Personal Newsletter
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2010 - 2011
The Wind from Wyoming to the economy, I had enough, Basta! No more. I always wanted to retire in the mountains and if one can still ‘retire’ - I didn’t want to wait any longer.
Calling Casper my Home
Witnessing my mom’s last few years made me ask, what am I waiting for? Last year as I drove away from Chicago, I felt better with each passing mile. I haven’t looked back and have no regrets.
I’ve created this newsletter to share what a unique experience my move has been and how creating a new home in such a beautiful place can be a challenging and wonderfully rewarding experience.
Now when I leave Casper on an occasional trip to Ft. Collins, Boulder or Denver - I miss my Wyoming.
Relocation Requirement It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I’ve moved to Casper. Although I’ve moved previously; as I get older, it gets becomes more difficult each time.
While I do love shopping in Colorado, I’m like a thief in the night... anxious to get my ‘loot’ and get outta Dodge. Like a “Hole-inthe-Wall” gang member, crossing the state line elicits a sigh of relief. Ah, I’ve escaped again!
Leaving the familiarity of lifetime friends and associates is no simple thing. I miss you all deeply but I know when we meet again, we’ll pick things up as if it were yesterday. Let’s just say, I’m relying on it. So to begin, I need to give credit where credit is due. Should you ever decide to make a life changing move this is what you need: love, support and non-judgmental respect. The Novotny’s and Vondra’s have been there for me unconditionally. They have opened their homes and hearts to me, shared their children, grandchildren, dogs, free movie passes, fly fishing tips, meals, and other things too many to list here in this short newsletter. Without their help and support my relocation would have been overwhelming and I’m pretty sure I would have hitched up the horses and moved on.
Employment While there are certainly more work opportunities in Casper, many of the positions are retail, office, gas/ oil laborers, banking, teaching and health care. A welcome sign on Casper Mountain - 2010
you’ve left one windy city for another?’ As Chicagoans know, it was the politicians that gave the windy city its name but Casper has earned it’s windy reputation. Nothing compares to a Chinook wind ripping through Casper during the winter. Dios Mio! So forget about any thoughts of Chicago and Casper being alike, they’re not. The biggest difference between the two cities is cultural and I’ll take a look at that on pg. 2.
Blowin’ in the Wind
Why move?
When people hear that I moved from Chicago to Casper they usually ask, why? - or say ‘so
The economy has taken its toll on a lot of us, but working in an industry that is heavily tied
Culturally speaking No doubt about it, Wyoming is a definite western town. Known for natural gas and oil exploration; cattle ranching and farming... there are many wealthy ‘cowboys’ but you’d never know it by a walk through downtown. Page 2
A Little Local History Natrona county was created by the legislature of the Wyoming territory in 1888. It was named for the deposits of natron found in the area. I’ve included some of the historical sites one can visit around the Casper. Page 3
Some of the jobs that support these industries are part-time, but it doesn’t mean the hiring process is any less complex. They can ask candidates to agree to a preemployment background check, drug screen, and/ or employment verification, credit check - ALL before making an official job offer. I would guess that the hiring process is getting more expensive for business owners and therefore more of a pain for all - but, you can get hired! Full time opportunities also exist in Casper. The complex I live in is new and many gas and oil company employees from other states live here (70% of our residents). What does turn to page 2.
Family images Having some family in Casper is a definite plus. Couldn’t have made the move without them. Now I’d like to share some of the fun I’ve had with them this past year. Enjoy...
Wyoming images
Sharing images that I’ve taken this past year.
Special Adventures Beautiful vistas, lots of wildlife and an adventure around every corner. Here’s just a sampling of some of the things I’ve been able to do during my first year here. A brief description of each.
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I would be very interested to hear what you think about this newsletter. Please send your reviews and comments to my email address or post on my FB page. Wishing you much health and happiness, Peg
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mortgage constraints weighing on the market.” Wow, what a surprise! The Wyoming real estate market does rather well financially but it still faces market challenges similar throughout the nation. There are so many extra price discounts in the existing home market, the recovery in new homes sales is expected to be slow. The average cost of a home in Casper is $170,000. Not bad if you have a “good” salary. Apartment rents are trending up, and are likely to rise at faster rates as vacancies decline. Here come those gas and oil folks!
My Home cont. that tell you, right - should have gone into the gas and oil industry! Housing Reports indicate “home sales activity is predicted to be uneven as a result of
Monthly rents for a small cabin with outdoor latrine can start at around $650. If you’re a little bit more particular there are several new complexes ranging from $850 - $1400, rooms with mountain views, indoor plumbing AND laundry rooms in the apartments. - no more goin’ down to the river to wash your clothes. Income It should come as no surprise that unless your move to Wyoming is with a corporation (gas & oil), hospital or government ... you’re going to take a major salary cut. While housing and food costs are similar to the nations (with benefit of no state taxes) you’re not going to
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make the money you did. There is the exception to the rule if you’re coming to Wyoming to start up a business. See the article below “Horse of a Different Color.” Traffic Comparatively speaking, there isn’t any traffic in Casper. A drive from one end of the town to the other - 15 minutes! Just to give you an idea of what evening traffic can be like, Casper has automatically set a lot of their traffic lights to yellow or red blinking lights. Yellow - caution; Red - stop. It works just fine in keeping things moving. No more two to three hour daily commutes for this kid. Weather 300 days of sunshine beats sun in Chicago by about 300 days. No kidding. This summer it has been extremely hot. Days have been 85 + degrees but the nights cool down so you could still sleep like a baby. Sun screen is a “must” at all times. Our higher altitudes and lack of pollution makes the sun all the more powerful. Summary So if you’re just starting out, semi-retired, or free of life’s major responsibilities, this is an excellent alternative. A healthier and happier lifestyle designed especially for you.
A Horse of a Different Color Culturally speaking Casper is not like anywhere else I’ve lived. It’s taken me a year to begin to understand the great people of Wyoming. The people I’ve met in Casper have been as different as the wild horses that roam the rolling hills. Varying shades of temperament, grass routes intelligence and folks with varying social skills. Many have been born and raised here without ever venturing outside the Rocky Mountain states. Others return after college and continue their careers while raising their families in healthier environments. On the streets in downtown Casper, you wouldn’t know a millionaire rancher from a regular cowboy. But outside of town, on the roads leading to the ranches, the cowboy rides his horses and his trusted companions run the herd. The ranch owner sits comfortably inside his temperature controlled, 11,000 lbs. of super duty 4-wheel diesel truck, overseeing his operation from an envied position. Wyoming has the distinction of being in 4th place as the best state in which to start a new business. This comes as no surprise. There are many small businesses that thrive here but their owners don’t appear to be interested in what they can do to build their business. They are comfortable with their income and with so many other distractions, they would just rather be outdoors. As a marketer I don’t understand the notion that you wouldn’t want to build your business or expand upon your income opportunities. Equally unfathomable to me, is the “it’ll get done, eventually” mentality. I might be wrong about it but it seems to me that there isn’t that midwestern neurotic sense to keep your customer happy at all costs. I don’t know if this is a result of the lack of competition - knowing that your customers have no where else to go - or perhaps it’s just the Western work ethic. All I know is that it’s probably a good idea for a midwesterner to dial it back a bit when it comes to business.
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I’ve seen business owners’ eyes going glassy when they listened to my excitement about growth opportunities for their business. It’s just downright scary for some and might intrude on some of their scheduled free time. And you know what?, the longer I’m in Casper, the more I understand this need for outdoor space and fresh air. Casper might be a different color horse but it’s an all around better ride. I love it! Page 2
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A little history about Casper’s Natrona County For over 10,000 years, Natrona county has been a natural travel route for Native Americans and more recently explorers, trapper and emigrants. Travelers following the Oregon-CaliforniaMormon Trail corridor followed the NorthPlatte and Sweetwater rivers west, and others followed the Bridger Trail to reach the Big Horn Basin in Montana. Here’s a few historic facts:
#1 Bessemer Bend
- in the 1860‘s the Red Buttes Pony Express station was located on one of the ridges overlooking the North Platte River. It was known as Red Buttes for the nearby rock formations and represented the last crossing of the river for emigrants on the Oregon Trail.
#2 Independence Rock
- this was the most noted landmark on the Oregon Trail west of Fort Laramie. It was a traditional camping spot before pioneers began their trip across to the continental divide. The turtle shape rock (it’s several football fields wide), is where hundreds of emigrants, travelers and trappers carved their names with the hope of immortalizing their journey.
#3 Devil’s Gate
- the Sweetwater river has carved a narrow cleft 370 feet deep and 1,500 feet long through a rocky ridge that is part of the Sweetwater Rocks. In 1856 Martin’s Mormon handcraft company was stranded two or so miles west of here, resulting in death for the 145 members before Salt Lake City rescue parties could save them from below freezing temperatures and starvation.
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#4 Hell’s Half Acre
- this is a natural geologic feature known to cowboys as “the devil’s kitchen.” It consists of 160 to 200-foot deep depression that formed as a result of erosion and downcutting by a small stream that is a tributary of the South Fork of the Powder river. This erosional depression is incised into the Wind River Formation, which was formed some 50 million years ago, when this region was a tropical climate where palm trees flourished. Now that’s Old!
#5 Teapot Rock
- this eroded stone landmark serves to name the Teapot Dome Oil Field. This oilfield was set aside by President Wilson in 1915 for the Navy, which was in the process of converting its ships from coal to oil. A reference to Teapot Rock became synonymous with corruption, as a scandal involving a bribe from oilman Edward Doheny and Harry Sinclair to then secretary of the interior, Albert B. Fall became the subject of a nationwide scandal. See, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Wyoming Division of Cultural Resources
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An a la Carte Menu of Special Adventures Big Horn Mountains
Wind River Valley
Casper Mountain
Neeiiiiggbors!
Sunsets
The Big Horns are located in eastern Wyoming, west of Sheridan. It is a mountain bikers paradise with unlimited opportunities for exploring the wilderness. Trout streams and glacial lakes abound. In early August we spent a few days camping and fishing the local trout streams for “Brookies” and even got a chance to see a momma Moose with twin babies. Brilliant!
The route from Casper to DuBois is one of the most spiritual drives I’ve had in a long time. DuBois, forget it you Streetcar fans, this isn’t Blanche country - this town is pronounced “Doo Boys.” Gee, you might even think you’re back in Chicago.
Well they say that a mountain lion has been seen up on Casper Mountain. Thankfully, I have not run into him or her.
Yep, this here’s my neighbor! He lives just across the road from my home. He runs around with seven other horses on fields that overlook Casper Mountain.
A few minutes outside of town, you can experience expansive vistas like this. Colors change as often as the direction and intensity of the sunlight shines on the changing landscapes.
We slept under the stars (a must see for everyone) and I snored! This is a detailed shot I took near one of the trout streams we fished. Oh by the way there were plenty of mosquitos enjoying our company as well.
The vistas on your drive are breathtaking. Rolling hills created by volcanic ash and layer upon layer of different rock formations easily ID’d by trained geologists but just plain spectacular to me. A divinely inspired spectrum of color only available from God’s palette. This is a must see for anyone who appreciates the magnificent
If I do, I hope it’s a cowardly lion. One that I could befriend. Perhaps he needs to regain his courage. Maybe I could help with that. I lose mine all the time and then seem to find it again, again and again. Who knows who would be more afraid, him or me. While I have been afraid to move forward at times, the thought of stepping back, is unthinkable. As the British like to say we must “carry on!”
He and his friends have approximately 25+ acres on which to enjoy, watching sunrises and sunsets and eating until their hearts content. The ranch owner takes very good care of them. Ensuring they have water at the well to drink and water for occasional baths. Yep, this past summer it has been very hot here and often I saw their caretaker washing them down in the late afternoon. Awww!
If you think you’re looking at the best sunrise or sunset ever, just wait a few moments and it will get even better. I am continuously surprised by this every day. I’ve learned to be more patient when taking pictures and often will return to a place to get the sunlight I want. I’m never disappointed.
Grrrr...
MYWYO 2911 Zion Lane #306 Casper, WY 82609 marketingmavenaha@gmail.com
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