The Gonzo of Wyo has returned after several months of silence, unnecessary it was. In that time frame I have journeyed far and wide and met new and interesting people, Done interesting things And maybe learned a few things in the process. It has been several months since I wrote anything.not because of a lack of anything interesting, no more do to not wanting to take the time to write. To begin I walked out of the Local Shari's restaurant and have not been back since, well once at two in the morning, but i don't count that. After this i began really examining what it is I really like to do which resulted in carpentry projects which than resulted in me being hired part time but really full time at the local steakhouse. Cavalry Man Steakhouse is, I have discovered, one of those places that has mysteriously kept afloat over the years. The new owners are a corporation that have several businesses, A saw mill, Natural gas and the Cavalry Man. Now food wise the restaurant is great, the menu is simple, the wine list is tasteful, the desserts just. The building itself is another matter entirely. Built sometime in the years preceding the civil war the original building has been added onto over the years, sadly the people who did the adding did just that. I view it as job security. I find it amazing though dealing with people, the personality conflicts, differences of opinion and the general miscommunication. All quite fun really. Having done therapy and assorted groups of a therapeutic nature, I have become very keen on silent communication. Body language says allot and the more aware one is of their own body the better one can convey a message. An example being two men showed up at Cavalryman both not only dressed for success they also carried themselves to project an image of success. I was dressed in shorts, T-shirt, Bandanna, sneakers, tool belt. There are certain elements of communication that are universal regardless of social status, cultural background or gender. When faced with a situation in which one maybe ignored or thought to be ignorant perhaps even stupid, one who is versed in speak will adeptly draw out more information than the person who is making the assumption cares to give. By doing this the assuming party is also put off guard. .....ANd theres the squirrel

Hiatus can be good

Since the last publication many adventures have taken place. I will start with Cheyenne, Cheyenne focuses way to much on Frontier Days, The granddaddy of all rodeos. Sitting at 6,062 feet above sea level Cheyenne is a great High Altitude city. I lived here for several months.While I did I was mainly on foot and I worked at the Holiday Inn Express located off W. Lincolnway or off I-80 exit blah blah because I don't remember the number. Long story short being on foot in a city or town is a sure fire way too become really familiar with said town and find the stuff that actually is cool. Cheyenne has a trail that winds through the entire city, this trail when followed can easily devour a day like small children snorting pixie sticks. Along with this feature you one may also find themselves in Cheyennes' down town which is filled(if your into this sort of thing) Pre-1900's and Art Deco buildings. Also in downtown you can find Phoenix Books(used bookstore and purveyor of collector quality vinyl), Heros Unlimited(comics and collectables), and a number of restaurants(most notable are The Albany, Shadows Brew Pub, and The Plainsmen). Shopping also has its stores, I haven't been in any of them  Moving along Cheyenne has several very well maintained parks of recreation, two of them along lincolnway. If you happen onto Pershing Blvd, you can find a National guard Museum, a theater and employment services . Ridge Road, which runs North to South you can find an Army Surplus Store and also access any section of town. On Dell Range(which is connected to the trail) you will find all the Chain Shopping centers and restaurants. I could go on about Cheyenne, but for now I am done with that municipality...
 
         Hiatus is good, it gives one a chance to reflect gather resources and ask questions like; Where am I going? What am doing? Where does my energy and focus need to go? What direction am I going with this? Otherwise you just become another mediocre statistic, spinning your wheels getting no where.Which is why I started this post talking about Cheyenne. Its a smaller city, not unlike Billings, Montana, with lots to offer. Do they advertise any of it? When you pull in does any one see a sign that says Check out our events center it has mini golf? or come see the National Guard Museum or tour the Historic Downtown? No. The entire city is stuck on Frontier Days and every thing is about Frontier Days....maybe this year I'll actually go.

Cold waters

I woke up this morning annoyed with the world (those who know me well would probably say what else is new), regardless I got up took the kid to school and then went to the Laramie Fitness center(yes I just plugged a local business) feeling lazy I stayed to the Cardio room. NOw the thing is that it is easy in this place too focus to much on the fact of how monotonous a workout can really be, The TV was tuned to Robin Meade on Headline News(always a treat) my headphones pulsed out some old school KMFDM and I had with me this months Book Club Selection( After hours book club Albany county public library). I enjoy Book club I really do. However the situation often leads to me reading things that I would probably rather not, or at least wouldn't if left to my own devices. Getting back to the subject(that being this months selection) The Sugar Queen is a charming tale of small town life run amok. The women characters and the men too are all settled into their lifestyles and pretending to be happy when they are not.It has every thing you could possibly want from a campy romance novel; a sinister ex-boyfriend named Julian(really? Julian?), Adam, an extreme sports jockey who shattered his femur and now delivers mail, His best friend, Jake, who is a successful lawyer that admitted to cheating on his long time girlfriend and won't tell her the one thing she really wants to know, Chloe, the slighted lover who only wants to know who this other woman is, and in the mean time is being captivated by Julian, and the weird thing is it pulls you in and the entire time you're reading, all you can ask is "WHY? WHY, AM I SUBJECTING MYSELF TOO THIS TRIPE!!!?"  simple answer of course is because it flows smoothly and is entertaining enough to keep trudging through and distract you from the monotony of your  workout.

 Two hours later I finally left the gym. Collecting my things from the locker room one of the other regulars asked if I had done enough for the both of us. I replied that "Cardio was complete." He shook his head and said he was weight training. Then commented that "That if working out worked on a buddy system, you could have one guy do all the workout part and then the other guy could buy the pizza and beer." Chuckling I left and Texted Codename plush to see if she would meet me at the park before she had to go to work. I then drove to my bank and made deposit. I waved at the usual selection of tellers as I filled a cup of coffee. Bundle is my favorite so I strolled over to her kiosk and made my deposit.I could make allot of bad jokes with that but I won't. By this point I had decided I was jumping in the river with or with out help. So leaving the bank I drove to one of the seven or eight parks that Laramie has to offer(Optimist to be specific).
 What makes Optimist so great (and optimal for my objective) is that Laramie river flows along it. Parking Alf the Explorer, I removed all items that I did not wish to be saturated, walked to the rivers edge, and jumped in. Didn't stay long, but it was exhilarating and I woke right up. After this I went home satisfied with my morning and feeling accomplished.

Flying Pickles

Laramie is interesting....it has a public transport that only covers half the town and its trademark feature is a pair of dark green buses that are referred too as flying pickles. I rode these at one point because Codename Plush drives them on occasion. They are comfortable for public transport. No weird smells to speak of. All three buses follow the same route though. I am sure one could say many things about that however I am going to move on to a different topic and go from there.

 Yesterday was March second and at seven thirty in the morning it was already fifty degrees. I drove to work(reluctantly), pulling up a co-worker was standing around so I quipped that it was one of those days that begs you to quit, which was exactly what this co-worker was doing. Very formally I might add. Which got me thinking about all the ways one quits a job. Typically one gives notice in some fashion that they will no longer be a presence after this date, that is the responsible way. Other ways include walking out with no announcement, walking out with proclamation or my favorite simply disappearing. I could explore this topic of work for quite awhile really. The differing attitudes and beliefs concerning work and the various justifications people make to not feel guilty about spending time with the things and people they love. I used to be a workaholic myself, till I realized how completely useless the whole pursuit was and now I work on my terms(whatever that means).

All that sparkles

I have a friend called Buck. He's early thirties, widowed, with three little girls. Needless to say I get many a laugh from his antics. Most recent being an incident that entailed a three in the morning phone call. Buck called his babysitter, then grabbed jeans from the back of the couch. Several hours later, he was at his other job, leaning under the hood of an automobile. His co-worker walked over and asked him how women's jeans feel. Buck looked at his backside and was horrified to discover that the jeans he had grabbed that morning were his thirteen year old daughters, complete with sparkles on the butt pockets. After hearing this anecdote I laughed for several minutes. Buck is a good guy though, one of the last true cowboys of the RMW and a model for younger males. Here is a guy who on the surface comes across like a dumb redneck, its a facade, and I have seen him take down the facade and completely turn an expert on their head. Why this? experience. Buck like many in Wyoming is self-educated. Like myself he learned through observation and imitation. Growing up on and around ranches had absolutely NO influence on this what so ever. He and I were watching horses one day, they were fidgeting, restless, running to one side of the pens then back. "Bet there's a storm coming." He stated. "Yep" I agreed. The next day we woke up to a blizzard, and the reality of horses and cows is they need fed as much as you do. So who's out driving an open tractor in minus twenty weather? Buck. And who was stupid enough to volunteer to ride on the hay trailer? Me. To us though it was just a fact of life. There were other people who could of done this of course, but horses need reliability.

Your own Backyard

I make it a point to know where I am at. This is located downtown Laramie, Wyoming. Why do I bring this up? I have a friend, Codename: Plush, she has been in Laramie for a number of years and knows very little about the place. Makes me wonder though, how many people think of their own town as a travel destination?

   My son and I have journeyed out on several occasions. Most recent we made it our mission to find a connection between the 15th st bridge and a bridge that is near the local Walmart. We turned off 3rd st onto Skyline Dr.(why its called skyline is beyond me)and we followed Skyline to were it ended in Fox hill estates we followed several streets in the area and they all looped back into each other or dead ended in peoples driveways. So we went back on Skyline and turned onto Soldier Springs Road, Soldier Springs ended at Howe Road and we could go right or left. Right crossed the Railroad tracks so obviously that would go back to the High Way. We took left and three miles later found that Howe road dead ended at a limestone quarry. By this time it was starting to get dark and it was decided that we should head back into town following Howe Road, which of course lead us to the High Way, then to 3rd st. We hopped on the interstate and took the Grand exit and stopped at Almanza's for chips. Spud bounced around as nine year olds do till the chips arrived. Then it was,"I don't like Cheddar. Can we get a Churro?" Kids.

    I look at the above piece of graffiti and wonder who did it. Like anything though it is only there because some one wanted to leave a sign of their passing. I took the picture of not only it but several other graffiti works around Laramie. Spud was with me of course, his original plan being Sweet Pickles. They were closed so he and I took advantage of  a warm November day and explored downtown Laramie. Yes our own back yard.

17th feb

February 17th

I woke up and felt the five o' clock shadow on my face and realized that I needed to shave. I took my time, as one does after three days off. Finishing that task I walked into the kitchen and started coffee, my dad was up,tying his shoes. He looked at me and asked about a co-worker who had recently suffered a head injury. I told him what I knew. From here our conversation drifted around like some transient cloud of smoke from a train. The final conclusion being that everything is only a big deal if it is made into one.

      In the beginning of 2008, Dad fell off a scaffold. Twelve feet to a recently poured concrete floor. My brother called me. At the time I was a clerk for Maverick C-store in Sheridan, Wyo. D, was very matter of fact. After he had told me the details I cashed out my drawer and went to the hospital where I found my Dad alive but not. Through all this everybody, my mom included, behaved as if it was just another day and that nothing was out of the ordinary. No one changed or adjusted their behavior to accommodate the invalid instead by being ourselves the invalid was encouraged to behave as we did. My son, Spud, was five at the time. He would sit with his grandpa or go somewhere with his grandpa and would then tell his grandpa what was going on and what things like hamburgers were. No one told him not to talk to Grandpa or ask Grandpa questions, thought never even occurred to me until now. No, instead he was allowed to be a five year old curious about why his Grandpa was dead but then alive. No one said "Spud sit still for Grandpa."  NO, he was allowed to behave as a five year old, even the kids of a friend of mine were allowed to be themselves. What does my experience with traumatic head injury really say? I will quote my father on this one, he's the "survivor" after all.  "I had two choices I could sit under the bridge with my bottle whining about how I have a baby-head or I can shrug and say f-it, so what."

   The aforementioned co-worker woke today, I was told that he knew who he was etc. In the cafe where we both work you could feel the tension leave like a popped balloon. I know that not all will be the same,whatever the circumstances of his accident it has impacted his life and the lives of those around him. 

   

A Day Remembered

I am Zphlip. Gonzo of Wyoming and sage of the Rockies. Ok maybe not but thats beside the point, point is it is a new day and somewhere somehow the cycle begins anew.

  I was born and raised in and around the Rocky Mountain (henceforth RM) and Pacific North West (hence forth PNW), and only recently did it occur to me to share in a journalistic fashion the various happenings of the RM and PNW areas.

February 12 2013---
I had risen early and arrived at my real job the local Shari's Cafe with little to no intent of remaining for my entire shift. The weather a fair, winter day, somewhere between comfortable and sub-arctic. After performing some meaningless tasks it was decided that my presence was not needed.  I left the cafe and headed home. Arriving I carelessly through the still burning cigarette to the ground as I exited my mode of vehicular transportation, for some reason this made me think of manslaughter and mass genocide. How that was I don't know, but the idea hit that somewhere a mass grave of slaughtered innocence was rising, intent in their unbreakable will to eat the living. Either way the concept fascinated me but then I dismissed it and called Hulk. "Hello".
"You ready to go snow boarding?" I asked
"Yeah. Can Ned come?"
"Of course."
"kewl kewl, give me like thirty minutes."
"Done."
 I walked into the house my parents looking at me guiltily, like teenagers that have been caught. There was some brief banter about kids walking in on parents and parents walking in on kids before I go on to other tasks, loading the transport with equipment being the highest priority.After this I convinced my Dad to go as well. I drove over to Hulks house just as Ned was approaching. He turned as I drove up and waved. I got out and pleasantries were exchanged. Ned was about to enter the car then decided it would be more beneficial to go into the house and retrieve Hulk. Making three strides he stopped and looking confusedly at his phone casually sent a text message. A moment later Hulk appeared carrying a suspicious coat which concealed a paint ball gun. Stashing the weapon we told Ned that my drivers side passenger door was not functioning, a fact that was repeated three times before the message found its way into Ned's cranium. Hulk still held a Co2 canister that was empty. Brief stops at local merchants rendered no results for the sought gas but did result in a smaller member of the female sex being referred too as fun size. For the most part Dad was silent, reading his books working on notes for school, Hulk had made the inside of the car ripe with the smell of controlled substances and this seemed to effect everyone. We drove out on to I-80. The Sun shined down, reflecting its light across the snow and causing a strange landscape of shadows. Soon we entered the pass and began to ascend, the surrounding tree lined hills all blanketed in a white sheen. All so peaceful and beautiful. I took the turn off at Happy Jack Road and with in a few minutes we had boots on, had all smoked a cigarette and proceeded to carve a trail for the object with which we were in awe. It did not take long for us to realize how much smoking effects your breath. Despite this,after a few runs we felt it necessary to find steeper fair, which after plowing through a five foot drift we did. Hulk went first followed by Ned, then at last myself. I had brought a handycam and with it I documented our excursion, sarcastic comments, brotherly ribbings. Co-workers,these young men were, I had only met them a year ago but yet I in some way viewed them as my baby brothers. The end of the ride came, and we hiked back to the car chatting,laughing enjoying the result of our adventure. At the car we poured coffee and played a round of Hacky Sack the small ball bouncing hither and yon, my foot, Hulks foot, Ned's foot, someone would miss and the ball would come to rest in the snow, a light blue and orange accent in a sea of white. Finally we loaded into the car and returned to Laramie. All of us looking forward to the next time.

This photo was taken two days before our snowboarding journey, Hulk and I stopped and each of us took a photo from where we stopped. I was helping him move that day and this was our last trip to his old house. " My new place is so awesome man" He said, "Its going to be so rad to go hiking this summer too." It was the Sunset of his life though, a week later Hulk fell, and even when he wakes up he will have passed into a different state of being, and how he was will only be remembered by his friends and family. Much like my father.