Is Life Really HARD In Wyoming? (Gillette, Lander: home, buying, school)
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Wyoming is NOT the place for winter travel. We rarely leave Laramie in the winter, not even to go to Cheyenne, which is only 43 miles away.
That's one of the most difficult stretches of I-80 mountain pass weather/winds/roads in the state, just a few miles East of Laramie with a steep grade and winding road that continues for most of the 43 mile trip.
It's why I get amused when folk who don't know the area want to live in the one town and commute to the other on a daily basis because it's only such a short distance ....
We haven't had a particularly severe winter so far this season, and I-80 has been closed in that area already quite a few days, along with Happy Jack Road from Cheyenne to the summit.
We moved here to Laramie from Houston 3 months ago, and yes, it is an adjustment. I'm used to a plethora of shopping, and now I'm kind of limited...I'm also used to more of a selection of doctors and such. However, it's not that bad. I'm really homesick right now so perhaps my perspective is a little off kilter.
Coming from a climate where I could just slip on some flip flops and be out the door to a climate where it takes us 30 minutes to leave the house is definitely an adjustment. I DON'T miss the Houston humidity, but it is in the 60's there today and it's 16 here. Like anyplace, it will take some getting used to. I haven't really met anyone here, either, so that contributes to a little bit of homesickness. I do love my childrens' school and they are loving it too.
I am happy without the $400 electric bills I left behind in Houston.
I am having a hard time finding some of the things I loved back home, i.e Tex Mex food, spicy food, some of the little luxuries I took for granted. I have run into a bit of "Texan hate"; i.e my neighbors have stickers on their cars that say, "God hates Texas". I almost burst into tears when I saw that...my kids have been nudged a little because we say "yall" and "fixin"...and I have had a few people make goofy comments about TX, like, "did you have oilwells in your yard" and ridiculous things like that. I suppose every place has it's own misinterpretations, but I've tried to keep an open mind about what goes in in this state.
It is hard knowing that I can't travel down to Ft. Collins for a Target fix because the roads are impassable, but it's also caused me to become a little more creative in my homemaking, i.e baking.
Sorry to hear that things aren't going all that great for you at the moment. Didn't you say in an earlier post though that your neighbors were pretty welcoming when you first arrived? I do not know what may have happened to change that, other than they probably are now back to hanging with their old friends. Even though WY is overall a friendly state we also tend to be a bit clickish as well. I think it's because a good chunk of Wyomingites are not good with change and they like things they know and are most comfortable with. It can take some time for you and your family to be fully accepted as another Wyomingite.
As far as you all being from Texas and getting a bit of razzing about it, you may have to dig into some history of WY for that answer. Texans did a few nasty things in their time to people here in WY. The Johnson County War being one of the biggest hurtful events. It still sits in the stomachs of some people even generations later.
I really hope that things get better for you and your family and that soon you will have a wealth of friends and that you will one day feel more at home here. God Bless and take care.
That's one of the most difficult stretches of I-80 mountain pass weather/winds/roads in the state, just a few miles East of Laramie with a steep grade and winding road that continues for most of the 43 mile trip. ....
Having been weaned as a daily commercial driver on that route (Den, Greeley, Cheyenne, Laramie, out to Rock Springs and back down 287 to Ft Collins), back in the 70's, I have an appreciation for 'what to expect' from winter roads in WY.
Unfortunately this family (Local to my current locale) was not ready. (this was 20mi west of Laramie, which can be just a treacherous, and they had already made it over Sherman Pass...westbound) Suburban rolls over on I-80, killing 2 | The Columbian
Note that ALL 7 passengers were ejected in 3 rolls, very sad.
I am really impressed with how WY has improved the roads and markings. I drove many thousands of miles via reflectors only, and the wisdom of WY to mark L & R with different colors is essential for safe 'instrument' driving. (many states are not so considerate).
With 3 sets of reflectors in view... it was full throttle ahead in the '61 Stude with 4-53 Detroit. (no seatbelts in those days)
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My cell phone didn't work either and Lord help you if you have car trouble there or get into a wreck.
Just stuff we dealt with in the 70's and 80's (and before). It was a long wait for one of my co-drivers when 3 kids drove head-on under his truck at Stateline on 85 (and that is not very far from civilization). The kids all eventually died. As drivers we each attended to many fatal accidents since we did the 'night-shift' / weekends. The phone operators (remember them) were very helpful and a nice (WARM) voice when you finally got to a pay phone booth (remember those). I distinctly remember one snowy night in Stoneham, CO (So of Pine Bluffs) when the operator answered at 3 AM and exclaimed "You know how cold it is out there?" I said "Please don't tell me!"
I have noticed a bit of cliqueishness here. I imagine it goes on everywhere, though. We lived in Austin, TX for a while, and I can say for the most part people are transplants there, so it was easy to meet and make friends, for a good number of people were from other places, so there wasn't a lot of cliques.
I'll research the TX/WY connection, but I have a hard time with people disliking us just because of where we're from. We're not like some of the folks here (from other states as well) that say, "that's not how we did it _________". I've run into that, and I've been very mindful to keep my reminiscing of home to a minimum.
Our neighbors have been nice, but we have some around us that are not as welcoming. I do miss home and my family dearly, but I need to give this all a chance. I think it's hard no matter where one moves to...I've only visited one place in my life that I would never ever live and that's Boston. I wanted to like it so badly when I was there on business but the people were so rude and hateful...and made fun of me because I was from TX. I couldn't wait to get on that plane!
I have noticed a bit of cliqueishness here. I imagine it goes on everywhere, though. We lived in Austin, TX for a while, and I can say for the most part people are transplants there, so it was easy to meet and make friends, for a good number of people were from other places, so there wasn't a lot of cliques.
I'll research the TX/WY connection, but I have a hard time with people disliking us just because of where we're from. We're not like some of the folks here (from other states as well) that say, "that's not how we did it _________". I've run into that, and I've been very mindful to keep my reminiscing of home to a minimum.
Our neighbors have been nice, but we have some around us that are not as welcoming. I do miss home and my family dearly, but I need to give this all a chance. I think it's hard no matter where one moves to...I've only visited one place in my life that I would never ever live and that's Boston. I wanted to like it so badly when I was there on business but the people were so rude and hateful...and made fun of me because I was from TX. I couldn't wait to get on that plane!
I hear you and I understand, but I can tell you that you are lucky that all they do is dislike you and maybe diss you and not something more severe. My grandmother remembers how folks from Texas were treated in Buffalo while she was growing up. They pretty much got ran out of town. To this day my grandmother still has a certain distain for Texans even though she has become friends with several, she still doesn't trust them all that far. But her family was living in the area of the Johnson County War and they knew many of the families who suffered at the hands of the Texans, even they suffered to some degree but not nearly as bad because they were only farmers and not small ranchers.
WY isn't the only state who dislikes folks from other states and some of those states are not very nice about showing their dissaproval of someone from certain areas living amoungst them.
All I can say is keep your chin up and keep showing them that you are a good neighbor and an asset to WY and they will eventually come around. The distain for Texans is not as strong as it once was.
Our neighbors have been nice, but we have some around us that are not as welcoming.
Well, not that it changes anything, but I ran into the same thing when I moved back to the town where I was born and raised (Lander, WY) after being gone for 10 years. My parents were still there, my family a positive influence in the community (dad sold insurance and taught shooting, mom was a teacher) and I ran into the snottiness from a number of people. The ironic thing was that I'd spent more time in Wyoming than they had in most cases. Some were families that I knew while growing up, I still have no idea what crawled up their behind and died.
And you're right to be annoyed at folks not liking you because of where you moved from. It's best just to smile and know that those ignorant/closed-minded people aren't Really worth wasting your time on anyway.
You've only been there for a few months, it'll take a year or more to become comfortable and start making the connections. I hope you can keep your spirits up and find some things to help the time move along. It's always a sad thing to hear when someone tries so hard to make a situation work out and it just doesn't. So as a former WY resident (I moved to Denver), I hope it works out for you and I'm sorry for the ignorant people you've encountered.
As for the original topic... life was no harder in Wyoming than Montana, Washington, Maryland, Virginia, Arizona, or Georgia... which are the states I lived in for more than a year. Maybe it's because I grew up in Wyoming, was taught to do for myself and make thoughtful decisions, but life was never easier than in Wyoming (except for social stuff this last time around).
I have noticed a bit of cliqueishness here. I imagine it goes on everywhere, though. We lived in Austin, TX for a while, and I can say for the most part people are transplants there, so it was easy to meet and make friends, for a good number of people were from other places, so there wasn't a lot of cliques.
I'll research the TX/WY connection, but I have a hard time with people disliking us just because of where we're from. We're not like some of the folks here (from other states as well) that say, "that's not how we did it _________". I've run into that, and I've been very mindful to keep my reminiscing of home to a minimum.
Our neighbors have been nice, but we have some around us that are not as welcoming. I do miss home and my family dearly, but I need to give this all a chance. I think it's hard no matter where one moves to...I've only visited one place in my life that I would never ever live and that's Boston. I wanted to like it so badly when I was there on business but the people were so rude and hateful...and made fun of me because I was from TX. I couldn't wait to get on that plane!
Just so you know, I came here with a pretty deep east Texas accent and although it's quite faded now, I was very well accepted. You just haven't been around the right people yet
I moved to Wyoming about 10 years ago and farm.
The things I find that are different in Wyoming. What do I miss from large cities? Great restaurants. If you want something that the farm store or Walmart doesn't have you may have to drive 100 miles to a larger town like Billings, MT. Medical treatment. Unless you are on medicare you will pay a premium plus for your medical care. We have lots of wind, very little snow. Most of the snow just melts within a few days. Temps can get down to 30 below for a few days and with windchill 60 below.
I think it is easier moving to Wyoming and lifelong residents will jump on this one. Wyoming attitude is my great grand father did it this way, my grandfather did it this way, my dad did it this way and by God that is the way I'm going to do it. Now, so many are moving to Wyoming to get away from the large cities it is easier to use more modern ways to do things. Not to say I want Wyoming to be like the big cities but newer methods for farming, as an example, work better. Newer methods of advertising farm products, which sell faster than the neighbor's old ways. Sometimes they can't figure out why I am selling products at higher prices than they are getting because by God my greatgrandfather didn't do it that way.
It’s unfortunate but true that many times people will move from one place they don’t like to another place and once there, try to impose their will, ideas and social standards. Wyoming is a very conservative state and if you don't know that you sure didn't do your due diligence and may not be the best fit for the more liberal minded.
I for one like “the way Daddy did it” and many of us may live longer and better life’s if we gave more consideration to it. My Dad knows little of the internet but knows a great deal of honor, respect and keeping your word and my Dad’s not unique in that respect is he!
I remember when I was coming to Wyoming to hunt, there were always jokes and stories about the Californians and Michiganders. They always seemed to be the ones who left the gate open, shoot what they weren’t suppose to shoot and hunt with their headlights. Did all of them do that, of course not, but enough did to get that reputation. To the point they were unwelcome by many ranchers and would not allow them to hunt their property.
My point is that livability needs to be considered from all aspects to determine "Is life really hard in Wyoming". I for one have found I can always put on enough clothing to stay warm, but can never take off enough to stay cool. And me walking around nude, well I’m just sayin!
Having been weaned as a daily commercial driver on that route (Den, Greeley, Cheyenne, Laramie, out to Rock Springs and back down 287 to Ft Collins), back in the 70's, I have an appreciation for 'what to expect' from winter roads in WY.
Unfortunately this family (Local to my current locale) was not ready. (this was 20mi west of Laramie, which can be just a treacherous, and they had already made it over Sherman Pass...westbound) Suburban rolls over on I-80, killing 2 | The Columbian
Note that ALL 7 passengers were ejected in 3 rolls, very sad.
I am really impressed with how WY has improved the roads and markings. I drove many thousands of miles via reflectors only, and the wisdom of WY to mark L & R with different colors is essential for safe 'instrument' driving. (many states are not so considerate).
With 3 sets of reflectors in view... it was full throttle ahead in the '61 Stude with 4-53 Detroit. (no seatbelts in those days)
Just stuff we dealt with in the 70's and 80's (and before). It was a long wait for one of my co-drivers when 3 kids drove head-on under his truck at Stateline on 85 (and that is not very far from civilization). The kids all eventually died. As drivers we each attended to many fatal accidents since we did the 'night-shift' / weekends. The phone operators (remember them) were very helpful and a nice (WARM) voice when you finally got to a pay phone booth (remember those). I distinctly remember one snowy night in Stoneham, CO (So of Pine Bluffs) when the operator answered at 3 AM and exclaimed "You know how cold it is out there?" I said "Please don't tell me!"
I just want to give a shout out to all the short and long haul truckers. Thanks for what you contribute to all of us. Most truckers are good people - highway angels - that look out for the rest of us, not to mention hauling everything we all take for granted on a daily basis. Thanks StealthRabbit! It sounds like you were one of the folks that made living in Wyoming a little easier.
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'instrument' driving. (many states are not so considerate).
)
) were very helpful and a nice (WARM) voice when you finally got to a pay phone booth (remember those
). I distinctly remember one snowy night in Stoneham, CO (So of Pine Bluffs) when the operator answered at 3 AM and exclaimed "You know how cold it is out there?" I said "Please don't tell me!"
