Western Swing 2013 - 10 - Cody, Wyoming

If you've been following along you are aware we pulled into Cody, Wyoming yesterday (Friday). Our purpose in being here (we were first here in 2005 with Ashley and Candice) is to attend a rally of the Diesel RV Club. There is a secondary reason we are here, Byron thinks Cody is a fascinating town.

Martha too this photo this morning at 6:30. It’s the view

we’ll just have to deal with. If the image were larger

the row of lilacs among the trees could be easily seen.

Cody is named for its legendary founder, Buffalo Bill Cody. It remains as full of the Old West character as it probably did 100 years ago except for the changes with the times to stay as modern as possible. For instance, when the first commercial flights started operating from Cody, the population was just over 5,000.

The statue of Buffalo Bill Cody on his horse is like a trademark

for this area.

Cody serves as the Eastern gateway to Yellowstone National Park. That means that Cody is just a few miles away from pristine wilderness where actual buffalo can still be seen as well as elk and other species of animals.

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center houses a few museums; a firearms museum, 

a museum of the Plains Indians, and the Bill Cody museum, 

as well as a museum of Western art. It is a “must see” when

in the area.

The town has changed in the last eight years, and what town hasn’t. However, the addition of 1,000 more residents and a few more stores has been handled well. The Chamber of Commerce does it’s job well and the city’s governmental structure seems to have things under control. For a city of just under 10,000, it feels like a larger town. That it caters to tourists is the main reason. Though it’s a busy tourist town, it isn’t at all like Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, or Sevierville; all prime examples of what greed can do to an area. Cody's development has been measured and well controlled. As a result, one can feel more at ease when visiting here.

Looking westward on Sheridan Street, the main street through

downtown Cody. The mountain formation is about five

or six miles from the edge of town on the north side of

the Shoshone River.

The town attracts tourists and cowboys alike with reenactments of famous shoot-outs, restored frontier buildings, and the Cody Stampede, which the town hosts every July 4. It is their annual festival. Of course, each Saturday night the Cody Rodeo plays before an audience seeking that “Western experience”.

The historical Irma Hotel is the scene of daily gunfights

staged during the summer months.

Today was an officers meeting of the motorhome club. All the officers arrived a day in advance of the start time for the rally. This was my Byron’s first meeting with the group. True to his spirit of “can do” he stepped in to serve as the Secretary since the elected person was absent. The meeting started at 10 AM. It was noon before he became aware of the fact that the meeting would go on well into the afternoon after a lunch break. At that point he wondered what he had gotten himself into and if he’d have enough paper in his little notepad.

Thus far we've traveled about 2,000 miles. The image below illustrates the path we have taken.