Your opinion wanted on this view of Wyoming

[Hellzapoppin]

I would like your opinion.? This was posted on another board.? Do you agree with it, or not?? To me, it's fine and doesn't dissuade me from thinking Wyoming would be a fine place to live.
I just want to know if you agree with it or not, as to its accuracy.

"I would like to add my thoughts to this. My family moved to Wyoming in the winter of 1974. In the Oil Boom and the end of the Uranium Boom. We got there and did enjoy the boom. Good money, housing shortage, everybody had fun and did well. In 1982 when the Bust was really going strong.With company closing, bankruptcys, ect. I witnessed people with no jobs leaving the state by the hundreds. We had a joke going around then. With the closing of companies, mines, stores, ect. "Don't lend nobody money, they will lose their job and use it to leave." Towns in the state had thousands of empty houses. Just like in the movies. In casper the unemployment reached 14% at it's worst. The state barely existed, uranium mining died, oilpatch was on it's knees, coal was doing o.k. But the rest of the jobs of the state did horrible. The state mainly exists on the mineral industry, ranching, tourists. Companies looked past Wyoming as a place to open new projects in. The state did as best as it could and the new boom that started a couple of years ago is on. Remember this. There will be a bust. The mineral industry will go back in survival mode and people will lose incomes. The trickle down effect will happen to all jobs, in the state.The world will have a temporary answer to the energy shortage again. You will have better opportunities in other parts of the U.S. So you can go. You will not have any way to survive at the high paying jobs you will be used to. But you will heve the bills for sure.
I was good enough to have a job through the bust. It meant moving at my employers whim, taking a lesser paying/position at the company, working overseas, or whatever I had to do to keep the job.Through buyouts, mergers, takeovers, ect. I finally got tired of the work ethics of companies that I had been with and seen other people work for. I left in late 2004. I will be back in the state when I can afford to live on either lesser wages. Meaning paid off house, vehicle, ect. When I get there. Or my own business like I have in Tennessee. I plan on moving back in the bust, it should be in about 8 years. Unless the state legislatures get their heads out of their butts. And diverisfy the state to spread out the dependence of monies from the mineral industry. To other parts of it's economy. The ranchers and mineral industry have had a strangle hold on the legislative people of Wyoming forever. So that will probably continue. Good Luck! I will see what's left when I get back.
I'm sure this will envoke alot of replies. Great! I been there and done that!!! My friends and the people of Wyoming before you got there will agree with ME.
Most of you are used to things like medical care, 24 hour gas stations, going only 10 or 20 miles to get to the next town, shopping malls within easy driving, concerts, and such as life can be in more populated parts of the country. If you don't find what you want you just go to the next town and find it. Well in wyoming you won't find medical care at every town, sometimes you may have to drive for hours to get it. Gas stations 24 hour maybe but don't count on it. Have gas in the tank to get where your going and then some,oh take a spare tire, keep it full of air. Shopping malls, maybe. It may also be at the whim of the local merchants, ha ha. This can be terrible. Most malls are in large wyoming towns, can be hours away for the drive. Concerts, bands are going between denver and billings and saltlake. Catch them while you can. Your going to have to learn to think for yourselves.
Some of you will not like this letter, o.k. Some will think it's a personal attack, o.k. Some will just think I'm trying to keep you out of the state, o.k. Some will like it, here too o.k.
But remember it is a state like no other, has grand things, great places to see and go. Great people and animals. Don't spoil it, try to meld to the natives already there. Don't show up and change it to what your leaving behind in your state."

??

[SafetyFactor]

I don't know the source, but it sounds like wise advise. 

Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.  Live below your means, learn to be self sufficient. Get and stay out of debt.

Sounds like a plan.   

[Hellzapoppin]

I was referring to his view of Wyoming - that's what I would like opinions on.

TIA

[PaulWy]

As discussed many times on this forum, Wyoming has had a "boom-or-bust" economy from the start. It is a largely rural state, and the next town is often "10 or 20 miles" away.

After all the complaining in the post you quoted, I noticed that the writer plans to move BACK to Wyoming as soon as he can. I think that is the real message in this post.

As for driving to shop, that is a reality from many places in Wyoming. I guess dedicated shoppers would rather live in Casper or near Denver or Salt Lake City.

One more thing about the boom and bust; when the boom ends and a bunch of people leave, the ones who stay determine the culture of the state. I think it might be a good trade-off that  the boom makes it easy to move in and the bust drives the uncommitted out.

PaulWy

[Paul W. Allen]

  Most Wyomingites will not argue with this. If it weren't true we would have the population of California. Wyoming can be a very hard and unforgiving place. If you require security and prosperity then you probably shouldn't bet the farm on Wyoming. There are very few easy streets here and the ones that you do find are finite in nature. We don't live here for the good life, we live here for the freedom and for the slower pace. I always said I would leave and never come back. I left 3 times and returned 3 times and I will not willingly leave again. I have lived in CA, FL, MI, ME, NC, and VA. I chose to return to raise my children, not all rewards have monetary value. Wyoming is home. I must admit that I live my life acknowledging Wyoming's short comings. My wife and I will file taxes on almost $120,000 and we live in an old single wide trailer on 13 acres. Why? Because we realize that this could evaporate rather quickly and we need to live within the boom/ bust cycle. Welcome to life in Wyoming. The good thing about posts like the one in question is that it keeps the population low. I may be in the minority on this forum in the fact that I don't want to see a big influx of people to the state. I welcome all who wish to escape the crap and socialism that has gripped many parts of the country, but I also realize that it comes at a price. I have long believed that a person doesn't decide to live in Wyoming. Wyoming decides. Certain types of individuals hear the call and accept the uncertainty and hardship to follow their dreams. Some have it, most don't. Hope this helps, Paul Allen.
P.S. The nearest Mall is 120 miles away which equates to about an hour and 30 minutes if you know the habits of the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

[Erik]

It's still worth it to me.

Besides, if folks need to go shopping, use the internet to order and save some gas and time.

[Paul Bonneau]

I agree with what he writes. Someone explained to me that Wyoming is like a game of musical chairs; when the music stops, not everyone has a place to sit. The ones sitting are the self-reliant, the jack/jill of all trades, the ones who live under their means. The ones left standing are those who have to move out of the state.

I wouldn't change a bit of it. I think it is one of the factors that contributes to the freedom left here, long since lost in other states.

I have to add one thing. In this current boom, with the huge increase in government revenues due to the severance taxes, the government is creating more and more socialist programs. These programs develop constituencies. It will be interesting to see what happens when the music stops, but I worry the outcome will not be good. These programs sap the self-reliance of the people, and generate huge pressures for tax hikes when govt. revenue goes down (happened in Oregon). Last Wyoming bust was when they (the Republicans, mind you) boosted the state sales tax "temporarily" from 3% to 4%, and it's still here.

[Danl]

I have been going to Wyoming and dreaming of it since I was 14 and saw my first mountains, the Snowy Range down West of Laramie.? I read its history and that of Montana.? I would say the guy is mostly right on.? I would also say it is a good time to move during the boom, however you better not spend your money like there is no tomorrow.? You better rake it in and stock pile it while you can.? If possible, get to Wyoming and build a business that will bring money in from the outside some way.? Never the less I can't imagine this boom to be less than 10 years.? However a lot of the boom to me would appear to be building infrastructure to export energy, eg. structures such as piplines, railroads, power plants, and power transmission lines.? When this construction has gotten into place then it doesn't take nearly as many people or as much money to maintain and run these plants as it does to build them.? We must position ourselves to become independent as soon as possible.

BTW, I feel so strongly about what I have said that I would be willing to stake my ex-wife's life on it? .

Regards, Danl

[Cat]

I think Countrymech is absolutely right--you don't choose Wyoming, Wyoming chooses you.  I have felt at home here since the first moment I set foot on Wyoming soil and I cannot imagine living anywhere else.  I have never reqretted my decision to move here and still pinch myself to reassure myself that this is not a dream.  I came for the wide open spaces, the freedom, and the culture of the West (see below):

Code of the West
(from "Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn from the Code of the West" by James P. Owen)
   1.      Live each day with courage.
   2.      Take pride in your work.
   3.      Always finish what you start.
   4.      Do what has to be done.
   5.      Be tough, but fair.
   6.      When you make a promise, keep it.
   7.      Ride for the brand.
   8.      Talk less and say more.
   9.      Remember that some things aren't for sale.
  10.     Know where to draw the line.

Most of the people I know here live by this (unspoken but very real) code.  It makes Wyoming an wonderful place to live and work. 
Wyoming does have a history of boom and bust and unlimited opportunities.  I personally believe that the currentboom is going to go for some time but if it doesn't it will hardly affect me at all (living under my means).  And I strongly believe that the bust will drive out those transplants who aren't fully self reliant.  Wyoming can be wildly beautiful and extremely harsh.  Those who don't love it will look for greener pastures elsewhere.

Cat

[Outlander1]

Cat , Spot on !!!  Damn fine statement , 2nd and passed .

[Hellzapoppin]

Too bad more people don't live by those cowboy ethics, it's what this country was founded on!

Gotta love cowboys.   

[bigdog82644]

I agree with the origional post. The man has knowlege of the state and people. He has lived the life and seems like he misses the state he left. He just posted the truth.