ML, as I have seen many people refer to you, we’d love to make it to the jam, but it’s not in the cards this year, previous engagements some 1300 miles away. We’re making a note of it for next year though.
That's too bad. We'll hope to see you next year then... all things being equal.
I have seen data indicating that rattlers are present, what other animals would we have to be aware of (as I know of VERY few unprovoked animal attacks in nature)? And in what volume or frequency is actual contact with said animals?
I'm sure the contact rate varies a great deal, depending on where you are, what you do and the time of year. Up at my place, only a little outside of town, we have a resident mountain lion - just for instance. He has been here for about 15 years and has never, to my knowledge, bothered any livestock or threatened any person. He is a big help, however, in keeping the deer and other varmint populations manageable.
There are snakes here, but I've never seen or heard a rattler. The only snake I've seen is a long yellow "racer" of some kind. Nobody here would harm any snake deliberately unless they were a real threat. You just wear boots and take a stick when you walk in the woods or grasslands.
I've heard tell of bears and other critters, but they don't bother us. I saw a wolf once, and they can be a big problem for the ranchers, but I don't think they would be to those who live close to towns.
2/ Are there any Appleseed shoots in the area? If so, what is the turnout like?
We had a few here in the area and did ok. If you want to organize them, my gun club would be tickled.
3/ For the proponents of Crook and Weston, how is the county government/Sheriff’s Dept?
County government is pretty typical of this part of Wyoming. Mostly just the taxes. Don't hear much from them otherwise. The sheriff here in Weston is an oathkeeper and a good guy... still an elected politician, but I think he's a straight shooter. We've been friends for several years now. The roads are fairly well maintained and you have to work hard to attract enough attention to get a "ticket." Just don't be foolish and you'll seldom even see the town police or any sheriff's vehicles.
4/ How is the gardening in the region? The pictures of area make it all look fairly dry, data indicates ~157 growing days. I have not seen any comments or information about the soil or quality of farm/gardens.
Some areas are ok for gardens, and a lot of areas have little but nasty clay and rocks for "soil." You'll have to look and be careful what you buy. A greenhouse would be best for the greatest production over the longest period. The good part is that there are plenty of horses and other sources for compost here. You just have to figure out how to transport it. Water is a concern, so make sure you will have sufficient water where you plan to live. The greatest problem with gardens here is wind, hail and drought. Oh, and DEER. Deer is a two part word here. It's pronounced DAMNED DEER. You have to fence your stuff and that's expensive if you build a tall and stout enough fence to keep them out.
5/ Finally, same area, grocery stores and general goods stores. How far (time wise, let’s say from downtown), and what quality of goods will I find when I get there? Or will I have to rely on FedEx or the like?
Newcastle has two nice grocery stores, both independently owned and locally operated. They compete, and I split my buying between them so they can continue to do so.
I'm only about 1 1/2 mile from town, so it is no problem to shop unless the snow is very deep. I just plan ahead. We even have a full service health food store, and a co-op for fresh fruits and vegetables. http://bountifulbaskets.org/
All of the goods and services available here are in the same range of quality as you'd find anywhere else. We have two hardware stores, one of which sells lumber and other construction materials. Of COURSE it is somewhat more expensive than in the city, so if you need more than a little it might be worth driving the 80 miles to one of the three cities around us. For a handful of nails or a drip fitting, downtown works fine.
Newcastle has every kind of store and service you will probably ever want or need. I used to drive to Spearfish or Gillette (two of the three cities) at least once a month to shop, but have not gone in over a year now. I'm all alone and don't buy much at a time, so it got to be more expensive to drive than to just buy what I need in town. I save gas, money and time. Some of us car pool for town runs, and most combine visits to the city with other needs such as a doctor's appointment or a gun show.
Newcastle has a nice little hospital and medical clinic, with three doctors. As in most rural areas, medical service is somewhat limited, and most folks go to the city for the big stuff. We also have lawyers, civil engineers, computer repair and lots else. We don't always have a barber, for some weird reason. They tell me most men would rather go to the women hair dressers these days. Can't see it myself, but oh well.
Newcastle has a nice assortment of churches, clubs, civic groups, charities and town activities. The library is excellent and well run. We have a nice private gun club, with an indoor range available all year. Dues are very low. http://www.westoncountyshooting.com/
As for the refinery, I have no idea if or when they might need someone, but it is a going and GROWING concern, so your chances would be good.
UPS and FedX deliver daily here, just in case you want to buy something on line.
Hope that helps! Please feel free to ask if I missed anything. ML
