Laramie, WY

Headed over to Laramie, WY, last night to see a friend from college, Savannah. She is brutally honest with a very kind and inquisitive undertone. With this almost abrasive yet compassionate approach to human connection, she is unique in every sense of the word.

I pictured something similar to the land I find outside of my hometown in Indiana, farmland. At first, that is what it was, but I was in for a surprise. As Savannah said, "The town does a good job!" It's maintained its historic look and feel, which I am learning I enjoy. The University of Wyoming is in the center, surrounded by quaint townhomes and local shops. Little did I know this town also sits on the doorstep of some good-looking outdoor recreation.

After Savannah supplied me with a small umbrella to cover the gaping hole in my roof and my first shower in over a week, we and I hit the town - HARD. The funny thing is, it was a Tuesday, barely anyone out but holy cow, were we enjoying one another's company. Long deep talks, belly laughs, and a few too many gimblets. Her mom had to come to town and pick us up. I'm grateful she did because a very open discussion ensued on the drive home. I appreciated how honest her mom was. She spoke to us as actual adults, equal to her, yet naive to the world and what the future has in store. I'll hold onto the advice she gave us for the rest of my days.

The following morning was brutal. I'm starting to understand what people are saying when they claim hangovers get worse as you age. I will say, it was a nice change of pace, having the luxuries of a home at the touch of my fingertips. Everything is done with such ease.

That afternoon we went for a hike to Hidden Falls, about four miles round trip. On the drive, there was a landscape filled with giant sandstone boulders and small trees scattered about. It reminded me of Hartman Rocks in Gunnison but on a much larger scale. The hike followed Cow Creek on a flat trail with the occasional uphill that our hungover selves could feel. We came to the home stretch where we had to climb over slick boulders that looked and felt as if, at one time, were underwater. Around the corner, I could see the water get deeper and flow into a canyon. We trudged through the creek further inside the walls, and there it was, Hidden Falls!

It was a small waterfall, about twelve feet tall, created from the boulders that had fallen from above. The water close to the falls was a little over five feet deep. How do I know this? Well, we skinny dipped, of course. If you haven't taken a birthday suit dip recently, you should. It's just as exhilarating as you remember.

After our quick swim, we perched ourselves on a rock in the middle of the water and simply enjoyed our surroundings. The water was a clear misty blue with cool-toned walls around it. It was a small treasure hidden in the southern Wyoming woods. It's the last thing I expected to find 20 minutes from the heart of Laramie.

Savannah tried her best to convince me to stay another few days as she was only home before moving to Bozeman to get her Ph.D. She almost had me! But the following morning was my time to move on. Thank you to the Cox family! I appreciated my time spent in your home and the town of Laramie.