Finished the "O" States

This Columbus Day Weekend a friend and I road-tripped to Ohio.  That was it... my last "O" state.  A new state, a new city, a new national park. . .  perfect weather.  The leaves painted a brilliant autumn picture for us on our 6 hour odyssey; the hues were fall classics - red, orange, yellow.  We drove through river valleys, over the mountains, and just ohhhed and ahhhed over the show.

In Ohio, we crammed in exactly what we wanted to see and do - Cedar Point, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Christmas Story Museum, the Art Museum, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.   Lots for three days... but we did it... and I am another state down.  =-)

How Do You Order Your Steak?

Dinner in the Cheyenne area offers limited options.  A few places were recommended to me and since I really would not know what the actual scene was in Cheyenne, I took the recommendations in stride and headed to the Terry Bison Ranch.  This place is just over the Colorado/Wyoming border off I 25.  It is a working Bison Ranch with over 1000 head on the range.  It is rustic, casual and family owned.

And it was there that I learned a new name for raw steak.  Growing up, we cooked our steak medium to medium well.  To this day, I do not like my steak bloody.  So, imagine my dismay when the menu provided an option to order your steak BLUE.  Yep - blue!!!

Blue steak was defined as completely red and cold throughout... isn't that just cut off the bison?  I ordered my steak medium in deference to the menu recommendation of medium rare (I just can't do that)... I ended up sending half my steak back because it was just too bloodly.  (I really think it was rare in the middle, it was cool and leaky)... and that made me wonder, just how blue, blue steak is?

Service at Terry's Bison Ranch was friendly and unrushed.  It was perfect for a meal alone.  The staff ended up telling me ghost stories about the ranch.  They have activity in the dining area, the bar and upstairs in the building.  Apparently they hear steps upstairs afterhours when no one is up there;  bowls have been thrown from the soup station and glasses from the bar when staff is on the other side of the room.  The ghost did not act up while I was there, but I did not stay too late.  Maybe next time...

Countdown to Cleveland

The Cleveland weekend is almost here... but before I can scratch another state off my list, I must fly to Denver and then head to Wyoming.  I am headed back to Cheyenne and Rawlins.  I have my fingers crossed that the weather is better this trip, so I can enjoy the rangeland.  I do feel pretty confident, however, that I have seen what there is to see in Cheyenne short of Frontier Days.

My trip is hectic.  There is really no good way to get to Wyoming.  I will fly into Denver (but to time to see friends), and drive to Cheyenne.  It is a short drive, doable in about 2-2 1/2 hours if you leave from the airport.  There is not much to see on that drive - lots of exits to places I have visited... Boulder, Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Fort Collins... and then you get to Cheyenne.  What can I say really?  Years ago, I made a road trip there to check it out.  I visited the Boots (public art displays), I did a Capital Dome tour, I walked through the downtown area.  Nothing exciting.

This trip I have one night there and I will make the trip back down to Denver....

Once home, I have one night before I get to play in Cleveland.  I don't know why, but I am looking forward to my trip.  I am excited to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I am anxious to be cheesy at the Christmas Story Museum, and I am itching for a roller coaster... I have not rode a coaster in a few years, so I am long overdue.  The best part, I have a good friend going with me, so we can be cheesy together!