Shelter from the Storm
West of Paxton, Mother Nature let us know who remains the boss of the Plains. The sky turned an ugly shade of gray, and before long we were caught in a storm straight out of a Willa Cather novel. By the time we crossed into Wyoming, the air had turned chilly and more ugly clouds loomed on the horizon. It was clearly time to find a port in the storm: the Snake River Pub and Grill in Cheyenne. It’s located in the historic Union Pacific train depot, just south of the capitol.
The city greets visitors with some unusual street art, including a pair of giant cowboy boots mounted on the sidewalk. Inside the pub, the ambience is modern and airy, a far cry from the stereotypical Old West. Just inside the entrance, brewing vessels stand guard. Further inside, the stainless-steel bar fills an entire center island. Large picture windows on either side provide a view of downtown or, if you prefer, the train tracks on the other side. The décor (and a pint of the house ESB) soon put us into a mellower mood. Snake River’s rotating selection of six to 10 beers also includes an amber ale, a cream ale and a sweet stout.
Cheyenne was our last stop on I-80 before we turned south and headed toward Denver. We took a more southerly route home, which offered much more to discover (including a surprise or two!). We’ll tell you all about in the next issue.
