ramble

Nothing new to report. Just thought I'd stop in and say "hi." Aaron's got a couple appointments to look at apartments this Saturday, and my sister is moving back down to Laramie for school on Saturday, as well. If I can get the day off (not sure, since I just started working), I'm going to go help, even though I'm tired of moving crap. I also want to get back over to Deadwood to visit all my work buddies 'cause I miss 'em like crazy!

The weather is finally cooling down here; we're in the upper 80s during the daytime, which is a welcome relief from the 100s that we were having in the past.

I was hanging out at the hotel Ashley works in when I got off work tonight, and all the people who were coming in to see if they had rooms, upon finding out they DID have rooms were relieved, but upon hearing the price of the rooms, were quite surprised.

"What's in Gillette, anyway? Why is it so expensive to stay here? Is it always this busy in this town?" were very common questions. Well, for those of you who don't know, Gillette is a boom town. That's how it started out in the 70s, and that's what's happening again now. In the 70s, it boomed because of the coal mines. There is a VERY large seam of decent coal that runs through the plains area. Enough coal, actually, that we could power the whole nation for centuries. Not that it would be a good idea to do so, since that would put a TON of pollutants in the air...but hey...it's not like we're perfect right now.

Well, now it's not the coal. It's the coal bed methane that people are interested in. I'm not entirely sure what the deal is about the methane...what they're using it for, because quite frankly, I don't give a damn, and was glad to be getting out of the town when it started. But, due to this secondary boom, Gillette is growing, growing, growing, and there is NO place to put the new people. All of the houses are full, apartments are full (and REALLY expensive), and hotels are full. Heck, I delivered pizza to a campground that had fairly permanent residents living there; particle board set up as skirting to 5th wheels and Christmas lights on.

It's really quite ridiculous, because to the passer-by, there really is nothing to see or do in Gillette (unless you'd like to take a tour of a coal mine!), and yet, they are having to pay $130/night for a crappy hotel room. Doesn't seem right. It's easier to send 'em and hour in either direction to Spearfish, SD or Buffalo, WY, depending on which direction they are going...save 'em a little money on their night's stay.

Well...now that I have found something to fill your heads with...good night!