Yes Emily

Yes Emily, girls can ride motorcycles!


Friday, July 13, 2012

Friday The 13 - Day 7 (Didn't Check The Odometer)

I rode into town and headed, first, to the Botanical Gardens, home of an array of beautiful flowers and native plants and resting spot for Big Boy #1242. Cheyenne is not only a cowboy capitol and preparing to celebrate their 116th Frontier Days and Rodeo next week - it's also a railroad town.
Big boy #1242
From there I rode downtown, parked the star and undressed, much to the surprise of a city workman across the street (who was relieved, and called across the street to tell me so, that I was just doing a metamorphosis so to speak, peeling away the hot riding gear and was fully clothed, in suitable sundress and leggings underneath).
I promised myself today's post would be less talk and more pictures ... but I have to add a few words about the Cowgirls of the West Museum, my first downtown stop. At the door I met Bill Hilsen, a cowboy straight from the past and museum historian. Bill was more than knowledgeable, he was passionate about the contribution that women had made to the west and how Wyoming was in the forefront of supporting women's rights. He posed (sadly I was out of focus) in front of the photo of Rodeo Champion Bertha Blancett (who, he proudly announced, was a Canadian born gal). Bertha changed the face of Rodeo - not necessarily in a good way, but in 1914 she came within 10 points of winning the All Round Champion Rodeo which prompted the rules to be changed. Bill said it was the male ego, the cowboys couldn't handle being beaten by a woman so they changed the rodeo rules and in 1915 women could no longer compete against men, they had to have their own, separate rodeo. The museum was filled with photos and life stories of women who made the west ... from Western Ladies of questionable morale like Dell Burke (Bordello owner) and Etta Place (the Sundance Kid's girlfriend) to noted authors like Mary O'Hara (Author of My Friend Flicka) and Bill's own great grandmother, immigrant and single female homesteader. An amazing little museum and totally free (like many of the museums I visited today in Cheyenne Wyoming.)

 Cheyenne Botanical Garden
 A couple of other Canadians visiting Cheyenne
 Bill at the Cowgirls of the West Museum (Bertha in the background)
 New model train exhibit at the Depot

 The State Capital  building
Wyoming State Museum
My Campsite buddy

11 comments:

  1. Finally, some seeings in sight. I thought the long stretches in the flatlands would never end ;-)

    The last pic is sweet: a campsite bunny.

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    1. Bunnies - so many bunnies. They were too cute, especially that little fella, just a tiny baby bunny, and amazingly they were exactly the same colour as the gravel - hard to spot sometimes.

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  2. Looks like your having a great adventure, even on a black friday ...
    Love the giant Cowboy boot, we have a giant gumboot here ( at Taihape) not quiet got the style though !!

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    1. Biggo - since I'm on holiday I didn't know it was Friday the thirteenth until a lady at the gas bar mentioned. Good thing, I might have been worried about venturing out. Cheyenne is cowboy(girl)city and is literally filled with giant boots painted to represent various themes - I'll have to check out the gumboot! Thanks for stopping by.

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  3. Botanical gardens and a museum. That is a good day. Love your little campsite buddy.

    See you in a few days.

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    1. It was great just to hang out for a day - and chase bunnies.

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  4. Glad you are able to take your time, poke along and see the sights. BTW, you know you're on vacation when first you don't check the odometer, then you stop checking your cell phone, you quit reading your emails, leave all the electronics and little nagging beeps, chimes, buzzers, rings and reminders behind to truly relax.
    Ride safe and see you soon!

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    1. ... and somebody else has to tell you what day of the week it is. See you soon.

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  5. Karen,
    What a wonderful trip and terrific photos! Loved the photo of the bromeliad, we have a lot of different types growing in our garden.

    Safe riding!

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    1. Geoff, I'm so glad someone knows what the plants were called, there didn't seem to be markers on any of them. It was a simple, but lovely garden.

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  6. Karen:

    I don't know how you can remember all these little details.

    Your campsite buddy "could" be dinner . . .

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast
    My Flickr // My YouTube

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