Laramie - August 27

I had a beautiful drive from Cheyenne to Laramie on Happy Jack Road, avoiding the interstate. Laramie is very much a college town, home of University of  Wyoming, and classes start on Monday - so the town is  full of returning students. You know you are in a college town when you see a sign  like this on a coffee shop door:

I spent several pleasurable hours walking around the downtown area and the university. Then I went to the Wyoming Territorial Prison, a state historic site just outside  of town, very well restored and quite interesting to tour. Its specific claim to fame is that it is the only prison that ever housed Butch Cassidy, where he was incarcerated for 18 months in mid-career. He was released when he promised the governor that he would commit no more crimes in Wyoming - a promise  which gave  him a great deal of wiggle room. As far as we know, he kept that promise.

Contrary to the movie, which ends with Butch and the Sundance Kid being killed in a shoot out in South America, the prison displays a letter from his sister claiming that Butch came home, apologized to his family, and lived out his life as a sheep herder.

Tomorrow back to church thoughts.