The difference? Cheyenne has a big 3-story Western clothing store called The Wrangler. Loveland has nothing like that. Cheyenne has three "Western" themed museums, like The Cowgirl Museum (noted cowgirls of the past). Loveland has nothing like that! Cheyenne has a huge professional rodeo each year, that wife and I have been to. Cheyenne has a Mall called Frontier Mall where it's not unusual to see little kids in Western attire shopping with their parents, who are in Western attire as well. That sure isn't here. As far as changing everything, we did the same after living in Huntersville, NC for a year and a couple of months, then moving to Jacksonville, Florida. We did "think" NOCO aka Northern Colorado/Loveland was "it", but it only took us these past three months to find out it definitely isn't. Then again, we moved here more for the freshwater lakes, lower population and much lower crime rate. We "thought" it would be more "Western" than it is, but most of the young folks here look like they moved here from Los Angeles! It's so young here that, most everywhere we go, we feel like we are either parents or grandparents of the population of young folks here. Young folks have really taken over this city and it's very easy to tell that.
Well far be it from me to mention that since Cheyenne is only 40 miles from you, that you simply drive over to the "3-story western store." But whatever. We all know where this will go, so no need to drag another thread off-topic. I haven't had a peak or pit yet, but my the day is young! I've been doing laundry and drinking coffee. I hope the rest of the day is uneventful.
Ok, Beth, just where do you think it will go? Better happiness for us? A place more conservative? And, btw, Beth, we like "eventful" days. That's why my wife married me. She likes the excitement/humor I bring to our marriage.
I'm not an expert on Colorado, but I think you're not going to find the cowboy thing in the big cities, so much.
We found out that the only time Cheyenne is really, really "cowboy" is during the week and a half of Cheyenne Frontier Days of which is also called A Western Celebration. So, for a week and half, Cheyenne is "cowboy", but the rest of the year...…….NO WAY! Stopped at a rather large Western clothing store in downtown, called Wrangler, and the three lady clerks were dressed in attire that I'd see in the middle of Los Angeles, not in Wyoming. I wore my black felt hat into the Frontier Mall, which is the cities Mall, and got several odd looks. It was like, "why are you wearing that hat? Cheyenne Frontier Days are over until next year."
First, Beth, out of sure curiosity, do you have any tattoos or any family members that do? Just asking. We were told that, even though Cheyenne has around five tattoo parlors, most people in Cheyenne don't have them. To tell you the truth, that was sure a "crock". Many people there do. In-between that, and a few other things, including just how dead downtown Cheyenne was on a Saturday, we definitely "pulled back" on any thinking of moving there.
Found out, rather fast, that many cities and towns in Wyoming, like in Montana, are summer places, definitely not winter places. When the snow skiing season ends, and summer begins, the cities like Cody, Cheyenne and Casper really come to life.
Now, one nice thing about our weekend trip was stopping at Waffle House on the way up and then driving down the street to Centennial Livestock Auction. I already have one, but my wife got a baseball cap with the auctions name on it and we got to see cattle auctioned off. It was Slaughter Bulls and Heifers day. There was a young lady, sitting in the Auction area, buying cattle right and left. Very, very impressive! We've been to this auction yard before.
Good grief. I can't imagine going through life with such tunnel vision. And no, I don't have a tatoo... but I would if I wanted one. My son-in-law who is career Air Force has a nice tat on his arm; he is originally from Arizona. Gasp.