So I just started watching the series Friday Night Lights from the beginning and I’m pretty sure that could have taken place in Laramie. Granted, Wyoming high school football is nothing compared to Texas high school football, but wow; the similarities to my high school life were just jumping out at me left and right.

Small town…everyone goes to the games…it’s all about the team…there are the popular kids, the nerdy kids, the poor kids, the rich kids, the kids you’ve known since you were 8…granted, it could be in any town but there’s something about having one high school in a small town that somehow makes it different.

Anyway…it’s made me think a lot about those Friday nights at good old Laramie High…freezing every part of my body off in my band uniform. Definitely a lot of good times…been fun thinking about all of it.

Friday night lights in Laramie.

Yeah. I’m from there.

For some reason today I remembered that our high school band played for the grand opening of the Laramie KMart. I’m not even going to think about how long ago that was. Wow. How small town is that?

Laramie KMart.

Yeah. I’m from there.

Yeah. I’m from there.

I was thinking about the bandshell in Washington Park this week…no idea why, but was remembering the summer concerts and all the various events that took place there. It reminded me of how cool parts of Laramie really were. I would have never admitted that growing up there of course, but looking back, I guess it actually was pretty cool at times.

It’s ultra gloomy in the Bay Area today, and it reminded me how sunny Laramie always was, even if it was 35 degrees below zero. There was always sun. Maybe that’s how I survived all those years there. I don’t think folks from other parts of the country realize it’s like that. I sort of love that about Laramie and am assuming it’s still like that.

Yeah.

It was cold.

But the sun was always shining…

That’s what the current temperature is in Laramie. It’s 1 degree, but -20 with the wind chill. Brrr. I remember how much I had to bundle up as a kid (and as a grownup too!) and how quickly I moved from building to car to building. And yet, they still sent us outside for recess. It’s amazing more of us didn’t get frostbite.

-20.

Yeah.

That’s just cold.

Remember when this was one of two of the tallest buildings in Wyoming?

White and McIntyre Halls on the University of Wyoming campus held that distinction for years. I’ve learned that their towering height of 12 stories has now been surpassed by a 24-story something-or-other near Gilette, but I don’t care. In my mind, this will always be one of the two tallest buildings in the state.

Yeah.

12 stories.

That’s tall in Wyoming.

Shari’s. Laramie’s late night hangout. (photo not from Laramie Shari’s, but they apparently all look the same)

I have so many memories from there…hanging out with friends…french fries with ranch dressing…breakfast after prom…and yeah, even getting kicked out. That’s right. I was kicked out of Shari’s.

At this point I couldn’t tell you who was kicked out with me, but there was a rather large group of us and apparently we were being obnoxious. I realize that’s hard to believe…a group of high school kids being obnoxious, but it happened. And we were kicked out.

Whenever I see a Shari’s now I think back on all the time I spent at the one in Laramie, and it makes me smile. I can’t recall a single conversation I had there, but I can picture that big corner booth that sat about 12 people. I can also remember the pie, because it was definitely worth remembering. I remember the crazy parking lot with its huge dirty snow piles and I remember laughing. I remember lots and lots of laughing.

Shari’s.

Yeah.

I was kicked out of there.

Ice Cream Bikes

I wonder if they still have these in Laramie in the summer…anyone know? I remember these very well…probably because I attempted to pilot one one summer…I think that lasted about a week and a half. I remember that I went to pick the bike up from someone’s backyard, and thinking back on it now, I honestly can’t believe my parents let me do it. I couldn’t have been more than 12 or 13, and the whole thing seems rather shady now. I also remember that it was really heavy, and what I mainly remember about the whole adventure is getting stuck in a dip somewhere near Washington Park and having to get help from others to get myself out. That summer job didn’t last very long at all, but I still love that I did it…even for a minute.

Now I kinda want some ice cream…

I remember going trick or treating in Laramie and having to worry about making sure the costume was big enough to go over your coat because there was 99.97% chance it was going to be snowing.

These are things trick or treaters in California don’t really need to worry about.