase period begins at 10:23 a.m.

In Glenrock, the eclipse will begin closer to 11:45 am, also lasting two minutes and 22 seconds. The partial eclipse begins just before 10:23 am.

Outside of the community setting, the mountains south of Converse County's two main communities offer a spectacular view from which to watch the eclipse. The mountain community of Easterbrook, located just 20 minutes south of town, will experience the eclipse for 2 minutes and 31 seconds. Laramie (continued on reverse)

Glenrock and Douglas Wyoming Great Eclipse 2017 Brochure front

Peak towers 10,000 feet on the skyline and a quaint little log church compliments the scenery. While in the mountains, there's plenty of open space with clear views of the sky.

Fort Fetterman State Historic Site, located northwest of Douglas, provides yet another wide open vista from which to enjoy the eclipse.

The centerline [the blue line in the brochure above] covers a distance of 365.7 miles in Wyoming.

You will be able to enjoy the 2017 Solar Eclipse in its entirety in 

Converse County!

ECLIPSE VIEWING TIPS

• Get eclipse viewing glasses
• Use a tripod for photography
• Out of courtesy for those around you, don't use a flash when photographing the eclipose
• Use at least a 300mm lens to get the best images.

www.Eclipse2017.org

ConverseCountyTourism.com

Where to stay in Wyoming for the Great American Eclipse

I just got back from a trip to Casper, Wyoming. It's one of several cities in Wyoming that will see full totality on August 21, 2017.

I visited a few hotels to take some photos, and talked to the front desks. The clerks didn't even have to check their computers, they knew right away. They were totally sold out for August 20, 2017 - the night before the eclipse.

It's 9 months before the Great American Eclipse and all the hotels in these cities are totally booked!

However, you still have some options.

First, more than one clerk told me to check back in *January* to see if they had any cancellations.

Second, spend the night of the 20th in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Cheyenne isn't in the path of totality, but it's only a 2 to 3 hour drive on I-25 up to Glendo, Douglas, Glenrock or Casper - each of which is in the path of totality.  And it's only about an hour and a half on I-85 up to Torrington, also in the path of totality.

And Cheyenne has plenty of hotels.

If "great minds think alike" and people have already started booking Cheyenne hotel rooms, the next solution is to stay in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Fort Collins is 45 miles south of Cheyenne on I-25, and it is a city of over 100,000 people - so they've got plenty of hotels there, too. Just add an hour onto your drive time on August 21, to get up to Torrington, Glendo, or Casper before 11 am!

TravelQuest and Discover Magazine offering 2017 Solar Eclipse Tours

I just got the November/December issue of Discover Magazine.

On the front inside cover is an ad for "3 All American Tours!"

"2017 Solar Eclipse Tours."

These tours are sponsored by TravelQuest International and Discover Magazine.

I'll share the information here. If you want to book them go to this URL:
DiscoverMagazine.com/trips-tours

 Note that these are week-long tours and for double occupancy they are in the $6,000 range, and for single occupancy in the $8,000 range.  (Also note that I am not affiliated with TravelQuest International or Discover Magazine in any way. I'm just sharing this for information only.)

The only one that concerns me is the National Parks of the American West tour, which runs from August 16 - 28, 2017, because that's the one that will go through Jackson Hole, Wyoming on August 21, where there will be 2 minutes of totality.

Other things you'll be able to do on this tour:

• Visit Lowell Observatory
• Journey through red rock country around Sedona
• Marvel at the cliffs of Zion National Park
• Enjoy a storied lodge in Yellowstone
• Visit the Grand Canyon
• Pay your respects at Mount Rushmore and much more
• Enjoy the best of regional cuisine and accommodations in Salt Lake City and Jackson Hole.

Tour apparently starts in Phoenix and ends in Rapid City, South Dakota.

So if you like to go on tours, this may be the way to go.
http://discovermagazine.com/trips-tours/american-west-southbound