Im moving to Wyoming

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by suzee

Actually, you're quite wrong about my view. The same chain stores, even departments stores, are available all over the country. As for dining - Lansing has a large number of ethnic restaurants. I know I do have simple needs as far as shopping goes and am fairly well satisfied with what's available here. The exception being a good bookstore and Thai food. Perhaps I'm just not as picky about certain things.

Somehow, I thought this thread was about Casper, WY compared to Raleigh, NC.

At best, Casper shopping and dining ... which is some of the best in the area for many miles ... is a cross-section of some major national chain retailers; as compared to the I-85 corridor which is home to one of the top 10 super size urban population density centers of the united states.

I doubt a young person who is acclimated to the economic and business development of that region is going to be excited going to the mall to window shop Sears, JC Penny's, WalMart, Zales, and the like. Or to see the same stuff from mid-line national retailers in the clothing, shoes, and sports biz that are all over the country in every strip mall. Not after having routine window shopping at multitudes of large malls with unique identities with some of the best products and competitive pricing in the country.

Same concept for the restaurants. There's a huge difference in the overall poor quality of restaurants in the Casper area compared to the exceptional variety and quality routinely available in the I-85 corridor. Sure, there's bad restaurants there, too, but there's a multitude of good ones that can make a go of it because of the sheer volume of trade. Casper doesn't, for obvious reasons, have the economic base to support more than a couple of better places so there's little incentive to rise above the mean quality level.

It's quite true that one's basic shopping requirements can be well met in Casper. You can be well and appropriately clothed, sheltered, fed, and so on. For which we who live here are appropriately thankful, and it's part of the whole experience of living in these remote parts of the country.

I flew into Casper a few times this last summer and bummed an airport car to go into town to eat, or head to the library to get on-line, or spend the night while waiting for my next trip out. I was impressed at how much of the downtown area retail space is vacant and for rent at this time. Economically, the old downtown area isn't very strong right now. I went over to the automotive row area on the NE side of town, took the long way around to tour the place as I was heading out to the Subaru dealership. Saw a lot of very old infrastructure, a lot of vacant buildings and properties in poor shape. I did find several of the absolute worst Mexican flavored home cooking restaurants I'd ever eaten in, too. So bad I paid my tab and walked out after a bite or so of the garbage they'd served. They didn't even care enough to ask what might be the problem ....

So, yes, I do have standards about what I want to eat. Fresh vege's, freshly prepared, decent tortilla's, steamed ground meat, or barbacoa that's been grilled properly. Green chile that's been started with cubed, floured and browned pork butt, simmered with the appropriate spices, tomatillos, and good onions, and some chilli peppers that have been correctly seared and skinned (not the canned green things from Carnation!). No MSG, and minimal salt, added.

We're fortunate to have several restaurants that do it right in places like Salt Lake City, Denver, and a few small towns along the front range ... they all should be national treasures. Some are well known, some aren't. I go to SLC just to visit one "mariscos" restaurant, finding any excuse I can to call on my clients there ... the place is heavenly, and it's not one of the local mexican joints where all you see is white collar suits having lunch everyday listening to blaring mariachi music on the loudspeaker and written up as the "best in town" by the local free rag. It's in a crappy neighborhood and you'd best speak some mexican or be very good at pointing to the menu and smiling. The folks really aim to please and the owner has even come out many times to be sure I'm as delighted with his cooking as he is.

Part of living in Wyoming is that we're thankful to have such places available within a reasonable distance so that we can keep them special and visit now and then.

[suzee]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

Somehow, I thought this thread was about Casper, WY compared to Raleigh, NC.

It was, then you said:
Originally Posted by sunsprit
Posted above is the relatively parochial view from someone, who, I suspect, doesn't have a clue as to the size/quality of what's going on in the large metroplex areas of the USA. Like the one you're coming from.

So I was trying to let you know I don't have a parochial view, do know what's going on in large metro areas of the US and have been around, in general.

sue

[sunsprit]

Sue,

see KRONUS's comments about moving to Gillette in the "moving to Wyoming" thread. I believe that's a much more realistic appraisal of the true costs and culture shock of coming to Wyoming.

It's why Wyoming still has the lowest population count in the lower 48.

[suzee]

My bf was looking at Gillette, but I (gently) steered him away from there. Wasn't sure if you were addressing me in the previous post. It's hard to tell who you meant by "posted above" when your post was directly below mine.

sue

[amanda1988]

WOW the tension is high! No need to fight guys! Im not to worried about moving to Wyoming. I have thought about the fact that its going to be VERY different from Raleigh! My bf will be getting a job transfer every 6 months or so if i dont like it after 6 months then ill move somewhere else!

[ElkHunter]

A move to Wyoming is a good thing. You do need to check on weather and what your likes or dislikes are. If wind is a problem, there are area's to stay away from. But most folks don't mind the wind. You spend time in your house, you spend time in your office. The 20 seconds it takes to get to your car is not significant. But if you are a person that like's to bar-b-q and spend time in the yard, there's a few times that you can't.

If you are a trucker, Hanna, Medicine Bow, Chugwater are not the places to be. But if you have another profession, Hanna, Medicine Bow or Chugwater may be the place for you.

What do you like to do? Makes a big difference on where you want to be. Everybody says Casper is so windy. YES, the wind can blow there. But it can blow everywhere else too. It's not something that happens every day all day long. So be specific on what you want and maybe we can help you a lot better.