Settled
at the very top of the Teton Pass, in Wilson, WY, as if it were deciding
whether to go on to Idaho or not, sits one of my favorite places in Jackson
Hole—The Stagecoach Bar. Unlike Jackson’s Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, my Wilson
watering hole has nothing fancy about it, yet it’s undeniable that its
atmosphere is more welcoming, more genuine, and just plain more fun. Bob Dylan
has played there, Harrison Ford and Peyton Manning have drunk there, and I’m
still trying to figure out what the sign above the bar--that looks like someone's internet password--means: IWTUIUWBMAD
The Coach, as it’s called,
moved a couple of times before finally settling into its current spot. It began
life in 1942 with a rodeo attached and drinks served through a hole in the
wall. You can imagine that mixing rodeo
cowboys and drink led at times to horses in the bar and a few shots at pool
from the top of a steed. When the rodeo
moved into Jackson, the action moved inside but the cowboys didn’t leave. Apparently, the place could get pretty rough,
especially when hippies appeared on the scene in the sixties. Finally, in 1969,
some strumming occurred on a Sunday evening which started to calm things down a
bit and eventually led to dancing. The
Coach Band has been picking and strumming ever since (with a good few yodels thrown in), and Sunday has remained
the night for dancing with Thursdays now a disco night in the high seasons of
winter and summer. And by the way, just to make it feel right that you’re going
to a bar on a Sunday, the locals call it ‘church.’
The Coach now is a place
where everyone feels comfortable.
Whether you dance with a stranger—as I have done many times—or just sit
back and watch the action, perhaps enjoying some of the delicious Street Food
from the small place now at the very back, the ambiance is certain to make you
feel welcome and at ease. So the question is, how did the Coach inspire me?
Let’s go back to those
hippies who came in during the 1960’s and were evident for several years,
getting into fights with the cowboys.
When I heard about this, I thought, ‘what if?’ Cowboys at that time were a pretty rough
bunch and if you get a cowboy who’s also a rancher, you’re certainly not going
to find a marshmallow. Ranchers are
known to be attached to their land, proud of the generations that have worked
it before them, and—shall I say this?—pretty set in their ways. Hippies, on the other hand, are pretty much
free-wheeling, easy going, airy-fairy even; they tend to either lead a vagabond
life or settle in communes, at least they did in the sixties and
seventies. So, that’s my ‘what if?’ What
if one of these hardened ranchers actually fell for a hippie girl? What then?
You’re going to have to read Always on My Mind to find out “what
then”…
Always on My Mind is available TODAY at all good bookstores and
sales sites, including: https://www.amazon.com/Always-My-Mind-Andrea-Downing-ebook/dp/B082S8TQD1/
1972 -
Vietnam, the pill, upheaval, hippies.
Wyoming rancher Cooper Byrnes, deeply attached to the land and his way of life, surprises everyone when he falls for vagabond hippie Cassie Halliday. Fascinated and baffled, he cannot comprehend his attraction—or say the words she wants to hear.
Cassie finds Coop intriguingly different. As she keeps house for him and warms his bed at night, she admits to herself she loves him but she misinterprets Coop's inability to express his feelings.
Parted, each continues to think of the other, but how can either of them reach out to say, "You were 'always on my mind'?"
Wyoming rancher Cooper Byrnes, deeply attached to the land and his way of life, surprises everyone when he falls for vagabond hippie Cassie Halliday. Fascinated and baffled, he cannot comprehend his attraction—or say the words she wants to hear.
Cassie finds Coop intriguingly different. As she keeps house for him and warms his bed at night, she admits to herself she loves him but she misinterprets Coop's inability to express his feelings.
Parted, each continues to think of the other, but how can either of them reach out to say, "You were 'always on my mind'?"
Excerpt:
He didn’t answer but shoved in another
forkful of eggs and studied her. “You do want to go, don’t you? You want to
join them? All I’ve heard about is dang San Francisco.”
“I guess.”
“You guess what, for goodness’ sake? Do
you or do you not want to go with them?” He tapped the fork three beats by the
side of his plate.
“Well, I thought I did. I mean,
everyone’s going to San Francisco. Haight-Ashbury. It’s supposed to be where
everything’s happening. And you don’t want me.”
“Jeez, Cassie. I’m not the only
alternative. Get a job, for goodness’ sake. What was all your college education
about anyway? You did go to college, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but…I went to an all-girls’
college. I don’t think they expected much of us beyond doing secretarial work
and becoming wives.”
“So find a husband. I don’t care.” He
turned back to his paper.
“I know you don’t care. I don’t expect
you to.”
He let his fork clatter to his plate, and
his gaze met hers. “Cassie, you’re like…you’re like…” He watched as a tear made
its way down one cheek. “Oh, for gosh sake.”
He met her sorry stare across the dinette,
eggs congealing in the kitchen warmth. Outside was the screech of tires as a
car pulled up, followed by the laughter and clatter of a group of people,
sliding doors hitting the metal of the cab, shouts of “Cassie, Cassie, where
are youuuuuuuu?”
He pushed back from the table at the same
time as she and went to the window to look out. He swiveled to look at her, see
her reaction. Then, with a gentle hand, he pushed her toward the back door.
“There you are!” Dave’s voice had a note
of happy surprise, which faded as he noticed Coop standing nearby. The boy
stumbled as he went to her. “We had to ask that shit Ty where this guy lived
and got directions here. Are you okay?”
Cassie faced Coop, her bare feet curling
in the dirt in front of the ranch house as he stood on the steps and watched,
arm up against a pillar, his own socked feet crossed. Part of him wanted his
peace and quiet, his solitude back, but he already knew he would miss her, be
sorry to see her go.
She turned back to Dave. “Of course I’m
okay. I’m just—”
“Well, get your shoes or whatever and
we’ll go off. We should get to Salt Lake City this afternoon and stop there
before heading west again.”
“I…”
“She doesn’t want to go with you.” He
heard the reluctance in her voice, came down the steps, and stood in front of
Dave, challenging. “She’s changed her mind.”
Cassie pivoted to glance at Coop.
Surprise mixed with uncertainty faded as a small smile turned up her lips. For
a moment, the others were silent, standing there, stupefied. “I…” she began again.
“I’m staying here.” She felt bolder, more self-assured.
“You must be joking.” Dave’s shifty
glance skimmed from one to the other. “Cassie?”
Needing reassurance, she turned to look
at Coop, then turned back to Dave. “I’m fed up with traveling in that bus and I
like it here. In Jackson.”
“She’s staying here,” Coop said. “At
least for now.”
Perturbed at this news, the other two
friends started to turn back toward the bus. Steve drew out a satchel, then
scribbled something on a piece of paper before handing both to her. He nodded
before he disappeared into the confines of the van.
Dave stood there gawping. “You’re gonna
stay here? With this guy? On a ranch? You’re not coming to Frisco?”
She glanced back at Coop for
confirmation.
He stayed stock still.
She turned again to Dave. “Yes, that’s
right. I’m staying here with Coop on his ranch. I’ll follow along when I’m
ready.”
“How you gonna do that? You haven’t any
money.”
“I have money. At least some left. When
I’m ready I’ll come. It’ll be fine. Honest, Dave. I’ll be along shortly. I’ll
hitch.”
Dave’s face folded into a picture of
doubtfulness. “I guess it’s your choice, Cassie.” He eyed Coop, then turned
back to her. “Just be careful, Cass. Don’t fall for this jerk. He has no real
interest in you.”
She stood next to Coop, doubt and
insecurity filling her like water flowing into a jug. The VW bus pulled out,
friends waving, and she knew she was on her own.
“Now what?” Her voice was just a whisper.
“Now what?”
6 comments:
Sounds like a fun place to hang out. Thanks for sharing Andrea!
It's great Julie--about the only bar I go to happily.
I WANT TO GO TO THAT BAR!!! And I need to know what sign above the bar means. What a fun place. I was lucky enough to read an early version of Always on My Mind, and it was such a treat. What an unusual idea! And as always your descriptions put me in the setting. Good luck with your new release!
Patti, I haven't been able to get the bar tender to tell me--we need a plant to get in there to find out and you know whom I'm thinking of! LOL. Thanks for your good wishes--I remain indebted for your comments in an earlier version of the book..
Sounds like a fun book. My first trip to Jackson Hole was in 1971. My friends and I were some of those hippies. I got engaged at Grand Teton National Park, and my husband and I have gone back a number of times since, especially since our son works in Moran, WY, in the summer. I wish we would have bought some property there in the 70s. We drove through Wilson last summer.
Well Lucy, I'm glad you like it. I live about 5 miles from Grand Teton park -- it's changed a great deal since I bought my place, but I still love it there. Thanks for stopping by.
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