Nomad Life - Day 143

I guess my body is getting used to living in the Mountain Time Zone because I woke up at 0500 again without an alarm.  With the extra time, I completed puzzles, Duolingo exercises and some reading before beginning my telework day at 0530.  After that, I only took one short break, for breakfast in the lobby of the Super 8 (Cheyenne) and to make/eat lunch in my room.  Unusual for the last few months, I was in meetings for most of the day - that was good.  I finished teleworking at 1400 and started making plans for outdoor activities in the afternoon.  Wanting to save the little amount (estimated 50 miles) of gas I had left, I decided to stay in/near Cheyenne.  By this point, the weather was clear and sunny, with a light breeze at times, and temps were in the low 40s. - perfect January outdoor weather!  From my hotel, I drove north on surface streets until I reached Randall Avenue, where I'd seen a Buffalo Soldiers monument on Google Maps.  While there, I learned about the history of Francis E. Warren AFB and the courageous Black Cavalry soldiers.  From there, I walked west to visit the Air/Missile Park at entrance to Francis E. Warren AFB (arrived at 1430).  There were some interesting plaques there about the history of the Atlas, Minuteman and Peacekeeper missiles and the role that the AFB had played in the policy of Nuclear Deterrent over the years.  Backtracking to my car, I repositioned to the corner of West 8th Avenue and Central Avenue, where I was able to park next to one of the entrances to Lions Park.  Starting at 1445, I walked on many of the trails in the green space, including on part of the paved Cheyenne Greenway (North Link).  Along the way, I circled Sloan Lake (including the "Tree Walk"), found some entrances to Frontier Park (it was closed for major construction) and wandered through sections of the Botanical Gardens including the "Rotary Century Garden" (displays about the history of Cheyenne of the last several hundred years) and a wonderful (Paul Smith's) Children's Village).  The wind was a factor at times but I felt pretty comfortable as I made my way towards my step goal in the dying light of the afternoon.  Finished at 1605, I drove south (on Central Avenue) in search of the Westby Edge Brewing Company.  After sitting down at the bar 1615), I had a great conversation with the bartender (Tyler) about life in Cheyenne.  Meanwhile, I sampled several delicious beers!  Along the way, I learned about the founding of Taco John's, a Cheyenne business that began as a food truck nearby.  In fact, I learned that the warehouse where the Brewery las located had previously been a workshop where a local man built a series of food trucks for the company before it transitioned to brick and mortar.  Around me, there were lots of professionals, politicians and working people - the brewery had a great vibe.  I enjoyed lots of great stories and friendly banter - Nomad Life provides a daily social benefit!  The brewery offered food but I wasn't in the mood for bar fare.  Instead, I said goodbye to Tyler and drove a short distance to park near Wyoming's Rib & Chop House.  When I got inside (1715), I learned that I'd barely missed Happy Hour - dang... There was so much good food at the steakhouse but none of the combinations really looked great to me.  In the end, I worked with my server to create a custom meal, which included a "baseball-cut" top sirloin and Chicken Monty (breast, bacon, cheese) with sides of mac & cheese and broccoli.  The selections turned out to be excellent!  I also sampled another local beer and I was not disappointed.  My server gave me more information about the local scene and was very open about her family's love for the place where she worked.  When dinner was finished (1815), I returned to the Super 8 (got a good parking spot again) and spent the rest of the evening watching movies in my room.  Bed time was at 2215.  Great day in Cheyenne!