At Cheyenne Frontier Days, Chuckwagons Are Like Old-Time Food Trucks Frozen In Time

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (CBS4) - A longstanding tradition at Cheyenne Frontier Days are the chuckwagons. The wagons aren't restored, or refurbished, but rather preserved from the 1800s. It's kind of like an old-time food truck that's frozen in time.

When chuckwagoneer Bobby Mims from Texas rings the dinner bell, you know you're in for some good food.

"Anything that you can cook in your oven, we can cook pretty much in our Dutch ovens over a campfire with coals," he pointed out. "Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, pinto beans, biscuit and a dessert, this year we're cooking cherry."

And Bobby guarantees the coffee to be strong enough to float a horseshoe.

"Always have coffee on the campfire so anybody who wants to come by the chuckwagon camp and would like a cup of coffee, we'll always have a cup for them."

Bobby, who grew up as a Boy Scout and was a professional rodeo cowboy, loves showing off the period tools of the Old West to people from around the world.

"We've had contact and had great conversations with people from 27 different states and 16 different countries. This is truly an international event."

PHOTO GALLERY: 123rd Annual Cheyenne Frontier Days

The chuckwagon competition consists of a combination of two scores, one for the food, the other for the wagon itself.

The food competition is Saturday, but the chuckwagons are there all week long. Cheyenne Frontier Days continues through Sunday. Get more info at cfdrodeo.com.