Cheyenne

We are in Cheyenne and the altitude is over 6000 feet,so we are in a mile high city.

We arrived yesterday at around super time and we set up quickly and went to the pool for a dip and then back here to eat and check out all of the tourist literature we gathered and make our plans for the next day. Again the sunset was wonderful.

The reason for the stop here is Ken’s love of steam trains. This was the home of so many of the firsts in Steam train history.

In Holiday Park, one of the Big Boys (number 4004)  is on display.

The Big Boy is the largest steam train that was ever built. In all 25 were built between 1941 and 1944 and they were built in New York. They were 132 feet long and weighted 1.2 million pounds. Today eight are still in existence and can be viewed.

It was just announced that Union Pacific plans to restore Big Boy number 4014 back to operating condition and it will be in Cheyenne. I see a tip back here in our future.

When you get up close you cannot believe how large they are. We took many pictures.

Today another of their main attractions is the Depot Museum in downtown Cheyenne.

This is the center of the community with a completely restored Union Pacific Depot. Here we found a wonderful model train lay out. They did it in such a way that you could see how the different effects were accomplished. We were there for at least an hour admiring what was done; talking to the guide; and trying to imagine these things in our dream lay out.

We had lunch at the depot restaurant and it was a step back in time to be sure. The floor tiles and the walls were the originals and the light fixtures and the rest were reproductions. It reminded us of the many times we shared one pot of tea at the train depot in Truro. The food was amazing. Ken said the clam chowder was one of the best he has ever eaten.

A lady at a nearby table had what was called a waffle sundae and I just had to take a picture of it.

After lunch we strolled around the Depot Plaza and took more pictures. I gather that tomorrow will be a farmers market here in the plaza and tonight will be a free concert. So it is a center and gathering spot for the citizens

I was so impressed by the older restored buildings. Some are so very beautiful; however the heat was so intense that we decided to head back to the campground and the pool.

We had a great dip and then the black clouds rolled in and we were treated to a very intense thunder storm.

Tomorrow we head for Utah. It is 360 miles from here and we are about 900 miles from Boise and the rally so we are doing very well time wise.

PS.

The cicadas are not here.