Wayne's Reflections

When traveling to Wyoming's Hole In The Wall country in September 2014 (see my Blog about the Hole In The Wall) we took the long way to Kaycee, going through Thermoplis, Worland, Ten Sleep, and Buffalo. Leaving Ten Sleep one travels up to the Powder River summit before descending the twenty miles down into Buffalo. Notice that we put the Ford in the middle as we wanted to make sure it made it. Looking down off the Power River summit into Johnson County. Notice that in this part of Wyoming there is no sage brush; just lots of grass and trees (very pretty). Looking back to the Powder River summit area. This part of Wyoming outside Kaycee has miles and miles of grassland and no sage brush. This grassland is what caused the Johnson County War. Down town Kaycee Wyoming, named after the KC Ranch owned by Nate Champion who was the first small rancher killed by the large rancher association and started the Johnson County war. The Johnson County War, a...

I am a long time history buff.  Especially when it comes to history of the Western United States. Parker When reading about Robert LeRoy Parker (Butch Cassidy) and Harry Alonzo Longabaugh (Sundance Kid) and the Wild Bunch; and, numerous fictional western histories describing the gangs hide-out called the Hole In The Wall which is located in north central Wyoming; Shirley and I decided to take a trip with her brother and sister-in -law and see the hide-out for ourselves.  Since my wife Shirley was born and grew up in central Wyoming, I am always asking her if she knows where such and such a town is; or if she knows about a ranch, lake, etc. Parker and Longabaugh along with their gang, the Wild Bunch, performed the longest string of successful train and bank robberies in American history. Longabaugh So on September 7, 2014, the four of us along with Shirley's sister left Riverton, Wyoming, where Shirley's brother lives,  and headed for Kaycee, Wyoming. ...

Tuesday (2-25-14) Shirley and I went to the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls to watch the Harlem Globe Trotters.  What a great performance!!! Our grandson, Ben, even got to shake hands with Flip when he came into the stands after throwing a bucket of water (actually turned out to be confetti) on us during one of their stunts.  We did get splashed with water at the beginning of the stunt which led us to believe the bucket with confetti held water too. Harlem Globe Trotters As you can see, we had some really good seats.  We were only 4 rows from the floor.

The first of the so called "mega-loads" passed through our neighboring town of Arco, Idaho on December 31, 2013.  This would be the first of 3 similar loads to cross the state enroute from the place of manufacture in Vale Oregon to their final destination in the Athabasca Tar Sands Oil Fields of northeast Alberta, Canada. The route of travel is through eastern Oregon to the Idaho border at Ontario, then to Mountain Home, along U.S Highway 20 through Fairfield, to Carey, then  Arco along U.S. Highway 20, 93 to the junction of Idaho Highway 33 through Howe to the junction of Idaho 33 and Idaho 28 then up Idaho 28 to the junction with U.S. Highway 93, along Highway 93 through Salmon to Missoula Montana and on into Canada. When traveling through Idaho, the loads are only allowed on the roads between the hours of 10:00 pm. and 6:00 am.  No travel is allowed during bad weather. Speed of travel is about 10 miles per hour.  The load is pulled by one tractor and pushed by...

Last Scout Camping Trip Yesterday, (November 24, 2013) I was released as Scoutmaster of BSA Troop 98 in Mackay, Idaho.  I have been the Scoutmaster for this Troop for the past 4 years (this time).  This release got me to thinking about my time spent in Scouting.  I have been a registered Scout or Scouter for at least 50 years.  I earned my Eagle rank when I was 15, and became the Venture (now Varsity Team) leader shortly after Shirley and I were married. I have also served as Explorer (now Venture) Post adviser, Scoutmaster (several times), Cubmaster for 10 years, Charter Representative, District Camping Chairman, District Cub Scout Training Chairman, District Cub Scout Chairman, and District Boy Scout Chairman (but not in this order).  I was awarded the Silver Beaver Award by Teton Peaks Council BSA (now Grand Teton Council) in the late 1980s.  For our family, Scouting has been a family experience.  Shirley has also been involved as a Den Lea...

Deer Hunting 2013 Every year around the middle of January, I buy a combination Hunting and Fishing License.  Not that I hunt that early in the year, I do fish.  I just like to have the license in my wallet next to my Concealed Weapons License.  I guess it makes me feel more legal as I usually have a gun of some kind in my vehicles, on my side or my .380 in my pocket. I don't go hunting as much as I used to as the game in Units 50 and 51 isn't as plentiful as it used to be. When I first began hunting, Unit 50 was an either sex, two deer tag area.  Now most of the deer I see are along the Big Lost River or in the city limits of Mackay.  There are more elk in the unit now and Shirley and I even saw a cow moose with her calf several weeks ago on Summit Creek.  Also, Shirley grew up eating wild game and isn't fond of it now; so I would have to eat what I brought home.  Since I do 80% of the cooking now that I am retired that wouldn't be a problem, ...

Fly Fishing on the Big Lost River Today started out cold (34 degrees F) with a strong, cold wind and storm clouds covering the mountain surrounding the valley.  The weather was not so good for fly fishing as I had planned.  So I went about my daily routine. I have started to build a greenhouse for next season. You need a building permit to build anything in Mackay so I went to City Hall to get one.  After lunch I went back to work setting up the railroad ties I will use for the foundation for the greenhouse.  It is hard work to move the 9 foot, tar soaked ties and I had to take off my jacket as the temperature had warmed up.  It was then I noticed that the wind had quit blowing. Needless to say, I picked up my tools and headed for the garage to get my fishing gear.  There won't be many days left for fly fishing.  The stretch of water close to home, runs too high to fish from mid May until early October because of irrigation in the valley.  ...