RMOs

Today I went with my friend, Trina, to do an errand up in the mountains near Atlantic City. (And no, it was not Atlantic City, NJ where Donald Trump has his big casino). We went to her family's cabin about 170 miles from Casper.

While there, we were invited to lunch at a very, very old restaurant called The Mercantile in Atlantic City. The city was founded as a mining camp following the 1867 gold rush in the region. Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the Atlantic City Mercantile building is a major part of this small Wyoming town’s history. This general store originally catered to miners scouring stream beds for gold around Atlantic City. Through the years, the building has been occupied by a cafe, a boarding house, several saloons, and even a gas station. Since 1994, the Atlantic City Mercantile has been bar, steakhouse and small museum. It is more commonly known as the "Merc" and has seen its share of gold miners, perhaps an outlaw or two, and certainly some ruffians. When you step through the doors you see tin ceilings, a massive back bar, an assortment of mismatched oak tables and chairs and all kinds of very, very old memorabilia and feel as though you've walked directly into the old West.
When seated in the restaurant, I opened up the menu and there it was. It was something I'd only heard about, but had never tried. According to people out here, anything that walks, swims, crawls, or flies can be eaten. It just takes an open mind, a willing stomach and a sense of adventure. And, I had all three and there was a bathroom close by if things didn't go well. There are some people who will eat anything and today I became one of those people. I actually ate some Rocky Mountain oysters - also known as prairie oysters, Montana tendergroins, cowboy caviar, swinging beef and calf fires - true Western delicacies.

What are Rocky Mountain oysters? (see pic. 1). They are that part of the bull that is removed in his youth so that he may thereby grow meatier and behave less masculine. When the calves are branded, the testicles are cut off and thrown in a bucket of water. They are then peeled, washed, rolled in flour and pepper and fried in a pan. They are considered to be quite a delicacy. Like other organ meats, testicles may be cooked in a variety of ways – deep-fried whole, cut into broad, thin slices, or marinated. At roundups in the old West, cowboys and ranch hands tossed the meat on a hot iron stove. When the calf fries exploded, they were done.

Why eat Rocky Mountain oysters one might ask? People eat bull and calf testicles so beef cattle can grow big and strong and meaty. So, by eating this gift full of healthy hormones, we can help ensure that McDonalds and Taco Bell will always have a steady stream of meaty beefy products which they sell at their drive-thru's world wide. Think of all the millions of people you could be helping! I will never again eat ground beef at another drive-thru without thinking of my contribution. Maybe I should even recieve a discount on my order!

Not everyone in the world is as fortunate as we are in being able to eat Rocky Mountain Oysters and children should be reminded that somewhere in China poor children have nothing else to eat but rice.
(Pic. 1) I've even heard it told to me that when the time comes for the bull and his buddies to part ways, some people just rip them off with their teeth!!! OMG!!! Ouchy wha wha. It's true. One of the girls who works in my office said that's the way her father-in-law does it every year. This gives new meaning to "Hanging Around" the ranch.
These are the "oysters" or as they were labeled on the menu...Bulls Balls. I was expected round things when delivered on the table. However, mine were cooked in the traditional cooking method of being pounded flat, dusted with flour, salt and pepper and then deep-fried in oil. Trina took this picture of me with her telephone just as I was taking my very first bite of this western delicacy. It tasted like chicken gizzards to me so they didn't taste bad at all. In fact, I ate three of them. Yum, Yum!!

How's this for an old time duplex? Maybe they were built by family members who couldn't bear to be apart?

The Return Trip Through The Canyon

Normally I don't like going back the same way I came. However, going back through Wind River Canyon was great and we got to see things we hadn't seen before.

These pictures were taken when we took a gravel road down to the river.

Joe walking down to the river. I walked to the river's edge and stuck my hand in. The water felt pretty good. We've decided we need to float down the river sometime soon.


The remains of an old stone home down by the river.

Legend Rock State Petroglyphs

Legend Rock Petroglyph Site is located 20 miles northwest of Hot Springs State Park. Legend Rock is an important petroglyph site which features hundreds of individual petroglyphs spread across the face of the rock. Although a handful of the rock's beautiful etchings have suffered from various forms of erosion and human defacement, a wide majority of the artwork has been well preserved.

This is one of the finest sites for prehistoric rock art in Wyoming. 283 petroglyphs have been found here, depicting bison, elk, humans, and a flying jackrabbit. Not much is known about the people who pecked these into the rock, but it is suspected that these had shamanic significance.

The Legend Rock Petroglyph Site contains petroglyphs on layers of charcoal dated up to 2,000 years in age. There are three distinct styles of petroglyphs, coming from the early Hopi, Zuni and Peruvian groups of Native Americans at times over the course of their various residencies in the area.

On the way out to Legend Rock, we saw the beginnings of a thunderstorm in the distance. Though it never hit us, it certainly did cool down the weather for us which made our trip out even more wonderful.
Joe unlocking the gate so we can get in.
This is the parking lot by the trail which leads to the petroglyphs. As you can see, we were the only ones out there. I can't imagine why since it's out in the middle of nowhere!

Last week it was looking out for bears. This week it's rattlesnakes!

Joe walking down the trail with his "snake getter" stick. He was bound and determined that he would save me from possible snakes lurking beneath stones and under bushes. My hero!!!


Especially since I didn't stay on the trail. How would I be able to take my pictures?

The beginning of the petroglyphs. It was amazing to know that I could touch such ancient works of art and be so close to them. However, I didn't and hope that no one else does as it would eventually cause them to be damaged.

Some of the rock art had been previously vandalized by other people (the reason for having a locked gate now) and even other Indian tribes had "pecked" over the top of prior art.

It is our understanding that this area was used for spiritual uses and that the drawings came from their dreams or revelations. I personally think that many of the people drawings look like space aliens.

The head is now missing on this animal either through erosion or vandalism. This guy is over 6 feet tall.

I not only had to watch for snakes while photographing the rock art, but be mindful of the cactus too. And then there were the biting flies that actually drew blood.

Though this may look like a "modern" rock art picture, it is believed to be drawn by an early Indian who had observed the white man's home.

Very early graffiti. This is thought to be the work of an early fur trader.

These are bird nests along the ridges.

The Cottonwood Creek which runs along the ridge.

I did say we were in the middle of nowhere, right?

At least there were bathroom facilities here. However, there were horses roaming around on the property who apparently decided to use the outside of the bathroom as their own personal dumping site. Yes, those dark things are their deposits.