Labor Day morning, September 5, Genie and I left from Beaver Lake for our annual stay of one week at Arrowhead Lodge in the Big Horn Mountains above Sheridan, Wyoming. Our first year of doing this was 1973.
We got on I-90 at Albert Lea, set the cruise on 75, and headed west. We stopped at Mitchell, SD to look at the new corn themes on the outside of the Corn Palace.
In Mitchell, we saw about 200 motorcycle riders, all volunteer firefighters, headed for New York City to take part in the 9/11 ceremonies. They started out in Washington state and were adding riders as they went along. Many of the riders were riding the special red bikes wearing volunteer fireman clothing. As they came into a town, some would hoist United States flags as symbols of their patriotism — very impressive.
The first night, we stayed at the Super 8 Motel in Wall. The evening meal at Wall Drug and saying Hi to T-Rex was a must.
Tuesday morning, we set the cruise control at 80 and headed west on I-90. The speed limit is 75 in South Dakota and Wyoming, versus 70 in Minnesota. Once 828 miles from Beaver Lake, we were at Arrowhead Lodge in the Big Horn Mountains. Richard, a familiar face of a few years, gave us a “good to see, welcome back” and checked us in our favorite one room log cabin #3.
The first day, there was a day of rest to let our bodies get used to the high altitude of 7-9,000 feet.
As usual, the Arrowhead employees, on a scale of one to ten with ten being the best, rate a strong 11. Rick, the morning chef, made a special pancake entitled “Little Boy” just for me. Waiters Chad and Clay, have the ability to give the meal a down home family feeling. Yuki, in housekeeping, with a friendly smile and a cute wave of the hand, has the ability to brighten your day.
We held a brief church service on Sunday at Medicine Wheel (an Indian religious ceremonial site.) As you drive up to Medicine Wheel, the world’s largest golf ball is teed up, waiting for Paul Bunyan to tee off.
How small is this world? We were at Shell Falls looking at a beautiful waterfall. A Chevrolet HHR identical to ours pulled in with Indiana plates. We started car talking and the lady asked where we were from in Minnesota. I say “Albert Lea,” and she says “Do you know Ardelle Knutson of Hartland?” The net result is Hi from Butch and Annabelle Kaiser of Mentone, Indiana. Another example, we were at Bear Lodge in the mountains for breakfast. A couple was seated at the table beside us. I looked at him and he looked at me. Welcome Butch Donovan and Judi Kalstad of Glenville to the Big Horn Mountains.
Why are the forestry employees so nice in the Big Horn Mountains? Because they have been exposed to “Minnesota Nice” through a fellow employee from Becker, MN.
Carol, Terri, Sheila, Valerie, Conny (five great ladies from Canada) listen to Dan, Frank, Fred (three native brothers of Wyoming) bugle thinking it’s a bull elk. A real bull elk bugled back thus the ladies heard both a two-legged and a four-legged elk bugle!
Tough question — “What does a UPS man wear on his head when he’s delivering in Wyoming? A cowboy hat of course.
September 28 is a great day in history. 48 years ago Genie said, “I do,” and I said “I do” too. Genie, you’re the best!
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. This is the Hanson’s 36th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of Wisdom: There is always room for God.