Return From Wyoming Trip (Cheyenne, Laramie: apartment, to rent, hotel)

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by BabyBoomers2

Stopped in Douglas for the night last Thursday evening. Drove in the dark for awhile, which is something we don't like doing and pretty much never do. On Friday morning the wind was blowing drastically! It was even blowing harder than when we've been in Cheyenne. Anyway, headed to Sheridan.

The best part of Sheridan, for us anyway, was eating at Wyoming Rib & Chop there. Best fillet steak I think I've ever had. Went downtown and got some photos of statues along the sidewalk. Stopped into Kings Saddlery. Nice store and museum in back (building behind store). Talked to some young folks that were pretty impressed over my former rodeo days. Found out that Sheridan just isn't our "cup of tea". However, great looking VA Hospital and city Hospital.

On Sunday, before leaving the next day, Monday, drove to Tongue River Reservoir. First time my wife has ever been anywhere in Montana. I've been in Billings and Bozeman before, many years ago. The Reservoir was pretty dried up in areas and boating season was coming to an end. Sure didn't expect to drive on a rough dirt road for a couple of miles to get to the boat ramp area.

Monday AM, left Sheridan, to never return, and headed for Laramie. In Laramie over night and part of next day, but Laramie isn't our "cup of tea" either. 1,000 plus, higher than we are now and they get quite a bit more snow than we do.

A highlight of our trip was meeting, at the Sheridan hotel during breakfast, a retired Full-Bird Army Colonel that was also a Chaplin. We must've talked to him for a couple of hours about different things.

So, now that Wyoming is a "no" for us, we are going to do online research into parts of Arizona, but not Phoenix or Albuquerque. Possibly Flagstaff, Tucson or (believe it or not) Prescott. In Nevada, Carson City.

So, to a point our trip was basically useless, but at least we visited. BUT, when it comes to visiting the cities I just mentioned, we just don't have the money to travel like that.

It's too bad you feel that way. If there's a lesson learned, it's never useless as far as I'm concerned. And you did get to meet with interesting people, and visited interesting places.

[DAXhound]

Crime in Tucson is out of control..burglaries, breakins. I like UA, which sits in middle of a horrible K12 district. Catalina Foothills would be nice but $$$$. I paid 47500 for a rancher on an acre with city water in 2001...very mexican/nexican-american..yet still pretty nice..GV always impressed me..much better climate than PHX..which brings up the question of snowbirding or year around living. For snowbirding..i would consider Laughlin..the water situation is a bit scary. Las Cruces has lots of plusses but same crime issues as Tucson and I've seen a number of folks say they wished they had moved to El Paso instead. Ely anyone?

[Happy in Wyoming]

Originally Posted by BabyBoomers2

Stopped in Douglas for the night last Thursday evening. Drove in the dark for awhile, which is something we don't like doing and pretty much never do. On Friday morning the wind was blowing drastically! It was even blowing harder than when we've been in Cheyenne. Anyway, headed to Sheridan.

The best part of Sheridan, for us anyway, was eating at Wyoming Rib & Chop there. Best fillet steak I think I've ever had. Went downtown and got some photos of statues along the sidewalk. Stopped into Kings Saddlery. Nice store and museum in back (building behind store). Talked to some young folks that were pretty impressed over my former rodeo days. Found out that Sheridan just isn't our "cup of tea". However, great looking VA Hospital and city Hospital.

On Sunday, before leaving the next day, Monday, drove to Tongue River Reservoir. First time my wife has ever been anywhere in Montana. I've been in Billings and Bozeman before, many years ago. The Reservoir was pretty dried up in areas and boating season was coming to an end. Sure didn't expect to drive on a rough dirt road for a couple of miles to get to the boat ramp area.

Monday AM, left Sheridan, to never return, and headed for Laramie. In Laramie over night and part of next day, but Laramie isn't our "cup of tea" either. 1,000 plus, higher than we are now and they get quite a bit more snow than we do.

A highlight of our trip was meeting, at the Sheridan hotel during breakfast, a retired Full-Bird Army Colonel that was also a Chaplin. We must've talked to him for a couple of hours about different things.

So, now that Wyoming is a "no" for us, we are going to do online research into parts of Arizona, but not Phoenix or Albuquerque. Possibly Flagstaff, Tucson or (believe it or not) Prescott. In Nevada, Carson City.

So, to a point our trip was basically useless, but at least we visited. BUT, when it comes to visiting the cities I just mentioned, we just don't have the money to travel like that.

Why did you reject Sheridan? You seem to have had a good time there.


Don't be a stranger; you're the most interesting poster on this forum.


Visit Flagstaff in the winter. That's real snow country.


Carson City has gambling everywhere: you know your weakness.


Again, glad to have you back.

[StealthRabbit]

Too bad OP missed Cody, Powell, Lovell and Thermopolis (and Riverton, Lander) while on the way to or from Sheridan.
a very nice detour, and method to do a 'round trip' to Sheridan. (As would be a jaunt through Sundance, Newcastle, Lusk and Torrington.) All are worth the visit when shopping for a suitable WY place to call home as a retiree. (this is a suggestion For the 'next poster' in doing so, not for OP)

[RosieSD]

I'm sorry that the "Cowboy State" didn't turn out to be your cup of tea, Babyboomers.

Have you considered Sun City or Sun City West in Arizona?

They're only about 35 minutes from Wickenburg and are perfect for active seniors hoping to make friends.

Both have rental apartments and rental homes available at reasonable rents.
(While they are building out a new Sun City development in Buckeye, even closer to Wickenburg, it doesn't appear to have any rentals.) That might be worth investigating though.

Weatherwise, there's no real difference in the weather between Wickenburg and Sun City. Sun City would be close enough to swing over to Wickenburg for a rodeo, plus would put you much closer to the VA Hospital, lots of shopping, etc. They even have boating available in Sun City. If Sun City doesn't have a rodeo fan club yet, I bet you could start one.


https://suncityaz.org/

Sun City West: https://suncitywest.org/

And, of course, check it out on Google maps as well.

[RosieSD]

Also, Babyboomers, did you know that Arizona has its own official RODEO license plate with a cowboy on it?

See: https://azdot.gov/content/arizona-rodeo

[SunGrins]

I liked the Big Horn Mountains and the area around Buffalo. I also liked Saratoga but it has been many years since my last visit.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by BabyBoomers2

Thanks for your reply here. We are going to check out Wickenburg, Prescott and Carson City. Thing is, will have to do that "check-out" online, since we can't rent a vehicle and drive all over the place.

When we first moved to Colorado/Englewood then to Parker, we didn't visit there first. We simply left So. California and moved to south Englewood (by Fiddler's Green) in mid 2002. Then, when we sold our house in Parker and moved to North Carolina (Huntersville), again, we never visited, just moved.

Even though it is highly recommended to visit first, not everyone has the finances to do that.

Why not check out Gillette or Buffalo?

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by nowhereman427

Why not check out Gillette or Buffalo?

Buffalo is too small and Gillette, not sure. Anyway, we need a lake that we can put our 20 foot V8 engine on. Numerous lakes only allow electric motors. That is, if we take our boat with us. We really want to, but don’t know.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by BabyBoomers2

Buffalo is too small and Gillette, not sure. Anyway, we need a lake that we can put our 20 foot V8 engine on. Numerous lakes only allow electric motors. That is, if we take our boat with us. We really want to, but don’t know.

Let's not forget that you got us all doing a C-D think tank trying to pinpoint the most rodeo-ish WY towns for you. Buffalo is my favorite WY town, mainly for the Gatchell Museum, the preservation efforts, and the enthusiasm everybody shows putting the Longmire Days together, but I don't get much of a rodeo vibe from the town. Plenty of Old West vibe, but not particularly "Rodeo." I haven't been long enough in Gillette to gauge its rodeo/Old West spirit, but I didn't find it charming at all.

Anyway, Arizona may work out for you. I'd pick Prescott over Wickenburg for the higher elevation/cooler temperatures. I assume you know the Steve McQueen movie Junior Bonner? One of the best rodeo movies ever, and it was filmed in Prescott (world's oldest rodeo). Last summer they actually showed the movie at the rodeo grounds in Prescott!
https://worldsoldestrodeo.com/events...r-movie-night/