People in Wyoming march to the beat of a different drum -- and we prefer it that way. Some may even say we're a little odd. But come on, we know we're the normal ones! Living in Wyoming just develops a certain sort of character; everything we do makes perfect sense to us. But, according to outsiders looking in, here are some things Wyomingites do that seem insane to anyone who hasn't lived out here.
1. We issue Jackalope Hunting Permits.
The Douglas Chamber of Commerce issues thousands of Jackalope, a mythical creature native to Wyoming, hunting licenses every year to tourists. There is only one stipulation. You can only hunt these mythical creatures on June 31st between midnight and 3 a.m.
2. We turned an outlaw's body parts into apparel.
George Parrot aka Big Nose George was an outlaw and cattle rustler in the American Wild West during the 1800s. After being lynched, his skin was made into a pair of shoes and part of his skull was used as an ashtray. But, hey, who doesn't do that?
3. We have a cafe and bar.....
that, uh, brags about a certain feature.
We have a cafe and bar that actually advertised if you brought in a picture of yourself on Penis Rock, they would buy you a drink and post the picture in the bar. Just in case you want a free drink, the Bear Trap Cafe and Bar is located at 120 E. Riverside Avenue in Riverside, Wyoming.
4. We feature parades in one form or another on a daily basis.
Our wildlife does in fact own the road and we let them. All you can do is sit, wait and watch the parade unfolding in front of you.
5. We pay tribute to the finest women in town.
Charlotte Shepard aka Mother Featherlegs and her companion, Dangerous Dick Davis, established a whorehouse along the Cheyenne Black Hills Trail. Dangerous Dick murdered Mother Featherlegs and fled with the money and jewels she was holding for local bandits. Her grave is located 10 miles south of Lusk and is the only monument in the United States memorializing a prostitute.
6. We designated a landing field as an Intergalactic Spaceport.
Beam me up! The Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport is located five miles south of Green River on a mountain known as South Hill. In 1994, Green River City Council designated this landing field as an Intergalactic Spaceport for aliens fleeing Jupiter from collisions to their planet from comets or meteors. Don't all states do that?
7. We leave our cars running when we run into a store or any building.
We are a pretty trusting state. While the rest of the country locks their cars, we not only leave our cars unlocked; we leave the cars running with the keys in the ignition.
8. We wear halloween costumes over our snowsuits.
Nothing stops us when it comes to trick-or-treating. Not only do we wear Halloween costumes over snowsuits, but we also buy our costumes a size or two bigger, so they fit over the aforementioned snowsuit.
9. We think the whole week of Frontier Days should become a state holiday.
Cheyenne Frontier Days is a 10-day festival that celebrates the state's Old West roots. This is the world's largest outdoor rodeo with top professionals from all over the world who compete for more than $1 million in cash and prizes. Frontier Days takes place every summer the last week in July and we don't want to miss a minute of riders being thrown off their broncos or cowboys being chased by raging bulls.
10. And, yes, we are a Wyoming Cowboy, in more ways than one, until the day we die.
Unless you are a true Wyomingite, you're not going to understand or appreciate our loyalty to the state's football team that represents our only provider of baccalaureate graduate education in the state. We are protective and proud of the Wyoming Cowboys and will go to the grave being die-hard fans.
11. We promote surfing in a landlocked state.
Surfing isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Wyoming. However, you can catch a 10-15 minute ride river surfing Lunch Counter Rapids along the Snake River. Who needs the ocean?
For some super cool footage of surfing, check this video out by YouTube user, Surf Channel Television Network. You can hike to the Lunch County Rapids to watch the surfers, too!
What are some other things Wyomingites do that seem insane to everyone else? Leave your quirks of Wyomingites in the comments below!
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