Interested in WY from out in Iowa.

[Pumpkihn]

I want to kinda dig deeper, but I just can't seem to narrow down where the place for me in Wyoming could be.  I get the whole Crook county thing, and it looks very nice,  but that might just be too rural for my family.  The Sheridan Area (Decent size town close to MT) or the Laramie area (Not far from a major city) are looking pretty enticing.  Gillette looks like there's a wealth of opportunity, but the terrain looks pretty blah.  I'd really like to be able to see the mountains from somewhere near my home.   Pinedale was another consideration, but property seems sky high, and I'm not cut out to be a gas field worker.  Haven't looked into the Cody and Powell area yet.  Bottom line is, where can I make money.  I only survive on what I make now because we're sharing a house with my Mother-in-law.

I know you all probably will root for your own town, but there's a lot to consider.  If, through this board, I could find a way to make it in Crook or Weston, that's probably what I'd do, but I'm seeing very little industry.

I'm hardly an expert on the geography of Wyoming, so if what I just said made no sense, forgive me.

[Pumpkihn]

Do you have a resume?

Not current, but I could probably whip one up pretty fast.  I've been at my current job for four years, and in that time I have not really been looking.

[Pumpkihn]

I've gotten a lot of generous and kind responses.  I am really impressed with the community here.  You really seem to look out for each other.  It would be nice to be around a better class of people than what I'm around currently.

[rhodges]

I get the whole Crook county thing, and it looks very nice,  but that might just be too rural for my family. 

I am not a city person, but if I were, I might choose Newcastle.  Last I heard, the population was around 3000.  There is a movie theater on main street and more than one grocery store.  To me, it has the feel of a small city fifty or sixty years back in time.

The houses we looked at a few years ago were priced between $50K and $100K (depending on age and condition).  That has probably changed somewhat due to the new jobs.

There is a refinery in town, and while my wife said she could smell it, I could not.  There is also a fair bit of train traffic through town, too.  One of the houses we looked at was probably within a hundred feet of the tracks.

[Pumpkihn]

There is also a fair bit of train traffic through town, too.  One of the houses we looked at was probably within a hundred feet of the tracks.

I live right across the street from the tracks here, and we get 70-80 trains a day.  In good weather when the windows are open it gets real old.

[MamaLiberty]

You don't want to live in town... for many reasons. The train goes right through the center of it and they blow the dumb horns for every crossing...

But I live outside of Newcastle about a mile and behind a small hill, so I don't hear much of it. On a warm summer night, the windows are all open and I can hear it some, but I've gotten so used to it I don't notice.

There are several places for sale out in my area - the Painted Hills - all reasonable. One has a giant garage/workshop that would be ideal for some home industry or business. No "license" required here outside city limits.

Take a look at these: http://www.homeplaceusa.com/Listings.htm

There is one across the street from me at a different realty place. It is 5 acres, older mobile home plus addition and some outbuildings, well kept. Fence and garden areas. Last I knew they were asking $70,000. Might make a good deal or you may get them to take a contract. Worth looking at.

[Pumpkihn]

So, I talked to my wife again tonight about the move.  She thinks we should plan on moving in about five years.  That may be more reasonable than my one year, but I'm impatient.  Maybe gas'll go down by then.

[MANUMIT]

Maybe gas'll go down by then.

  ROTFLMAO 

[Pumpkihn]

Just a little update from Iowa.  This week the statewide smoking ban went into effect.  It is now illegal to smoke in any public place.  This includes any place of business.  This includes company vehicles, bars, farm machinery, everywhere.  Exceptions include: The Iowa State Fair (state run), Casinos (Huge state revenue generators) and Veterans Home.

Also, it was proposed this legislative session that farmers selling their products as "Iowa corn" need to pay the state for the use of the word "Iowa."

Yet, my wife insists that we should stay here because the soil is so much better for growing.  Blood is shooting out of my eyes.

[MamaLiberty]

Yet, my wife insists that we should stay here because the soil is so much better for growing.  Blood is shooting out of my eyes.

You might remind her that gardening is not usually allowed in prison... so if you all get sent to prison for whatever prohibition they think of next (think of something she likes to do), it won't matter about the soil in Iowa...

[Pumpkihn]

Yet, my wife insists that we should stay here because the soil is so much better for growing.  Blood is shooting out of my eyes.

You might remind her that gardening is not usually allowed in prison... so if you all get sent to prison for whatever prohibition they think of next (think of something she likes to do), it won't matter about the soil in Iowa...

Exactly

[Paul Bonneau]

The train goes right through the center of it and they blow the dumb horns for every crossing...

We are near a track where the trains blow their horns to cross a driveway to a farmer's property. 

I'm just tired of taxes and taxes and laws and taxes and more laws.... I get the whole Crook county thing, and it looks very nice,  but that might just be too rural for my family.... Bottom line is, where can I make money.

There is a little problem here. The more opportunities (which means, the larger the town), the more laws and regulations and taxes there will be. People in Cody (for example) just voted to tax themselves an extra percent in the sales tax just to upgrade the library. I call it "$6 million worth of sheet rock"! 

Probably you want to hit a sweet spot in selection of a town. Say a town like Powell; 5000 people, agriculture based (not much tourism which gives rise to more regulations). There is work in Powell, also in surrounding areas. But it's not so big that the "improvers" have ruined it and controlled everything. If you live outside the town, so much the better (although I don't know what codes exist in town - maybe very few). People tend to ignore codes when working on their own stuff anyway.

I'd definitely look at Crook/Weston Co., that is Sundance and Newcastle. Cody appeals to women and if you live outside of town (a bit expensive these days) you avoid much of the bureaucracy. Take a look at Powell, Thermopolis, Buffalo. Sheridan has much the same problem as Cody (too many "improvers"). Other possible sites: Torrington (best garden area in the state I think). More down south but I'm not familiar with them...

Wyoming cannot match Iowa in agriculture, other than things like cattle. But then, Iowa has no mountains or amazing wildlife.    Also, greenhouses work well here. 

A good thing to do in Wyoming is to generalize. Wear many hats in your work. It does not make sense to specialize because most towns are small and far apart and small towns do not support specialized vocations.

[Michigan Escapee]

I love it, Iowa as an Orwellian state.  Ah, how things have changed in the 17 odd years since I left.

Fair odds that the smoking ban will not last, the PWTs in the Waterloo area will no doubt violently revolt
and probably hold a cigarette warehouse hostage. 

You might want to try your kids on the public school thing for a little while, exposure to crushing boredom
will probably help over your first mountain country winter when the power goes out.

Beyond that, some exposure to extreme middle of nowhere places might help as a trial run. There a
little sheep farming dirt hole town called Audubon, Ia. Try staying there for 2-3 days, failing that WY
might not cut it for you guys.

If that works, try smaller and smaller towns, say Manning next, and then West Bend.  Once you get to
the West Bend stage, ask yourself, what if this was the closest outpost of civilization closest to my home
and gas was now $8 a gallon, would I go raving insane ?

[Pumpkihn]

I live in a town of about 800, but I work in Ames (pop. 50,000) .  I certainly don't want to live in town.  I'm not too keen on next door neighbors anymore.  I think what my wife has in mind is a nice size vegetable garden, and she wants to raise animals for fiber (wool, angora, etc.)  It is sooo humid here right now.  I'm dreaming of the mountains every time I go outside.

[Michigan Escapee]

Hmm, sounds pretty close to my old stomping grounds so to speak.  So I guess you are used to small towns,
the next phase would be crazy hicks. Fairly close to Ames is a place called State Center, on what was
old highway 30 just a short ways from the town is a gun shop/skeet range/target range.

If it's still in business, chat with the loons running the place. I doubt in all this time they have become
any less insane, they also have a nifty collection of exploded gun barrels, and probably a pack of hunting
dogs raising hell inside of their business.

I figure those guys are the acid test for rural craziness. If they don't phase you in the least, going
farther west will probably pose no challenges. 

Seems like Ames had a fairly small but diverse army/navy surplus and camping gear store, wonder if its
still there. Kind of funny thinking back, Ames to me now is just a tiny little cow town, but way back then
it was kind of a "big" city. Of course when I was around 8 Mason City and Ankeny were major metropolises
, you couldn't even walk all the way across them without stopping somewhere for a snack.