The spring in Wyoming's step

There are a few sure signs of springtime in Wyoming.

Of course, with the oddly winterlike conditions we have had (interspersed with rare spots of sunshine) lately, it is kind of hard to believe spring is actually here.

Smaller roads turn from straight-out-icy hells to industrial-strength mud and larger roadways develop horrible cases of road cone acne.

Trees begin to grow leaves just as telephone and light poles start to sprout their own foliage—garage sale signs.

Prairie dogs fire up for their annual Olympic events which mostly consist of warm weather dashes back and forth across Wyoming thoroughfares.

The river as it grows, pushes up drift boats and rafts as floaters gleefully grab a ride on the floating vessels.

“Summer snow” is also in the air as cottonwood trees spit out their fluffy white attempts at offspring.

Speaking of summer snow, you will also find kids and drunks setting fire to the massive white piles of “tree sperm.” That fuzzy stuff goes up like magician’s flash paper. Note: Please try very hard not to set the area aflame when (or if) you do this.

Small town Wyomingonians also notice the streets start to turn green.

This is only funny if you are aware that, for some time, Colorado license plates were pretty much solely green. “Greenies,” as Colorado tourists have come to be known, begin to depart crowds and traffic in treks to our happy little havens where they fill our streets with the plant-colored out-of-state plates.

Side note: Colorado has, in recent years, issued different colored license plates in an attempt to combat the term “Greenies.”

It doesn’t matter to us, we still call them Greenies. What? They thought we were going to start calling them “Reddies?”

Honestly, we don’t have anything against tourists in general, or Coloradans specifically,—it’s just a fun little term of endearment we use.

I have called good friends from that state to the south “effin’ Greenie” in a derogatory way just to mess with them.

It usually gets a smile.

What do I know? I’m originally from Texas.

I have heard Coloradans “hate” Texans because apparently a lot of Lone Star Staters fill Colorado during the spring and summer months—well, okay, winter for skiing too.

I just skipped the whole mess and adopted Wyoming several decades plus ago.

Man, I got off track a bit.

Sorry.

Woodchoppers

Another sign of spring is the Woodchopper’s Jamboree and Rodeo.

The Encampment/Riverside area opens up for Woodchoppers and riders over a mid-June weekend.

Logging types, along with horse and bull people, come from all over to participate in the many events held during the two-day event.

I am sure some of them are even Greenies.

I hope I didn’t offend any of them—we’re happy they were (or still are) here.

Anyway, Woodchopper’s plays host to some fun to watch (and participate in, if you’re so inclined) events.

Chips fly as teams yank each other around during the two-person handsaw events. It is amazing to see some of the logging types chainsaw through huge chunks of wood like a knife through butter. Watching people struggle to both pick up and throw a large log can be fun (in Scotland, they call that “caber tossing”).

Axes whistle through the air—as do chainsaws.

Kids are invited to try and climb the “greased pole” or dig through in the “salted” sawdust pit along with other diversions.

Rodeoing Up

I, personally, am not much of a “rodeo guy” but that doesn’t keep me from admiring the skill cowboys (and cowgirls) display when they navigate their horses through a network of barrels or when they jump off to tie a calf down in mere seconds.

Bull riding is a whole other thing. Seeing a rider bucked around relentlessly is harrowing enough. When they come off the bull and get in *ahem* a precarious situation—that will make you hold your breath. Those are the moments when the bull fighters or rodeo clowns step in. These brave (or maybe crazy) people actually run at mad bulls to distract them from their former riders—Whew!

If you have never seen a rodeo, I recommend you go at least once.

Pancakes and Parade

The local fire department puts on a pancake and sausage breakfast Saturday morning just before the parade. I usually hit that just because I need some food and especially coffee to try and repair myself from the night before.

For towns as small as Riverside and Encampment are, they put on a pretty good Woodchoppers parade.

Equestrian teams stroll by, performing intricately choreographed moves every so often (along with adding fertilizer to the parade route—hey, they’re horses after all). Vintage cars add their chatters or rumbles to the proceedings. The museum usually has an interesting float and the melodrama performers wave kerchiefs or bonnets at the observers. Can-can girls often run alongside the melodrama float only to plant big smooches on the innocent and unsuspecting—leaving colorful lip marks on their victims.

Getting Melodramatic

You may have noticed I get a little melodramatic myself in my writing—so I fit right in watching (and participating) in the old-fashioned and purposefully over-the-top Dudley Do-Right, Snidely Whiplash type plays that go on over the weekend.

Attendees are invited, by the lovely placard-carrying can-can girls, to BOO when the villain comes on stage or CHEER when the hero arrives. SIGHs are encouraged when our heroine makes her blushing entrance.

If you can bring yourself to let go a little, this is a fun hour or so.

All Told

I generally look forward to Woodchoppers and the attendant concerts the local “social establishments” add to the proceedings.

Since I am the guy that will be (was, by the time you read this) covering the event this year, this is a prudent attitude to have.

I know some folks are going to give me a hard time for writing this to appear after the events instead of promoting it beforehand, but it was my column this week and when I began writing this I realized myself how much I was looking forward to the weekend.

I hope I have instilled some of that eagerness in you for next year.

Happy spring!

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 
Rendered 03/16/2024 06:58