The LDS and the Cowboys

After shivering through the night I left for Idaho Falls to visit and stay at my cousin Dan and his lovely wife Liz's house. I got to meet little Jack Henry for the first time. The little toe headed boy is a riot.

I stopped at the Snow Eagle Brewery for a beer or two and a delicious Potato and Ham soup. The beers were a bit underwhelming¹ but it did have a good view of the river as well as a good view of the falls right there. Since I am not a planner, I had not given the Henry family a lot of prior notice before arriving. Since it was Columbus Day the happy couple took the day to take a hike at Yellowstone National Park. I had tried to emphasize that I was comfortable finding my own entertainment and they try to take the full day they no doubt deserve.

I arrived shortly after they got back and had a beer with Dan. I discovered that for some reason that Eastern Idaho had a large Mormon population. I guess it makes sense since Utah is not too far off, but I think they are going the wrong direction as west would make more sense, but whatever. The Latter Day Saints have plenty of controversial views, but for the most part I haven't gotten a terrible experience from them. They are generally happy people and in Chicago pretty much keep the proselytizing to a minimum. According to my hosts, that is much less the case in heavily populated LDS places. The most prevalent story is that a couple that lived in Maine, One LDS and one not, they received no issue from the general public. In Idaho Falls, he gets a lot of people from the Church showing up at his door asking for him to become part of the family. That's pretty annoying. He is married to one, I am sure he got the broad strokes and already made his decision on conversion.

It was nice to watch football again.² The only time I have been able to watch it the past two weeks are highlights after the fact. This is compounded by the fact that when the trip is over the Bears are on a bye week.³ Pizza, Beer, and football was a fantastic combination to take my mind off of the road ahead.

Driving past the Tetons is some of the best driving you can do.⁴ It was pretty fantastic looking and gave you the turns you desire while still being able to drive 75 MPH legally. Right outside of Laramie, Wyoming there was a giant fog that appeared. Only 10 miles passed and the Fog almost entirely disappeared. It was kind of odd.

In Cheyenne I ate a Shadows Pub and Grill. I was able to get the Odells Stout there and a burger. I asked between a guacamole and bacon burger versus a Brat burger and I was told to get the guacamole burger. I am still angry on this and the bartender should be ashamed. I had their American Pale Ale, it was what you would expect from a Cheyenne brew.⁵

1They did tease a Jalapeño wheat and Pumpkin that they were going to put on tap the next day. That DOES ME NO GOOD. Also the stout was pretty good but the IPA was kind of garbage.

2Especially the Jets losing on MNF.

3DAAAAAAA BEARS! They are playing well recently. From what I read they still will have trouble controlling the clock with the way Carimi is playing. He is doing worse than J'Webb nation and is being beaten to often. I think they need to run to the right side and get Carimi moving down hill more often, get him in comfortable in a Badger style running game. From the stats it looks like the Bears didn't run enough in the first half against the Jags.

4Ranking: California 101, Tetons, and New Mexico to Arizona in a 1-2- and a distant 3.

5Don't know what to expect. Mediocrity.