Moving from Cleveland Ohio to Sheridan in 2 weeks (Cheyenne, Gillette: credit check, houses)

[Godfather216]

Greetings from the shores of Lake Erie! Unfortunately, I will soon no longer call my native city and state home, having recently accepted an offer of employment in Sheridan, Wyoming. I am really excited about the move, although somewhat nervous as well. I have spent the majority of my life living in and around major metro areas in Ohio, and from what I can tell Wyoming can get a bit "rural". I am an avid outdoors man by local standards (fishing, canoing, camping), single 26 professional M that eat, sleeps, and breathes professional and college sports, craft beer, and all things Italian (i am not obnoxious and NOT FROM JERSEY!!). Love Bluegrass music, working out, and pickup basketball.

My main questions are:

1. How hard is it to find housing in the area? So far I have called a few listings from The Sheridan Press and have a petty good idea but just wanted to inquire.....

2. What are some ABSOLUTE necessities that someone living their entire life in Ohio to this point might not be aware of?

3. How likely am I to enjoy the Sheridan nightlife and just living in the area in general? I am leaving behind a very supportive loving family and group of friends that I have known since Kindergarten. I am good at meeting people and making new friends, so I'm not as concerned with making friends as I am with missing my family constantly.

4. What are the local recreation options like? Is there somewhere I can work out or find a pickup game at? Like a YMCA or Rec Center?

Hopefully someone can help me out. So far I have found the folks I've talked to in Sheridan to be friendly and well mannered, although most have seemed quite surprised when I tell them I am relocating from Cleveland.

[WyoNewk]

Since nobody has answered you yet.... I'm in Gillette, 115 miles SE of Sheridan on I-90. Just wanted to say welcome to Wyoming! What's your profession?

Housing will likely seem extremely scarce to you, coming from Cleveland, but you'll be able to find something, and for towns like Gillette and Sheridan, that's good news. A couple years ago you'd have had a tough time finding anything.

Trying to think what's different.... One thing you'll soon discover in Wyoming (and all of the West) is that long road trips are pretty common. I think Billings is about 125 miles from Sheridan, and that's considered a fairly short day trip. We used to run from Gillette to Rapid City for pizza, and that's 140 miles. We also go to Billings for a day of shopping -- 240 miles.

You won't find much "night life" other than cowboy bars. The first time I was in Gillette (interviewing for a job) my prospective employers and their wives took me out for dinner. I said to one of the wives, "I'll bet there are a lot of country western bars like this in Gillette."

She looked at me sorta puzzled and replied, "This isn't a country western bar; it's the furthest thing from it in Gillette." Coulda fooled me. But that was 40 years ago and things have changed. Both Sheridan and Gillette have grown up a lot since then.

Sheridan isn't quite as youthful nor as sports minded as Gillette, but here sports is a very big thing. I'd imagine it is in Sheridan too, just to a smaller degree. I'm sure I've seen a YMCA in the downtown area, and I imagine the county recreation department has some city league basketball leagues. Elk Hunter will be along and can probably fill you in better. He lives just a few miles from Sheridan.

In a nutshell, Sheridan is a nice community located in a beautiful area of the state right up against the Bighorn Mountains. The Bighorns rise to over 13,000 feet and offer about anything and everything that major mountain chains anywhere do -- hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, etc.

[jkb826]

WyoNewk gave you some very good info. The only things I can add is that the nightlife around here in almost all in bars. We have no dance clubs and only live country music on the weekends. We do have one of the best YMCA's for a town this size you can find anywhere. Very busy place and lots going on most all of the time. We also have a rec department that has things to get involved with. As far as housing, it is much better than it was a couple of years ago but could still be tough and probably on the rather expensive side. As far as the outdoor activities there quite alot of choices to do here, summer and winter both. The only thing I tell you about coming here is come with a open mind and try to make the best of what I assume is going to be some major culture shock. Good Luck

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by Godfather216

Greetings from the shores of Lake Erie! Unfortunately, I will soon no longer call my native city and state home, having recently accepted an offer of employment in Sheridan, Wyoming. I am really excited about the move, although somewhat nervous as well. I have spent the majority of my life living in and around major metro areas in Ohio, and from what I can tell Wyoming can get a bit "rural". I am an avid outdoors man by local standards (fishing, canoing, camping), single 26 professional M that eat, sleeps, and breathes professional and college sports, craft beer, and all things Italian (i am not obnoxious and NOT FROM JERSEY!!). Love Bluegrass music, working out, and pickup basketball.

My main questions are:

1. How hard is it to find housing in the area? So far I have called a few listings from The Sheridan Press and have a petty good idea but just wanted to inquire......

Contact the local Realestate offices. In Sheridan almost "ALL" houses are listed through them because they are already set up to run credit checks, background checks, etc... Things a normal home owner isn't prepared to deal with. You can Google the local offices.

There are a lot of homes available in Sheridan, Ranchester, Dayton and Story. Buffalo is an option but that 30 mile comute every day can be a bear during the winter. If you try it, you'll learn the hard way about Piney Creek.

2. What are some ABSOLUTE necessities that someone living their entire life in Ohio to this point might not be aware of?

Wyoming, in General, is a state that is very self sufficient. In other words most of the original folks are kind of closed mouth, tight lipped, and will appear standoffish until you get to know them.

3. How likely am I to enjoy the Sheridan nightlife and just living in the area in general? I am leaving behind a very supportive loving family and group of friends that I have known since Kindergarten. I am good at meeting people and making new friends, so I'm not as concerned with making friends as I am with missing my family constantly.

Sheridan has more school concerts, choir, band, football games, etc... going on then anyplace I've ever seen. During the summer the Fair Grounds has something going nearly every day/night and a lot of things going on during the winter. The Sheridan Sportsmans club has a range just West of town. It has (I think) 8 rifle ranges that vary from 50yd to 500yd including a sillioute range. They have several shot gun pits and host the regional championship each year. Across the road from them is the Aeronautics club that flys radio controlled aircraft (faces opposite direction of the shotguns. haha) Youth 4H in the area has a tremendous following.

The nightlife includes a theater (stage), several bars, and the above mentioned things. There are several really good Country bands and I know at least one of them plays Blue Grass. I've even been to a Bluegrass festival of sorts out in Story (10 miles or so South). It's here, just not prevelant.

4. What are the local recreation options like? Is there somewhere I can work out or find a pickup game at? Like a YMCA or Rec Center?

Sheridan College has a lot of what you are looking for. Sheridan has summertime adult leagues for softball. Some socker, although it's not like other places in popularity. Sheridan High School has some use ability as does the Junior High. There is also a YMCA in town that is very active.

I think you'll really like it in Sheridan. But like mentioned, come in with an open mind. I'm sure if I moved to your neck of the woods I'd be in for as much of a culture shock as what you are going to encounter coming this way.

Forgot to mention, hunting, fishing, hiking abilities are outstanding. I've had bear, moose, deer, elk, and mountain lions get between me and feeding the horses. You should also know that from my cabin to the horses is about 200 ft.

(sorry I didn't answer on this thread earlier, people probably scratching their heads cause I'm usually right on them. haha But I've been sick, in the hospital and just got out last night.)

[abr7rmj]

I can give you one bit of advice as someone who moved from Cincinnati to Cheyenne for five years (though I've since moved back): If you're a sports fan, I highly HIGHLY recommend getting DirecTV and subscribing to some college and pro sports packs.

Frankly, if Sheridan is anything like Cheyenne, you'll find very little passion and enthusiasm for sports - other than some mild interest in University of Wyoming football. At least Cheyenne was a quick 90-minute drive from the Denver area and all the sports along the front range (CU, CSU, UW, Broncos, Avs, Rockies, Nuggets). But in Sheridan you'll literally be a long day's drive and totally isolated from anything you're accustomed to seeing in Cleveland and the Midwest/East.

And when you get homesick, bored or snowed in, there's nothing like being able to turn on your TV and watch your teams.