I'm told that winter is glorious there as well; I'll have to trust the testimony of others on that count - too cold for my blood.
The most popular sight in this locale, however, is of a very cold variety, and is on a much, much smaller scale - the size of ice cream cones sold in the corner country store.
Back in the day, summer excursions to Grandma and Grandpa Beard's home often included a side trip to Swam Valley for a cone filled with square scoops of delectable ice cream. Leon seemed to suggest this outing on a regular basis. No wonder he was everyone's favorite uncle.
I'm told that this phenomenon started quite by accident clear back in 1946 when the owners of the store, Harry and Grace Traver, decided to sell Farr's Ice Cream from Salt Lake City to attract tourists. Grace mail ordered an ice cream scoop from the east coast and much to her surprise when the package arrived she discovered that the scoop looked very different from what she thought she had ordered.
The square ice cream cones became an instant attraction and the popularity continues today, although the store has undergone significant renovations that have diminished the rustic charm from the days of my youth.
During the summer months, especially on the Fourth of July, the lines extend clear out into the roadway. In fact, even though I am not an ice cream connoisseur, I had bragged about the cones so much to Dean that we stopped there on our first time in Swan Valley together. The line was sooooo long, that he decided it wasn't worth the wait. He's sampled the treat since, but still mourns that first fateful day.
The most popular choice is "Huckleberries and Cream" and keeping up with the demand for that flavor requires thirty tubs per week during the summer months.
The moral of this story is that if you are traveling through Swan Valley, you really should carry on the family tradition of ordering the frozen sensation from 1946, the square ice cream cone. And enjoy the other scenery while standing in line.
