Why would folks want to move to Wyoming? Let me relate to you a true story.
On our most recent trip to visit Wyoming to look over the many diverse areas of the State, my wife and were driving up from Riverton to Cody via Worland. We had just past through Greybull and stopped at a Highway Rest Area located just outside the entrance to the South Big Horn County Airport. As we drove into the parking area, we noticed an older gentleman pushing his wife, who was in a wheelchair, into the restroom area. After a few moments I got out of my car and when I entered the restroom lobby area, the gentleman was standing there looking at the historical area photos posted in the lobby. Our eyes met, and I smiled at him, and he at me. After I came out of the restroom, he smiled at me again, and asked, “Where are you from?” I said, “New York.” He replied, “New York? You out here on vacation?” I said, “No sir, actually my wife and I are out here traveling and across the state and looking at the different areas of Wyoming to see where that we might decide to retire to.” He then told me that he had relatives in Greybull and was visiting them, and how nice this area was near the Bighorn Mountains and we had a very friendly conversation about the area and Wyoming in general.
His wife appeared, wheeling herself out to where we were talking. He looked at her and said, “Guess what darlin', these folks are all the way from New York and they are out here lookin’ for a place to settle down.” She turned to me, and looking up from her wheelchair, she said with a stern look on her face, “Don’t you come on out here and think about trying to change our laws!” A bit surprised at here response, I responded honestly, “No ma’am, I‘m not moving out to Wyoming to change a thing. In fact, I’m coming out to Wyoming
because of your laws.” My wife came over and joined the conversation when she noticed the woman waving here finger at me sternly. We stayed and talked with both of them for about 15 minutes. Nice folks indeed. I remember making a statement that the one thing that would take me a bit of time to get used to was the constant breeze. The old man replied, “Yup, but it keeps the riff-raff away and keeps the bums off the streets.” We all laughed.
In every small town we stopped by to visit or just passed through, folks would strike up a friendly conversation. From the guy eating a cheeseburger in a small convenience store in Afton who noticed my car’s license plates, to the town “Librarian” in Hyattville where I walked in to ask directions. The “Library” was nothing more than a small room separated in her house with a couple of couches and a shelf full of paperback books. By far, everyone that my wife and I had the pleasure to meet during our travels across the state, were the friendliest folks we ever met. Same goes for the folks I have “met” on this forum. I don’t believe that was mentioned on the list at the beginning of this forum topic.
Another reason? Wyoming has the CLEANEST Highway Rest Areas that my wife and I have ever seen --- anywhere.
