One of the nearest cities to our little blip on the map is Riverton, nearly 80 miles away. It boasts the only Wal-Mart within 150 miles of us, and we do a lot of other errands, there. I made time on a recent trip to scout out some points of interest, since quite a few things had previously caught my eye.
As you leave Dubois, the tree-covered hills and mountains give way to rocky badlands, then to open prairies dotted with livestock, white-tailed deer, and the occasional prairie dog. Lakes along the drive are still half-frozen, even though the sun shines close and bright at this relatively high elevation. Back in Nevada we were at 2,000 feet; here, we are at nearly 7,000.
The small city of Riverton has around 10,000 residents, which brings perspective to the native Wyoman claim that their cities are the size of towns...I've lived in "towns" that had 50,000 people! Despite its small size, I found two welcome statues, a handful of street art, and plenty of character.
A muted rendition of a famous French painting from the 1800's stretches across a red brick building as you enter the heart of the city. My favorite detail is the furry little dog being cooed at lovingly, on the bottom left.
Edging us into the 1900's, dilapidated trucks embedded in front of a local eatery have texture for days.
A mural depicting Native American Indians, early trappers, nature scenes, and a steam engine crumbles poignantly along the side of a huge retainer wall.
After admiring the unique aspects of the city, I tackled my errands and eventually got back on the highway. I was lucky enough to spot two horses frolicking in a field with a miniature donkey. Too cute! There is a little chapel that always catches my eye in the tiny community of Kinnear, so I paused a moment to snap a picture there.
The trip back toward our distant mountains takes over an hour, and is usually punctuated by heart-stopping moments when deer spring from nowhere into the middle of the road...but time flies on the wide open pavement, and after a lovely, productive day in Riverton, I don't mind the drive home one little bit.
