Best Area For Western/Cowboy Type Stuff (Cheyenne, Laramie: home, cinema)

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by ejisme

Some good choices from my experience:

Outside of Rapid City, SD. The in-laws were in Piedmont, but Hill City or Hermosa might be other smaller towns that are an easy drive into Rapid City. A bit further out would be Hot Springs, SD. More tourists in the summer months if that is a concern. Several PRCA events in town and the area. Decent medical in the area as Rapid City has the regional medical center. Father-in-law wore his cowboy boots and Wrangler (snap not button) shirts everywhere, everyday, all days.

I met my wife in La Grande, OR (in-laws lived outside of Elgin, OR then). The La Grande or Baker City Oregon area would be good too. La Grande has the area medical center. In the summer/fall Pendleton is an easy 45 minute drive from La Grande. Quite a bit of ranching still in the area. I think the Union County Livestock Show is a PRCA event, as well as Chief Joseph Days in Enterprise, OR, and the Pendleton Roundup. Other rodeo circuits visit several towns in the area. Several elk herds in the area too. We could hear the bulls bugling in the fall, and sometimes see them sparing for their cows at the in-laws house. If you want small towns in the area, then Elgin, Summerville, Union, Cove or Haines might fit the bill and still be close to Baker City or La Grande.

Prineville, Oregon is another place. It's in central Oregon, near Bend and Redmond. It is considered a bit of a ranching/farming area, so isn't growing as fast as Bend or Redmond, which have been booming for several years. Still, only about 20 minutes into Redmond and 40 into Bend for bigger shopping, dining or bigger medical needs. Prineville and Redmond have annual PRCA events. A couple reservoirs outside of Prineville if you want to keep your boating and/or fishing hobby going. Elk herds are in the area, but I'm not sure how easy they are to view.

Need to live in an area that, like we have now, has a VA Clinic. A VA Hospital would be nice also, but those are generally in bigger cities. And, since I also have Medicare, can use that also.

Wife doesn't want to live in the Great Northwest, as in Oregon or Washington.

Compared to where we are now, and/or in Wyoming, wonder how the winters are around Rapid City, SD?

[highplainsrunaway]

This site will let you compare the weather in different cities:

https://weatherspark.com/compare

[ejisme]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Need to live in an area that, like we have now, has a VA Clinic. A VA Hospital would be nice also, but those are generally in bigger cities. And, since I also have Medicare, can use that also.

Wife doesn't want to live in the Great Northwest, as in Oregon or Washington.

Compared to where we are now, and/or in Wyoming, wonder how the winters are around Rapid City, SD?

From Rapid City: The VA Medical Center is at Ft Meade in Sturgis, SD. It's about 30 minutes from Rapid City depending on what part of town you live in. Plus there is Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City too.

Winter weather-wise in Rapid City compared to Loveland (our son just moved down to Denver from Ft Collins), it will be windier and likely colder, but usually not much more snow. Rapid City gets a bit of a snow shadow by being on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, and is on the western edge of the great plains. Snow comes in distinct storms, and it usually snows sideways, creating drifts in sheltered spots and behind structures. Then it warms back up to the 30s to 50s and most of the snow will melt until the next storm (days to weeks later). Snow can hang around in the towns proper longer, because they give shelter from the wind and the snow piles a bit higher. The city/state is pretty good about plowing/sanding/treating and most major roadways stay open, or open shortly after a storm. Businesses are pretty good about shoveling/plowing sidewalks and parking lots too. Most of the Wyoming towns people have discussed will also have more wind than Loveland, and maybe Rapid City, and some will have much colder and snowier winters. Rapid City will likely be less of an extreme change from Loveland vs. some of the Wyoming towns. Some of the smaller towns, Hermosa and Hill City for example, are in the Black Hills proper, so will get more snow.

If you can talk her into Oregon:

From La Grande, OR the VA Medical Center is in Walla Walla, WA which is an hour and a half away. You'd be closer to the VA in Walla Walla if you lived in Elgin (within an hour) or Pendleton (~30 minutes).

There is a VA clinic, not medical center, in Bend, OR. The closest VA medical center would be in Portland 2-3 hours away.

[StealthRabbit]

Sturgis, SD has VA. Piedmont (between RC and Sturgis is nice) RC would offer a PX / military base / airport.

Spearfish is a very nice town, but further from Rapid than Sturgis.

Rent out your place during rally week, and see what's left!

Hot Springs, SD had a VA similar to Sheridan, WY. (Limited service for locals). Appears to still be open, tho threatened to close for the last 40 yrs.

SD will have plenty of current information.

Weather has more extremes. Colder colds, hotter hots. A bit more gray in winter, and shorter days.

No state income tax in SD or WY, no sales tax in MT. Western areas in all 3.

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

First, we have to live in an apartment. Second, we are in our early-to-mid 70's. Me/72-wife/73. Currently living in Loveland, CO. We need more of a "Western" type atmosphere than Loveland has or ever will have. Nice for boating/fishing at Boyd Lake, but will only have the boat for another year and will be signing one more year lease for our apartment.

Our living room decor is made up of PRCA rodeo pictures, TV/movie Western stars and "Old West" cowboys and Indian Chiefs. We are very, very much into PRCA rodeo, as I use to be a part of it 25 years ago (Team Roper/"header" for a number of years. No more horses or roping, but major fans and the pictures on our walls prove that.

One of my old Classic "heading" ropes are hanging on a living room wall right behind our coat/cowboy hat stand.

Anyway, been to Cheyenne and it's not nearly as "Western" as we thought it might be. Basically, only that way during CFD. But, like here, not a problem wearing a cowboy hat and Wrangler jeans into Walmart. (LOL)

Also been to both Laramie and Cody. But, Laramie has Wyoming State University, which means lots and lots of Millennials and not necessarily the "cowboy/Western" type.

As far as winter goes, guess if we can handle northern Colorado winter, we could handle some of Wyomings winter weather.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Throw a dart at a map of Wyoming and that should work for you.

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Need to live in an area that, like we have now, has a VA Clinic. A VA Hospital would be nice also, but those are generally in bigger cities. And, since I also have Medicare, can use that also.

Wife doesn't want to live in the Great Northwest, as in Oregon or Washington.

Compared to where we are now, and/or in Wyoming, wonder how the winters are around Rapid City, SD?

Sheridan VA Clinic or Buffalo is near by and smaller.

[nowhereman427]

Not to mention needs for chiroprator and accupunture providers.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

First, we have to live in an apartment. Second, we are in our early-to-mid 70's. Me/72-wife/73. Currently living in Loveland, CO. We need more of a "Western" type atmosphere than Loveland has or ever will have. Nice for boating/fishing at Boyd Lake, but will only have the boat for another year and will be signing one more year lease for our apartment.

Our living room decor is made up of PRCA rodeo pictures, TV/movie Western stars and "Old West" cowboys and Indian Chiefs. We are very, very much into PRCA rodeo, as I use to be a part of it 25 years ago (Team Roper/"header" for a number of years. No more horses or roping, but major fans and the pictures on our walls prove that.

One of my old Classic "heading" ropes are hanging on a living room wall right behind our coat/cowboy hat stand.

Anyway, been to Cheyenne and it's not nearly as "Western" as we thought it might be. Basically, only that way during CFD. But, like here, not a problem wearing a cowboy hat and Wrangler jeans into Walmart. (LOL)

Also been to both Laramie and Cody. But, Laramie has Wyoming State University, which means lots and lots of Millennials and not necessarily the "cowboy/Western" type.

As far as winter goes, guess if we can handle northern Colorado winter, we could handle some of Wyomings winter weather.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Your living room decor sounds a lot like ours! We've got a 1930s roping saddle next to the fireplace, and a western painting above the mantle. Big bookcase full of Old West literature. We're actually not horse people, but we love the Old West history/ambiance and go to rodeos and other Old West/Western movie events (dwindling year by year ) whenever we can.

My vote would go to Sheridan in WY, although as a town I like Buffalo better. I didn't really feel the Western spirit in Gillette--but that may be because I also like to have mountains nearby.

In MT I think the town that gave us the most Western vibe would be Ennis, but the winters are brutal.

In AZ my choice would be Prescott. Cave Creek for visits.

I know you're not interested in moving to TX, but Ft Worth is incredibly authentically western/Cowboy! A short visit will be enough to take care of any Western urge for months.

[mschrief]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

Your living room decor sounds a lot like ours! We've got a 1930s roping saddle next to the fireplace, and a western painting above the mantle. Big bookcase full of Old West literature. We're actually not horse people, but we love the Old West history/ambiance and go to rodeos and other Old West/Western movie events (dwindling year by year ) whenever we can.

My vote would go to Sheridan in WY, although as a town I like Buffalo better. I didn't really feel the Western spirit in Gillette--but that may be because I also like to have mountains nearby.

In MT I think the town that gave us the most Western vibe would be Ennis, but the winters are brutal.

In AZ my choice would be Prescott. Cave Creek for visits.

I know you're not interested in moving to TX, but Ft Worth is incredibly authentically western/Cowboy! A short visit will be enough to take care of any Western urge for months.

I live west of Fort Worth in Parker County and can testify that this area is VERY western/cowboy orientated.

[BabyBoomers2]

Well, here's an update of our situation: Had been giving it some thought about Carson City, NV., but, with casinos there, even small ones, it be way too much of a temptation to spend too much money on slots. That is why we decided a "no" on Las Vegas.

Now we are back to thinking about Cheyenne. I know what I said about Cheyenne........."being only western during CFD", but we are going to check it out again this coming July. A big VA Hospital is there and we both like that. We know about the wind in Cheyenne, but, as I'm told all to often "it's give and take". I definitely wouldn't be afraid to wear a felt or straw cowboy hat in Cheyenne.

Have also thought about Laramie, but Laramie might be too small for us. We were there some 15 years ago for their PRCA rodeo and parade. Both were nice.

Any West Coast states are out as well as the southern states.

Wife loves seeing the mountains and, living in Cheyenne, we wouldn't be that far from them to the west. Just, sort of, trying to avoid any really heavy winter weather, like in northern Wyoming and Montana. To be near enough to mountains, we'd have to endure some kind of winter. That is just a fact.

Will be renting a 2-bedroom/2-bath apartment. No home buying. I'm fully retired and wife could be also by the time we move in 2023.