Wyoming may be the tenth largest state in the union by size, but it’s the smallest by a large margin. The US Census Bureau estimated in 2015 that there were just over 586,000 people living in the state’s almost 98,000 square miles.
Still, the country’s least populated state is gorgeous, mountainous, and vast. This is cowboy country. You can just forget California and all the tales of pushing the frontier to the Golden State — Wyoming is the real wild west. It’s home to some of the most pristine and untouched land in the entire nation, some of it contained within Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Several million visitors every year come to Wyoming to see sites like Devil’s Tower National Monument, Fossil Butte National Monument, and many others.
Even though the state’s population is remarkably sparse, Wyomingites are like minded in many things. For example, the GOP reigns supreme in Wyoming, and almost everyone from there is a proud Republican. Wyomingites also share a great love of the land and of being outdoors. There are many other things that people who live in the Equality State know to be true, even if residents in the other 49 states of the union don’t quite get them. Here are ten things only people from Wyoming understand.
Jackson Hole isn’t the real Wyoming.
Jackson Hole is nice and all, but it’s a tourist town, where people from the costs come to breathe some fresh, unpolluted air and pretend they’re cowboys for a few days. To see the real Wyoming, you have to get out into the land, to cattle country, off the paved roads and away from the built up hotels, fancy shops, and high end restaurants that charge $30 for a plate of flown in fish. Jackson Hole may technically be in the state of Wyoming, but it’s not really Wyoming in spirit.
You’re never fully dressed without your cowboy hat.
The cowboy hat may be most associated with the state of Texas, but in Wyoming, cowboy culture is the law of the land. As part of that, a cowboy hat is the head covering of choice — and that goes for everyone. Men, women, adults, kids: you’re likely to see everyone wearing the wide brim with just about any outfit.
A gun isn’t optional — it’s essential.
Wyoming has almost 200 guns per 1000 people, which is by far the highest per capita gun ownership of all the 50 states. (A far second is Washington, DC, with 66.4 guns per 1000 people.) Wyomingites are a heavily armed populace for sure, with 60% of people owning at least one. It’s as much about protection as it is about wearing part of the unofficial Wyoming uniform, but don’t even think about dissing Second Amendment rights — you won’t get far.
Rodeo is life.
The other states can keep their baseball, their basketball, their football, and especially their hockey. In Wyoming, one sport reigns supreme, and that’s rodeo. Oh, it’s just horseback riding, you say? That couldn’t be further from the truth. Rodeo is about man versus beast, the rawest form of athletic performance ever to exist. To watch a cowboy execute a flawless ride is better than every touchdown, grand slam, buzzer shot, and kick save combined. In fact, the state’s official emblem is a cowboy on a bucking stallion.
Local cuisine has one main specialty: beef.
It can take the form of chicken fried steak, Rocky Mountain oysters (which are deep fried bull testicles!), jerky, or steaks of all sizes and cuts, but if you’re eating in Wyoming, chances are, you’re eating beef. Or, if it’s not beef, it’s elk, or bison, or venison, or maybe lamb or mutton. Just don’t go looking for lobster or crab, and don’t expect to find much fare that’s vegetarian friendly. Wyomingites are cowboys, and cowboys eat meat…with the occasional deep fried Oreo and bag of Mexican fast food from Taco John’s thrown in for good measure.
Snow comes with the territory.
People in other, more southern states may balk at the idea of 200 inches of snow in a year, but to Wyomingites, it’s business as usual. This is especially true in the mountainous areas and higher elevations. To skiers and fans of other winter sports, it’s heaven. To everyone else, it’s just another day in the Cowboy State.
Greenies aren’t just treats for your dog.
Nope: Greenies are people from Colorado, Wyoming’s neighboring state with which Wyomingites have a friendly but serious rivalry. The name Greenie comes from both the green color of the Colorado state license plates and Coloradans’ inclination to be environmentally friendly at every opportunity. It’s more of a political rivalry than a sports one, and more friction came about when Colorado legalized marijuana for recreational use. Since it’s not at all legal in Wyoming, Wyoming police now have another reason to look at Colorado residents with a raised eyebrow
Horses are a viable means of getting around.
The ratio of horses to humans is higher in Wyoming than in any other state: according to the Humane Society, there’s one horse for every five people in Wyoming. They’re everywhere, and it’s really no big deal to see someone riding a horse down the street. They may not be as common as they were, say, 50 years ago, but Wyomingites do love their equine friends. And why not? They’re strong and hardy animals, they’re a lot of fun to ride, and riding a horse is a lot better for the environment than driving a gas guzzling SUV.
That’s no deer — that’s a pronghorn!
What are those large four-legged mammals that seem to be everywhere in Wyoming? Visitors might think they’re deer, or even antelopes, but Wyomingites know that they’re pronghorns, an entirely different animal. For nature lovers, they’re beautiful to look at, and they’re not especially threatening to people. However, you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for pronghorns as you drive down any of the many rural roads in Wyoming. Hit a pronghorn, and it can wreck your car for good.
Escalators are highly overrated.
You may have read recently in The Huffington Post, that there are just two escalators in the entire state of Wyoming. It was news that seemed crazy to people, like it was some sort of backwards thing to not have an escalator in every building. But you know what? People in Wyoming don’t mind taking the stairs, thank you very much. It’s really not a big deal.
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