4 The Lovell Chronicl H 2020
We enjoyed our
staycation to
the Big Horns
and Buffalo
One of the current buzzwords being bandied about these days is
the tourism oriented word “staycation.” ‘
I thought it was surely not a real word but,
rather, a word created by chamber of com-
merce folks to urge people to vacation locally,
within their own region, rather than venturing
off across the country or even overseas. And
indeed that is what the word means, but it is
a real word, at least according to my American
Heritage Dictionary.
According to American Heritage, a stayca-
tion is “a vacation spent in one’s home country
rather than abroad, or one spent at home and
involving day trips to local attractions.”
Got it.
And the dictionary helpfully explained the
origin of the word as a “blend of stay and vacation."
Thanks for the help. The etymology of that one was really difficult
to figure out.
The word has come into popular use recently, of course, due to
travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Looking at
a potential summer of decreased visitation and, thus, fewer tourism
dollars in the economy, chamber of commerce, travel industry and
even economic development leaders are encouraging people to
“shop local” with their vacation planning. v
It makes perfect sense. After all, the money spent locally by
someone from Riverton or Sheridan is just as good as money from
Missouri or Minnesota.
And so Susan and I took up the challenge. Believing it to be per-
haps unwise to travel to California or elsewhere to visit family mem-
bers, we planned a short Independence Day holiday staycation to
the Big Horns and communities on the east side of the mountain.
We started with a hike on the, Bucking Mule Falls National Rec-
reation Trail in the Big Horns Friday afternoon, and it was absolutely
beautiful, though a bit longer than we had remembered, having not
hiked the trail for many years. , . i h I
But I god’t‘believe I have ever" seen thé‘mfifitgin
wildfloyyg’rs i
more vibrant. Fragrant purple Lupinégged
Indién‘Paintbrush‘,‘b’right
yellow Hoary Balsamroot and many mOre varieties lined the trail and
carpeted meadows along the way.
At the overlook we chatted with some nice folks from Kaycee
and elsewhere traveling as a family group, including three dogs.
One of the men turned out to be Chris LeDoux’s son Will, and I
told him about the time Chris and his band Western Underground
played a concert in Lovell and that l was able to interview his father
following the concert. told him I’m not sure I’ve met a finer gentle-
man, and I meant it.
I also noted that former Deaver-Frannie resident Clay Ward did
the forge work for the bronze statue of Chris LeDoux on a bucking
bronc that adorns the park in Kaycee.
We enjoyed Bear Lodge for dinner and stayed at Elk View for
the night, then took a leisurely drive along Forest Road 26 past the
Tie Flume and Dead Swede campgrounds and along the beautiful
East Fork of the South Tongue River (that’s quite a directional place
name). We eyed the crags of the northern group of peaks in the Big
Horns, notably Black Tooth Mountain.
Our drive took us down the Red Grade to the Big Horn Area,
where we visited the marvelous Bradford Brinton Museum, a gem
well worth visiting for its Western art, and the historic Wagon Box
Fight and Fort Phil Kearny state historic sites, which document the
clashes of the “Bloody Bozeman” Trail of the 18605.
Ourjourney ended in Buffalo, where we dined and stayed at the
David Peck
Observations
est operating hotel, built in 1880. It was a wonderful place to stay.
We returned home on Sunday.
That is the story of our mini-staycation, and I would encourage
any of our readers to take a look around our own region this summer
when planning a vacation. There is a lot to see in our own backyard.
WYOMING
PRESS
ASSOCIATION
M E M B E R 2020
2019 Award-winning Newspaper
Postmaster: Send address changes to:
The Lovell Chronicle, USPS 321-060
234 E. Main, Lovell, Wyoming 82431
307-548-2217 ,
Published every Thursday
Periodical postage paid at Lovell, Wyoming
Publisher/Editor: David Peck
Reporter: Ryan Fitzmaurice
Production: Karlie Hammond,
Dustin McClure
Staff: Dorothy Nelson, Teressa Ennis,
Sam Smith, Annette Moss,
Kristin Owens, Ashley Hoffmann
www.LovellChrOnic|e.com
ornate and historic Occidental Hotel, reported to be Wyoming’s old-
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Ignorance is bliss, but it could hurt
Sometimes our
memories are hap—
py, some not so hap—
py and some downright
embarrassing. In fact,
there are recollections
that could leave a per-
son with the thought,
“Wow. How could I have
been that stupid?”
Here come sev-
eral of my most pain- '
ful memories, some of
which involved actual
Rhysical pain. RightLStupid... ‘
-' My father’s 'fii‘st‘kautomo—
bile was an old Chevy. I was per-
haps 7 years old with a brain like
a bucket with a hole in it. M dad
was watering the lawn 0 our
home at the time, and I was on
the front seat of the car fooling
with the instrument panel. The
cigarette lighter caught my eye; I
asked dad what would happen if I
pushed it in. He warned me to let
it be because if pushed the thing
would pop out and be quite hot. I
didn’t believe him.
Long story short: when the
lighter popped out it didn’t look
hot so I touched the inside tip
with my left index finger. Instant
pain. Instant blister. Fortunately
the water hose was running and
nearby. Never did that again. Dad
just looked at me and shook his
head.
Speaking of first cars, I
stopped mine one fine after—
Guest column
Bob Rodriguez
noon because there was
an odd noise under the
hood. Left the engine
running and popped
said hood and eyeballed
the engine and other
stuff. I had no idea what
I was looking at. But
I noticed that a spark
plug wire appeared to
: be loose as though com-
" ingoff a plug.
Yeah; I grabbed it
to pushit down. Ahhh—
_.hth A. (whole. lot. got; .pamiLAboutli
My whole arm urt; felt as
though my fillings were going to
fall out of my teeth. Recovered
after a few minutes. A shocking
experience.
- My eighth-grade teach—
er apparently enjoyed torturing
children with plenty of home-
work. My load for the weekend,
due Monday, was put off (by me)
until late Sunday afternoon. One
of my uncles, his wife and their
three children were visiting my
parents, all in the dining room
adjacent to the room I used for
dealing with homework. At one
point I closed the door between
the rooms because the talking
and kid noise was disturbing my
concentration.
Even with the door shut
there still was a faint buzz from
the dining area that irritated me
as I tried to complete a book re-
port, a composition on cooking
and several pages of math prob—
lems and grammar lessons. (See
“torturing children” above). But
presently the din diminished so I
opened the door and said loud-
ly, “Wow, did they finally leave?”
Actually no; they were all sitting
at the dining table. They stared
open-mouthed at me as I turned
several shades. of red and man—
aged to gulp, “Oh, hi." Closed the
door. They left a few minutes
later.
H I “in. - There are so
knocked me, sitti'n ,,to,.the,'ci_1rb.,j”
,miemories that I’ll close 'Wi'tli'dne
of my truly unthinking stunts. As
a cub reporter at a daily newspa—
per I was sent to cover the arrival
of a US. Navy ship after extend-
ed deployment during the Viet-
nam War.
I waited for the ship's cap-
tain to disembark as the last per-
son aboard except for watch per-
sonnel. His wife and two teenage
children, a boy and a girl, eagerly
waited with me on the dock.
Conducted a relatively short
interview; then asked the cou-
ple in all innocence (being kinda’
dumb), “Do you have any special
plans for tonight?” Yeah, if looks
could kill or melt lead, that ridic—
ulous question brought four sets
of eyeballs to bear. I offered brief
thanks and scurried away.
Suggestions: Look before ou
leap. Taste your words be ore
you let them out of your mouth.
Controlling what we can in uncertain times
BY CHRIS BROWN,
Executive Director of Wyoming
Lodging and Restaurant Association,
and MIKE MOSER,
Executive Director of the Wyoming
State Liquor Association
Wyoming’s hospitality and
tourism industry is the state’s
second largest industry. In 2019
we welcomed 9.2 million over-
night visitors that spent $3.95
billion in our restaurants, retail
shops, drinking establishments,
lodging properties and main
street businesses. This visitor
spending generated $203 million
in local and state tax revenue and
supported 32,750 full-and part—
time jobs.
Enter COVID-19.
We are halfway though 2020
and our businesses that rely on
a booming visitor economy are
now struggling for their very
survival. Occupancy and aver—
age daily rates for lodging prop—
erties are well below that of last
year. Wyoming’s cities, towns
and counties are seeing lower tax
revenue to pay for essential ser—
, vices, restaurants, bars and clubs
are seeing lower volumes of cus-
tomers, employees are seeing re—
duced hours and all have to adapt
to health orders that limit opera-
tions in ways that we have never
seen...or could have imagined.
To add to an already uncer—
tain horizon, states like Arizona,
Texas, New Jersey, Washington,
California, Colorado and Flori—
da have all taken steps backward
by re—closing (or keeping closed)
bars, gyms, movie theaters and
the like, after significant spikes
in COVID-19 cases. We cannot let
this happen in Wyoming.
In a time when it’s easy to be
overwhelmed by what the future
may hold, there are common—
sense steps that establishments
and patrons across Wyoming
have been and can continue to
take to help stop the spread of
COVID—19 and keep our business—
es open.
Restaurants and drinking es-
tablishments in Wyoming should
please consider the following
steps:
- Emphasize the importance
of employees staying home when
sick. This will help other staff
members from being exposed
and being quarantined if the ill—
ness is COIVD—19.
- Screen employees for ill—
ness before each shift. Employ-
ees reporting illness should not
be allowed to work, to prevent
exposing other employees and
customers.
0 Follow physical distanc-
ing guidelines among customers-
and staff. Developing systems for
staff to remain six feet'away from
each other as much as possible,
including during breaks, will lim—
it the number of emfployees ex—
posed should one 0 your staff
develop COVID-IQ.
' Ensure the use of face cov—
erings among staff members.
Utilize proper sanitization
practices.
0 Encourage customers to
wear face coverings inside your
establishment when away from
their table or the bar.
Follow all state and county
health orders closely.
Patrons visiting their favor—
ite establishments should please
consider the following steps: '
Please respect business
practices meant to encourage
physical distancing. This not only
protects you as a customer but
protects other customers and
their staff, as well.
- Wear face coverings when
inside an establishment and away
fromyour table or the bar.
0 Stay home when you are
sick.
- Wash your hands frequently.
' Avoid shaking hands.
Avoid gathering in
large groups when inside the
establishment.
Follow all state and county
health orders closely.
As we continue with summer
operations, let us focus on' the
things that are within our con-
trol. Let’s enjoy the summertime
traditions that we look forward
to all year in a safe manner that
protects our freedoms and will
keep Wyoming open for business.
