Laramie, WY

(Post #3 in the Why I Love Laramie series)

One of the nearest places to go for some foresty pine-smelling air is Vedauwoo. Spelling it is way harder than saying it - "vee duh voo". The word comes from an angelicized version of an Arapaho Indian word that means earthborn. You can see how all the giant boulders look like they were, indeed, thrown up from, or born from the earth. It is only about 18 miles east of Laramie just north of and accessible from Interstate I-80.

A word of warning to the fair hearted though - it is not for small children if you hope to relax by the campfire while the kids roam and play. There are rocks and boulders everywhere so plan on spending most of your time following the kids around preventing them from falling off the rocks they WILL climb on. I'd like to say - "Don't worry, it gets easier when they get older,"- but it doesn't. They just climb higher.

Vedauwoo is very popular for technical climbers who come from all over with their ropes, caribeeners, helmets and other gadgety stuff to climb up the vertical granite faces most of us just like to look at. However, don't despair, there are plenty of of other things to divert the children's attention - wildflowers, beaverponds, mosquitos (I didn't say they were all good), pinecones, chipmunk sitings, hiking trails and, of course, the marshmallows you will bring for roasting!

(Part 2 of the Why I love Laramie series)

Another thing I love about Laramie is that we have AMAZING hailstorms. It may sound funny but by the time we get a hailstorm we know that summer is finally around the corner. The storms come on fast and furious, shaking the whole house with the wind gusting and the hailstones pinging off the windows. At our house, we are always drawn to an open door so we can hear the full fury of the storm. Hail bounces everywhere, clogging the downspouts until the hail rolls off the roof and the water in the street gutters rapidly rises. Then before you know it blue sky peeks through the edge of the storm as it rolls on to another location.

Whoops, we should have waited to plant those flowers!

Can you believe that sky! Amazing!

Things I LOVE about my hometown - Laramie, Wyoming

I did it! I found my voice. My current blogging mission is to highlight what I love about my hometown of Laramie, Wyoming! I'd do it in a countdown from the top ten, however - that would take too much organization and forethought for me. So...

If you haven't discovered the University of Wyoming Geological Museum by now, then you probably won't. It was "officially" closed to the public a year and a half ago, but is unofficially open on some Saturdays and by private arrangement. So even though it would take some effort and detective work to find a time to get in, it is still one of the places I love in Laramie.

Information gathered from the energy audit will be used to determine energy efficiency, retrofitting and weatherization projects using funds from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG). Retrofitting projects will include air infiltration, energy efficient windows and doors, insulation levels, weather-stripping and caulking, and electric base loads.

Using its EECBG formula funding to retrofit and improve the energy efficiency of a number of it's municipal buildings that will result in substantial reduction in energy usage.

EECBG Formula grants can be used for energy efficiency and conservation programs and projects community wide, as well as renewable energy installations on local municipal buildings, city facilities, local city and county government buildings. EECBG programs include: energy efficiency stimulus funding, energy efficiency retrofit programs, municipal efficiency retrofits, retrofitting of city owned buildings.

If an EECBG weatherization and retrofitting project is selected, an energy audit must be completed first in order to prioritize other activities.

We foresee energy efficiency block grant funds as a crucial component of pursuing energy efficiency programs within a town, city or local government.

Alamo Infrared is the oldest and largest building inspector and energy auditor for homes, businesses, medical and government buildings in the Rocky Mountain West.

Please visit our energy audit page for more information www.utahenergyaudit.com