In Cheyenne

Much of our "extra day" in Cheyenne was spent hanging around the moose. We all slept in and got the rest we needed. Paul went for a run, while I caught up the blog. Then, we decided to see what there is to see in this city on the high plains.

Cheyenne is very proud of its historic district, and rightfully so. The train depot has been restored and today serves as a visitor information center and home of a very fun looking brewpub.

On this Monday afternoon things were pretty quiet in downtown Cheyenne. This is a view looking up Capital Street. If you look really closely, you can see the Wyoming state capitol in the center of the photo.

While we were downtown, we stopped in The Quilted Corner, a lovely shop on West Lincolnway. I selected these four fabrics to represent Wyoming. The proprietor agreed they were good choices, especially the two on the right. She and Paul had a nice chat while I browsed and had a flash of inspiration selecting a pattern for the quilt this stately collection of fabrics will go into. It was a great stop and a nice shop. We both recommend it!

The quilt shop lady told us the "must do" thing for the afternoon was a visit to Lions Park. We've quickly learned that when locals give you such enthusiastic advice, you go with it. The drive to Lions Park took us through some of Cheyenne's most charming and well kept neighborhoods. Unlike many of the towns we've visited this summer, we did not see but a handful of "for sale" signs. Things in this part of Cheyenne seem pretty solid.

Lions Park is an oasis on the high plains. It features a lake with a beach, walking paths, gobs of green space and a museum or two. The centerpiece of the park is the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, a nine-acre display of beauty, community and sustainability.

Me? I like the flowers!

Apparently, so does this busy bee.

Paul took a seat and fired up the GPS. Turns out there was a cache just a few yards away between the solar conservatory and the herb garden. It was one of three finds we made in Cheyenne today.

While Paul went looking for the cache, I took a stroll through the Peace Garden. This quiet corner of the gardens features notable quotes about life, love and - of course - gardens. As an avid walker, I appreciated this one.

This has always been one of my favorites. It has special meaning right now!

We could have spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the park, but Mother Nature had other plans. A steady rain began to fall, so we headed back to our trusty KOA and settled in for the night. Tomorrow we have a short drive to Denver, where we hope we'll be staying at Cherry Creek State Park for three nights. (We don't have reservations, but our fingers are crossed!) Wifi is doubtful at this place, so it may be awhile before we're able to update the blog.

We look forward to seeing my brother and his family and our friends Mike and Kathryn while we're in the Mile High city. Provided we have a place to park, it should be a great stop.