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Saturday, September 27, 2014
1440 - How green was your Wyoming valley in 2014?
Wyoming has rarely gotten the reputation as a wet place.
Perhaps except only when ski areas get buried or back when Cheyenne was
inundated by a horrific super cell thunderstorm, our state is generally known
as semi-arid.
A tour of the
state this spring, summer and early fall shows that Wyoming, incredibly, is
still green in a great many places.
Although
snowpack levels in the mountains this past winter were not that high, a
constant stream of rainstorms ever since has kept the landscape verdant and the
grass growing.
Hay farmers
have enjoyed record harvests and even local gardeners have basked in the joy
normally reserved for residents of the Midwest. It has been so wet there are
some species of vegetables that have actually not done so well because of too
much water.
Nobody traveled
the state as much as politicians.
Pete Illoway
of Cheyenne, an unsuccessful candidate for Secretary of State, said the
following:
“When Shoshoni looks a little green
the state as a whole must be doing good. Actually most of the state did look
pretty good and for August the grass was still looking good. Livestock should
be in great shape with the amount of grass that was available. Most of the
state is going into winter in good shape.”
Ed Murray of Cheyenne who won that
race said Wyoming, at times, reminded him of Ireland, it was so green.
Gene Bryan, now living in Tucson,
is a rodeo fanatic and spent the summer traveling the state. As a former head
of the Wyoming Travel Commission and a native Wyomingite, he offers perspective
on what kind of wet year the state had.
“We have never
seen the state so green for so long. Yellowstone`s rivers and lakes were all
full. There was still a ton of snow in the higher elevations, the wild flowers
were a riot of color, and all the reservoirs we saw (Boysen, Buffalo Bill and
Glendo) were as full as we have ever seen them!”
My favorite weather spotter is Jack
States who lives in Sinks Canyon. His take on all this goes like this: “Your
interpretation of a "wet" summer is right-on. It is supported by the
seasonal drought maps, which show June-Sept 2013 (drought) and May-August 2014
(wet).
“Fundamental to the human definition of
drought and flood is their ever changing condition, flowing, sometimes
unpredictably, from one extreme to the other. Agriculture and forestry-
the enterprises that I call man’s attempts to manage nature- are foremost
affected by this variability. Therefore farmers are the ones likely to
remember, with accuracy, past droughts and floods and the temperature shifts
translating precipitation into wind, humidity, rain, hail, frost, snow and tornadoes.
“So there you have it. You can get
your best weather fix according to Farmer Brown. Some of us, though, feel
compelled to measure past and present weather variables using scientific
methodologies, and use the results to interpret weather events. For example,
the following quote: ‘Unlike rings in wood of the oak, the fragile memory of
man is an unreliable record of weather.’”
States likes to quote this ditty:
We’ll weather the weather,
whatever the weather,
whether we like it or not.
Retired Thermopolis publisher, Pat
Schmidt, related some comments about the wet summer: “About the only thing that
I recall as real unusual this summer was taking my 9-year-old grandson to the
Bighorn Mountains in late June near Burgess Junction. We awakened to low
clouds. As we drove on west 14A and reached the Big Horn Basin overlook we were
surrounded by fog.
“A lifetime resident of Las Vegas,
my grandson said he had never seen fog. He took off running down the mountain
and I had to holler he was nearing some sheer drop-offs. He sat down in an
effort to stop and slid along on the wet grass on his backside, scaring grandpa
more than a little. This does tell you how humid and wet our summer has been.”
Dave Simpson of Cheyenne says: “We
had more rain at my cabin in the Snowy Range this year than any year since I
bought the place 30 years ago. It was great. I was able to burn a lot of the
wood killed by the bark beetles.
“As far as fun, there was plenty of
rain on the tin roof, a fire in the fireplace, an easy chair and a good book. I
must be getting old, because that`s my idea of fun these days.”
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Tuesday, September 23, 2014
1439 - I know what you did last summer
As the leaves turn and the mercury plummets and occasional
snow threatens our young trees, it gives a man pause. It is appropriate to
recall those two most important questions that pop up this time of year:
Where did the summer go?
What did I do this past summer?
Before talking
about our elusive Wyoming summer experiences, it is important to point out that
in many ways fall is the best time of year.
The chilly
mornings followed by sunny afternoons and crisp evenings provide enjoyable times.
Most of us enjoy wearing our sweatshirts and long pants this time of year. No
more tee shirts, sandals or shorts.
So, what can
we recall about the summer of 2014?
One word
describes the summer of 2014 in most of the state. That word is WET. Here in Lander, our foothills still have
green on them when they normally are dusty brown by July 4. Drought? What drought?
I love
thunderstorms and relish the few that we normally get. This year people like me
overdosed on severe wet weather.
Lightning flashes were so abundant that sometimes I did not even stop
what I was doing to go watch the pyrotechnics.
Some
old-timers tell me that a wet summer used to be the norm here in Wyoming. Not sure I believe that in a place that is
officially listed as semi-arid. Hard to
imagine the High Plains as a wet place. This year, most places were.
Rawlins banker
Richard Chenoweth said in June their area was enduring a terrible drought. Perhaps the reality was they were having a
normal summer while places like Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs, Evanston,
Lander-Riverton, Cody-Powell, Sheridan-Buffalo- Gillette had abundant moisture
and more.
Thus, I think
I know what most people did this past summer – they dodged thunderstorms and
mowed their yards a lot more frequently than normal.
Despite all
the rain, in my case, I gave birth to a new book, which will be out in
November. We also welcomed our tenth biological grandchild when my son’s wife
Lisa brought into the world little Adam Michael William Sniffin. We nicknamed him
“Adam Bomb.”
I also tried
to do serious damage to myself when I left a battery charger on too long. The
car battery blew up when I touched the ignition. Sounded like a shotgun blast and could have
done severe physical injury to me had I not been in the driver’s seat. Folks need to learn that when you trickle
charge a battery, loosen those caps. And do not leave it unattended for a
couple of days. Whew!
There is an
old saying that has been stated to me at least 20 times in the last month: “The
happiest two days in a man’s life are when he buys his boat and when he sells
his boat.” Yes, we finally sold our boat Yachta
Relax. Had wonderful times on Flaming
Gorge over the past eight years but it was time to move on.
While moving
on, please check out my new Facebook page called Wyoming books, columns by Bill Sniffin. Please mark “like” on it and check the page
often – lots of wonderful photos and stories will be appearing with regularity
there.
We also made a
few trips around the country and even a few around Wyoming. Was surprised to pay almost $10 for two eggs
and bacon in Pinedale. We went to one place first and the waitress came over
and suggested we leave as it was going to be a long wait. So we went to the next place. Food was good but pricey.
The entire
state is growing. Casper, Cheyenne, Rock
Springs, Pinedale, Jackson and Laramie all seemed especially vibrant to me.
Wyoming’s economy appears to be growing steadily, except for coal’s downturn,
so the future of continues to look bright.
We will be
traveling the state this fall marketing looking for places to hold book
signings, speech opportunities at chambers of commerce and service clubs and retailers
wanting to sell it. The new book is MY
WYOMING 101 Special Places and I think it might be better than my last one,
which has already sold 14,000 copies. It is Wyoming’s
7 Greatest Natural Wonders.
Stay tuned as
I think next week’s column will be more about Wyoming’s crazy summer
weather. I have gotten a tremendous
amount of input from folks all over the state concerning this topic. If you
have something to add, email me at bsniffin@wyoming.com.
Thanks in advance.
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Monday, September 15, 2014
1438 - Al Simpson is Wyoming`s `most interesting`
Picture this: the most interesting man in Wyoming is
surrounded by his beautiful wife, his pretty daughters in law, daughter and
pretty granddaughters. He raises a glass in a toast and looks into the camera
and says:
“I don’t
normally drink, but when I do . . . I drink Wyoming Whiskey.”
That could be
the key line in a TV commercial as a takeoff of the amazing beer campaign that
got me thinking a few weeks ago about just who is the most interesting man or
woman in Wyoming?
After putting
it to a vote of my readers, retired U. S. Senator Al Simpson of Cody won
hands-down.
And
coincidentally, he was featured recently at a promotion for the Wyoming Whiskey
distillery where he had his own barrel of bourbon made. Big Al carefully and methodically signed and
numbered all 216 bottles in his name.
Here is Al Simpson`s toast at the
Wyoming Whiskey party:
"My friends, I had not intended
to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want
you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a
stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it
might be. You have asked me how I feel about whiskey. All right, here is how I
feel about whiskey.
"If when you say whiskey you
mean the devil`s brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles
innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty,
yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean
the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of
righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, and despair,
and shame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it.
"But, if when you say whiskey
you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is
consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and
laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you
mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in
the old gentleman`s step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink
which enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if
only for a little while, life`s great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows;
if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold
millions of dollars, which are used to provide tender care for our little
crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our mute, our pitiful aged and infirm;
to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am for it.
"This is my stand. I will not
retreat from it. I will not compromise." (Note: Simpson was quoting a
fella named Sweat who first spoke these words, back in 1952.)
Other top vote getters were former
Vice President Dick Cheney, Laramie adventurer Mark Jenkins and former
governors Mike Sullivan and Dave Freudenthal.
Historian Phil Roberts also received a lot of votes.
In that recent column, I threw out
the names of about 75 Wyoming folks who I thought might qualify for this
selection.
Several others were nominated who did not make those
original lists who are worthy of mention, for example:
• John Washakie, Starr Weed and
Beatrice Haukaas of the Wind River Indian Reservation were nominated by folks, including
Ross Hopeman, who read my column in the Riverton
Ranger.
• Legislator Richard Cannady of
Glenrock got some votes and was nominated by Joe Barbuto after reading about it
in the Rock Springs Rocket Miner.
• Jim Davis of Evanston was
nominated for his love of Wyoming. He was nominated by Ruth Hughes who read
about this vote in the Evanston Uinta
County Herald.
• Dave Patterson of Powell was
nominated by his brother Tommy Patterson who saw the column in the Powell Tribune.
• Dave Bragonier, a former game
warden, was nominated by Ally McIver, who read my column in the Greybull Standard.
• Jerry Paxton of Encampment and
Kelly Bohanon of Rawlins were nominated by John Farr who reads my column in the
Rawlins Daily Times.
• Gay Hale of Sheridan wants to
nominate several old-timers for this honor, but unfortunately they are
deceased! She reads my column on Sheridan
Online.
• Steve Thulin from Powell was
nominated by Astrid Northrup who read about it in the Powell Tribune.
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Monday, September 8, 2014
1437 - Politics on the prairie, the One Shot Hunt
Wyoming governors historically love hosting the One Shot
Antelope Hunt in Lander. Gov. Matt Mead
is no exception and will be hosting his fourth hunt on Sept. 20.
The hunt now
in its 71st year is a competition where three-man teams compete to see who can
kill Pronghorn bucks the quickest and with just one shot each. Governors invite
other governors and the competition is keen. Last year, Mead also invited
former Vice President Dick Cheney.
As someone who
has been attending these events for over 40 years, it brings back some
memories.
Some years ago
then-Gov. Dave Freudenthal invited then-Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia to
the hunt along with Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas.
I interviewed
Manchin and quoted him about hoping that coal production would rise and
increase its share of our national energy from 51 percent to 57 percent. Now, it is barely above 40 percent.
Wyoming as #1
coal producer in the country and Manchin’s West Virginia, the #2 coal producer,
planned to work together to make coal the energy source of choice. The goal was to end dependence on Middle East
imported oil.
Now here we
are in 2014 and that goal has been reached, but not by increasing coal usage,
but by the explosive increase in the amount of oil produced here.
Huckabee back
then had his eye on the White House and was entertaining. It snowed nine inches
the day of the hunt and some hunters, including Freudenthal, did not get off a
shot.
Huckabee complained
about walking around in rain, hail, snow and 40 mph winds. “Nobody back in Arkansas will believe I was
snowed on in September,” he said. “One thing I did learn up on South Pass,
though,” he said. “I now know where
Jimmy Hoffa is buried.”
American
heroes like Chuck Yeager, Joe Foss and Jimmy Doolittle competed. Over 20 astronauts shot and often won.
Greatest hunt
ever was 1974 when Soviet cosmonauts and American astronauts competed against
each other. Later, they linked up in space.
My news story was headlined: “Astronauts, cosmonauts hold One Shot
reunion in space.”
The One Shot
is the original competitive outdoor sporting event. It’s the Super Bowl of Shooting Sports. It’s been copied but never duplicated.
With large numbers of Past Shooters
returning again this year, the spirits of those great hunters who have gone on
to happier hunting grounds will be lingering in the area:
• The sound of
the magnificent singing voice of famed opera tenor Lauritz Melchior, a
long-time booster of the One-Shot, was in evidence for over a decade. Other great warblers like Tennessee Ernie
Ford also shot and sang.
• Then there
was co-founder, Harold Evans, sharing a joke with his great pal, Harold Dahl
Sr. Did they realize just what they were cooking up when they dreamed up the
One Shot over a campfire seven decades ago?
Harold was a regular columnist in my newspaper and a great friend.
• Or great
cowboys such as Roy Rogers, Montee Montana, Slim Pickens, Tex Ritter, Guy
Madison and Casey Tibbs. Who could forget seeing Slim riding around Lander on
the hood of a car, much like he rode the atomic bomb in the movie Doctor Strangelove.
• Then there
were the great stories by former Governor Lester Hunt, a native of Lander. The local airport, known as Hunt Field, was
named after him, not after the One Shot.
• Former
Governor and 12-time shooter Ed Herschler`s personality is missed along with
former Governor Nels Smith, who shot on that first Wyoming team. I remember one
time when a rookie Game and Fish warden came upon Herschler’s freshly killed
buck. As he was checking it out, the
governor’s gravelly voice cracked: “Son, how’d you like to be transferred to
Wamsutter?” Ed loved the One Shot and
competed more than any other shooter. In
a fit of pique once, he stood before a crowd of 800 people and admitted, “I’m a
sh*tty shooter!”
• Or the
historical record keeping of Tommy Thompson and Earl Kurtz, who pioneered the
pictorial which this writer had the honor of perpetuating for 25 years.
• Or rocket
men like Werner Von Braun and astronauts Deke Slayton, Jim Lovell and Jack
Swigert Jr.
• Or airline
mogul Robert Six and wife Audrey Meadows.
The spirits of many friends of Lander and of
the One-Shot will be here during One Shot weekend along with the hundreds of
living kindred spirits . . . all gathered to celebrate the greatest shooting
event ever.
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