Cheyenne, Wyoming – Let’s “Cowboy Up!”

When we put our itinerary together months ago, our plan for Cheyenne, Wyoming, was to camp in the Crow Creek FamCamp on F.E. Warren Air Force Base. Although retirees can book a campsite no more than 30 days out, we were not overly concerned and felt we would secure a spot as soon as the booking window opened. It wasn’t that easy.

When we called to make a reservation, the lady on the other end of the line just laughed. “Sir,” she said, “obviously, you didn’t know that the dates you want are during Frontier Days, and we have no sites available.” She was right. I did not have any idea that Frontier Days are a big deal, but I’m so glad we had the opportunity to learn all about the event firsthand.

Frontier Days, the World’s Largest outdoor rodeo and Western Celebration, took place this year from July 23rd to August 1st–the 125th year of the event. On the week before we arrived in Cheyenne, Helen tried once more to call Crow Creek to see if the impossible had happened, and someone canceled. Indeed, someone had, and we moved into a spacious campsite for four days to celebrate all things western.

Crow Creek, filled with veterans from all over the country, and the campground was buzzing. One group from Alabama was recovering from a long night after the Garth Brooks concert the previous evening. Scheduled throughout the week, a slate of shows included a star-studded lineup and culminated the last day with Blake Shelton on the stage. There were no tickets left for Frontier Night shows, although scalpers offered tickets to Blake Shelton for as much as $3,000.

On our first day, we opted for two events held on the base. The first, a precision riding demonstration, took place on the parade field. The Trotters, a snappily dressed group of six cowgirls and one cowboy, put on a show for us. One lady would call out commands, and the Trotters would move in the direction called. The riders did not know in advance what order would come next, but all horses moved uniformly without a hitch and impressed everyone in the audience.

We attended another event put on by a group representing the Buffalo Soldiers, African-American Regiments formed after the Civil War and stationed primarily in the western part of the country. This event gave young kids an opportunity to sit on a horse and gave parents a photo op. We took advantage of neither chance but did learn much about the contribution of the Buffalo Soldier to our country as it advanced westward.

Back in the campground, we learned that tickets for the “Daddy of “Em All” Rodeo were available at the gate. Neither of us had ever been to a rodeo, and I jumped at the opportunity. A shuttle bus picked us up at the base entrance and took us about a mile to the Fairgrounds. The ticket lines were long but moved swiftly. Helen and I obtained seats in an upper deck. We were some distance away but had an unobstructed view of the action.

For the next two hours, we watched a heckuva show. The bull riders went first, and all I could think about was, “Why would anybody want to do that?” The bulls were enormous, and when they bucked, all four hooves left the ground. The rider had to last for seven seconds, and few did that.

After the bulls, the bareback bronc riders gave us an equally impressive show, perhaps only slightly less dangerous. Next came both men and women calf ropers, saddle bronc riders, and daredevil stunt riders. It was the fastest two hours I can remember, and I can say with confidence, I am now a rodeo fan thanks to the “Daddy of ‘Em All.”

Before we start Easin’ Along toward Colorado, I wanted to share a little about our stop in Dubois, Wyoming before arriving in Cheyenne. We camped in Dubois last summer and had a great time exploring the area. I inserted a link to that visit here. For this year’s visit, we decided to slow the pace a bit. Helen worked her puzzle beside the Wind River, and I read books. Each campsite in the Longhorn Ranch Campground came with at least four Prairie Dogs, so, between books, I fed the little critters peanuts. One fearless little fellow eventually worked up enough courage to take them out of my hand. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. See y’all next week.