Because I am sure there are millions of ways to travel, we can escape even in 100 feet square, we can recreate American in the middle of nowhere; in those weird quarantined times, I got the idea to create a file “Special Quarantine”: A reachable world. [Some places of the world are starting to get out of quarantine (like France) but we are still quite limited for traveling, reason why it still makes sense for me to offer this mind travel.] Following my wandering steps for eight months, I am offering you to stop by Ireland, Iceland, Alaska, some Western provinces of Canada, some united American States; sprinkling clothes opinions, cooking ideas, books / music / movies advice, and other surprises…
Today, my offer will be polymorphic, I don’t choose one state but a bunch of them, my knowledge wouldn’t be enough for one complete recipe for each. Thus, I travel you to a mythical place, whose name means anything and nothing, I bring you to magical and huge lands that shall not be contained in one profane article so complex and various they are. I risk it though, conscious my lacks are mesmerized, happy my discoveries were unperfect, and I humbly try to send you to the AMERICAN WILD WEST.
Welcome to the Land of the Free!
1. Getting dressed de pied en cape
I know, today, you won’t be able to escape the cliché: when you say Wild West, you have to wear your hat and boots of Cow-Boy!
I want to give some precision though… Don’t think hats and boots are normal all over America, it would be as simplistic as picturing Frenchies with his striped shirt, his béret and his baguette! But I won’t say it is an exception either. Actually, it depends on where you are and what is the main economy. For instance, when I drove down rural Montana or when I settled in an Idaho ranch for a couple of weeks, I often met real Cow-Boys. On the other hand, I only met people like you and me, with no hat nor boots when I stuck around Salt Lake City (UT) or Denver (CO)…
2. Reaching for your inner child
When I traveled through this American Far West, a cartoon from my child/teen hood beautifully haunted me: Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron. When I drove through Idaho Plains during a Full Moon night, I felt like I was that wild horse. When I winded in between Utah’s canyons, I could reach harsh landforms he fought with. This is why, in this hot spring morning, I offer to get a slow start in front of this untamed Kiger Mustang stallion galloping with music.
A bite of an anecdote passing by: As aforementioned, Spirit is a Kiger Mustang stallion and I was surprised to hear they were not that “wild”… Indeed, mustangs descends from once-domesticated horses brought back to their free-roaming state. Their most ancient ancestors were brought to the Americas by the Spanish as they conquered the continent, and then abandoned. Thus, the whole mythology about Native Americans horse riding is a bit overrated. There were horses in America during prehistory, as first men landed there through Bering, but they suddenly vanished and no explanation has been found yet. Therefore, Native Tribes included their own horses in their way of life only after the first European wave.
I add one last proposition to this part: Denver, the last dinosaur, because, even if the show actually sets in LA and I haven’t found any proof of my idea on the internet, I am sure the name of the dinosaur is not just random as characters see a touristic add for Denver. Indeed, Colorado is a very fossil-rich land, there is a lot of museums dedicated to paleontology. I am therefore almost sure the cartoon’s creators gave a nod to that reality naming the last dinosaur, Denver!
3. Practicing your lasso (and rodeo)
You have the hat, you have boots, you have the horse, you only miss the lasso (and the whip if necessary), to be a true Cow-Boy or Cow-Girl, and caught your cattle (or your happy 11 o’clock beer if you are a bit early!) with a nice throw. I therefore offer you to make your own lasso thanks to this tuto and cheerfully practice.
You’re good? Then, it is rodeo time!
When you think rodeo, you think horse or bull, men with hat, kicks and chrono. You are then mostly right! During my last American journey, I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to attend an “authentic” rodeo; smelling like frass, sun and sweat; speaking another American, swaggering, in hooves noise against metal and boots sounds on iron stairs. I, instead, got lost in concrete stairs and attended the Great Stock Show final. And I must confess it lacked a bit of friendly and typical atmosphere. In the end, rodeo on your own for such a big event is exciting for five minutes and then quickly gets soooooooo boring. They keep you craving, they start horse riding which startles your heart for a bit, then come a bunch of easier trials including a few lasso’s throws on some calves, before finally ridding bulls one hour and a half later… I couldn’t say if rodeo in a tiny arena in Idaho would follow the same schedule, but the metal gallery I passed during my road trip most certainly calls for more joy, even covered with snow, than plastic sits of my rodeo in Denver.
But let’s go back to our bulls! You now have a few options: either you are a bit extremist and you rent a mechanical bull to work on your balance, or you settle for your big dog and/or apartment poney, or you let one of the best rodeo videos or movies take your breath away, the best offers being The Rider, showing behind the scene of this dangerous sport and making this amazing bet to let the real Cow-Boy that has inspired the story to perform his own role.
4. Learning your History of people
American Wild West was the last heaven for Native people when Europeans kept spreading on the continent. As a matter of fact, the sadly famous “Tears Trail” has become a symbol of Eastern tribes’ exile. That is one of the reasons why most important Indian reservations now are in the West, the biggest being the Navajos who, to give you an idea of geography, are mostly around the well-known Monument Valley. I therefore offer you to watch one of these documentaries to learn a bit more about those people:
This peculiar Far West, the one along the Rockies, was for a long time the last American frontier for European, so difficult the aforementioned heights were hard to cross. But once the bravest explorers had gone through the gigantic and proud rocks, some states became only a “go-through”, they were not a place to chose to drop your dreams. Nobody wanted to settle in Idaho, the flat potatoes land. People wanted the Pacific, they wanted the American dream and they followed the Oregon Trail.
5. Working your carnivorous side
You might know it, Western American lands are agricultural lands where graze cattle that will feed America. The most prized meat is the Black Angus Beef, this restaurant being the proof of it. Originally from Scotland, this cattle was brought to the US Plains in the 18th century because it is particularly resistant to cold climates.
This is why I propose to make it the main ingredient of your barbecue for lunch!
6. Working on your patience
I don’t know why but when I was thinking about how I would fill up this article traveling you to the Wild West, I was instantly inspired by puzzles… Because, in the end, without making hard to believe comparisons, travelling is a bit like making a puzzle: you discover piece by piece the landscapes that will rock your world, you get close or far, in order to finally get the majestic whole view.
And then, with both puzzle and travel, there is the idea of belonging, even fleeting and only imagined; because you cross by foot, bike, train or car, a scenery; because you build it puzzle piece after puzzle piece, this piece of landscape belongs to you and you belong to this piece of landscape. Even if this union is ephemeral, forever, memories deeply link you to that place.
MONTANA
WYOMING / IDAHO
UTAH
ARIZONA
COLORADO
7. TV Show Break
As often, here is my favorite activities: a sweet snack in front of the TV Show of your choosing.
First things first, I propose THE Made In America sweet, the one thing that has made my reputation among my French friends: cookies. If it is not specific to the Wild West, it is for me because I literally spent a couple of weeks in Idaho baking cookies for Christmas. And I haven’t failed so many cookies in my whole life, almost jeopardizing my skills and my reputation! For my defense, I was not properly introduced to Mister Oven, and I wasn’t following my usual recipe.
FOR A DOZEN OF COOKIES
1 egg
85 g / 1/3 cup sugar
85 g / 1/3 cup salted butter
150 g / 1 cup flour
1 t.s baking powder
100 g / 1 cup chocolate chipsDIRECTION
Blend all the ingredients following the order above. Don’t forget to blend baking powder and flour before adding to the rest.
Prepare a baking sheet with a bit of flour on it. Make little balls with the preparation that you set on the sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 180° C/ 350° F. Let the cookies harden. It is ready!My little “secrets”:
* I add some vanilla extracts and some hazelnuts powder to the preparation.
* I try to mix flours: wholemeal flour, coco flour, etc, always blended with white flour.
* I also change flavors from time to time: three chocolates, chocolate/nuts, white chocolate/cranberries…
And here is the TV Show menu, very different in terms of topics, places, times:
Spinning out, created by Samantha Stratton: First, I watched it on one of my sister’s advice and because I didn’t know what to do except working. First pictures made me realize I knew the place: Sun Valley (ID), skiing station for rich people, neighbor to the ranch I worked away last winter. This argument was enough to make me linger a bit more in front of my screen. Except Sun Valley, what is going on? Basically, we follow a young and bipolar ice-skating teenager. And why did I keep watching beyond geography: because the three actresses of the Baker family, as well as the coach, are very good; because I really liked how the psychological disease and its secrets are dealt with; because I was quite mesmerized by the ice-skating. But I won’t lie to you, it is kind of a poisoned apple since the show has been cancelled…
Doctor Quinn, medecine woman, created by Beth Sullivan: As I was looking for some more information to fill up this section, I ran into this childhood show whose action sets in Colorado. I had to mention it. Everybody – or at least, people older than 30 – has already heard of it but here is the deal for those who has totally forgotten the nineties: a proper and wealthy female physician from Boston, Michaela Quinn, sets out west to the small wild west town of Colorado Springs, after her father’s death, to set up her own practice. She makes the difficult adjustment to life in Colorado with the aid of rugged outdoorsman and friend to the Cheyenne, Byron Sully and a midwife named Charlotte Cooper. After Charlotte’s death, Michaela looks after her three children: Matthew, Colleen, and Brian, according to the dead woman’s wishes.
Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan: Since I have decided to only mention shows I have watched, I make a breach to my geography since th show sets in New Mexico and I didn’t go there (except for three minutes because I took the wrong turn but it is part of the Far West). But I must confess I haven’t watched the whole show, I struggled to sink into the story – but I don’t lose hope -. I do know it is a classic though. And to make this long story short, here is a comic I read in Canada and made me laugh a lot!
8. Dancing with some country music
You stepped in any Western Cow Boy’s path this morning. Nothing is more appropriate then, to end this day, than tune your harmonics with country music to dance its rhythm!
[And if you really don’t know how to dance, you can start slow with a Madison: music and steps. You’ll see, it always works and makes you feel so good!]
9. Movie night
Of course, when you think Far West, you immediately think about Western Spaghetti movies, the most famous being Sergio Leone’s. I haven’t watched enough to be a good advice, I therefore send you to the wikipedia list to make your own choice. Though, I won’t resist the desire to mention: Once upon in the West, with the gorgeous Claudia Cardinale; and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
But the western genre has learnt how to evolve with its time and here are some advice “outside the box” :
* Slow West, John Maclean: I must confess, first, only Michael Fassbender pushed me into this movie (not only because I am a bit in love with him but also because I think he is a very good actor). Then, the movie hooked me because the two characters are crossing Colorado State as I was myself. In the end, I spent a nice and chill evening in front of this pleasant western.
* The lone Ranger, Gore Verbinski: This is more of a big show kind of movie, but it is a nice promise of a family evening (or, as a matter of fact, a friend/alone evening). Pirates of Caribbean‘s director has made a movie with codes he knows, coming back to Johnny Depp’s sheer madness and changing his cute poster boy for Armie Hammer. Jokes are easy but always strikes home. Good night in perspective for sure, following the adventure of Tonto, an Indian warrior, and John Reid, an ancient defender of the law who becomes The Lone Ranger.
* Hostiles, Scott Cooper: I will always remember the night I went to see this movie which has completely rocked my world. Besides the amazing actors’ performances, the movie reveals the deep and true nature of America that I had only guessed through my first journey and touched me a bit more and to my heart thanks to this movie. I won’t say more because I hate when I am told too much about a beautiful movie, I will only end with the quotes opening the movie: “The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic, and a killer. It has never yet melted.“(D. H. Lawrence)
* Brokeback Mountain, Ang Lee: Before this movie, westerns were for real and hard men. After this movie, it is still the case, except those men are also allowed to be tender, sensitive and even homosexual. It is the most beautiful genre’s transformation, served by a beautiful quatuor of remarkable actors. It is extremely slow, but it gives your heart time to fill up with beautiful landscape, it gives your soul time to be completely moved. Then, if you haven’t watched it yet, go for it, it is time.
But this is not because we are in the Wild West, that we absolutely have to watch a western! Then, here are some very different propositions.
* To visit Arizona : Thelma et Louise, Ridley Scott: Mythical road trip movie! My workaway hosts in Alberta told me their annual road trip to Arizona was always the excuse to meet Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis again, along their desperate race for freedom and life, making it a perfect set for our night.
* To visit Montana :
The horse whisperer, Robert Redford: If you want a change of scenery, you will be served… Indeed, big Montana scenery are out for this Nicholas Evans’ novel’s adaptation showing Scarlett Johansson’s debuts. The story is inspired by Buck Brannaman‘s life, a horse trainer whose methods are based on classical concepts from the vaquero tradition. In this case, the whisperer helps a traumatized horse and her owner, after an accident with a truck, so they can both heal their psychological and physical wounds.
OU Arrival, Denis Villeneuve: In a totally different genre (Sci-fi), we follow the apparition of twelve extraterrestrial spacecraft over disparate locations around the Earth, including a small town in Montana where a linguistic expert is send to know what those aliens want. Montana is only an excuse here, the movie offers a simple but universal tale, that deeply moved me though. I didn’t know what to expect, I only wanted some distraction and that movie surprised me in a very nice way.
* To visit Colorado : Dumb & Dumber, Peter Farelli: We definitely change the style, it is very heavy humour awaiting for you if you are in the mood as Jim Carey and Jeff Daniels have to go to Colorado, around Aspen, making a grotesque and crazy movie out of their adventures.
* To follow your own road trip: National lammpoon’s vacation, Harold Ramis: This is the only movie of the list I haven’t watched (but I did see the Christmas version of the serie). It goes through the Griswold family’s road trip, which doesn’t fit everybody. Family movie, our heroes happen to stop in all the touristy places of the West: Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, etc…; then why not?
10. Ending the day softly
I just mentioned western spaghetti movies virtuously made by Sergio Leone. And there is another name you can’t not mention when you talk of this genre and this period: Ennio Morricone, the one who composed all the Italian director’s beautiful soundtrack. His music bring me such a peaceful happiness and state of grace, making me totally aware of the harmony of life. I always like to tune to my adventures and my culture, Ennio Morricone then often followed my road trips throughout the American Wild West.
This why I invite him to be your own personal soundtrack around a glass of bourbon, the American whiskey, for both to be the apotheosis of your day. As for me, completely green in this field, I have settled for bourbon which is not really my taste when I decided to add some honey thanks to the Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey.
Sweet dreams to y’all!
If you wish to keep wandering through
the Amercian Far West,
read my American travel diaries
Fragile wandering – A beautiful Nothing – Night Plains – Mecham Ranch –
Such an imperfect day – Pastel – Scarlet Days – Top of the world – Blended colors
Fleeting Wor(l)ds 