WESTWARD HO!
OUR TRIP TO WYOMING
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We were in need of refreshments
when we passed the Quick Stop Drive-In, somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
We had to stop and check out the metal car sculpture that was “parked”
out front, complete with Ma, Pa and the kids.
This whimsical sculpture demanded a closer look, and a photo-op.
Pieces of scrap metal and old car parts, creatively pieced together, brought
the family to life. Cool. Then it was back to driving. We drove and drove,
back thru Billings, then back down into Wyoming. We were starting to get
hungry. We knew that there were very few pockets of civilization left between
there and Rapid City, which was hours away. We came upon the small town
of Sheridan and decided to exit and look for food while we had the chance.
Sheridan was an authentic Western
frontier town. As we drove thru this charming little town, we were presented
with several eateries. We were unsure where we should stop to eat until
we drove past the Sheridan Inn. As we passed this beautiful old building,
with its huge front porch, we immediately looked at each other and both
said, “Let’s eat here!” It was a unanimous decision. Little did we know
the historic value and significance of the building until we walked up
onto the porch and headed inside. The Inn was used as a railroad stop from
the late 1800’s onward. Buffalo Bill Cody first leased, and then purchased
the business part of the Inn in 1894. He lived at the Inn whenever he was
in town, and held many auditions for his Wild West Show from the massive
porch. He hosted numerous dances in the dining room for his diverse group
of traveling companions. The original bar, where he always sat on the third
stool from the left, remains in use to this day. The entire place was filled
with memorabilia, antiques and history from Buffalo Bill.
The building housed a top notch
restaurant, the 1893 Grill and Spirits Restaurant, and served Wild West
inspired dishes, from steak to fish. But, we were out West, so steak it
was.
The filet mignon was the most tender, tastiest, most delicious
I’d ever eaten. I savored every bite. When our meal was finished, we walked
out of the Inn, across the wide porch, down the stairs, across the railroad
tracks, and back to the truck, just a little slower than when we walked
in. We headed back to the highway and pointed the truck towards South Dakota,
and drove on into the night.
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