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[Misfit]

I've just been reading a bit on BTP's FSW project. It sounds like things are moving forward, people planning on moving to Wyoming within the next few months. Is anyone considering this? Anyone been up there? Any thoughts?
I know there's been several Free State groups in differrent places around the country...I'm starting to think about this stuff seriously given all the nasty stuff going on as of late. But I don't want to make another wrong move...

For those who don't know of my adventures. I moved from the East coast to rural AZ, only to find that there's no work and nobody to "gulch" with where I was. Maybe someday there will be, but not currently. To complicate things, necessities such as electricity and water were turning out to be over twice the original expected price...given that well depths are going to be over twice as deep as the realtor stated...and the power system in the sample home was undersized...now we know. Growing a garden in 115 degree heat in the middle of the desert isn't going to be easy, given I had a hard time growing things in the jungle back East. (I'm the type of person who kills cacti.) All in all, I found that it's going to be downright impossible to do this on our own...which was never our intention to begin with. We thought our neighbors, what few there are, would provide a tight knit community given our isolation, but we found most to not want to have anything to do with other people. These people are dysfunctional, that's why they're there we concluded. Our nearest neighbor was a drunk with several loose pit bulls who were coming onto our property 1/2 a mile away, killing and spewing jack rabbit parts all over. Oh, and he'll run you off the road if you get in his way...nice guy. So much for community...

So, now we're sitting in an apartment in Vegas, looking for work and thinking about what our future plans are. I can't see going back East, and Vegas isn't really an ideal place to make our home...little too insane. Other than that I have no idea of where to even begin to look, and am thinking "What the heck, why not check out what these free state folks are doing?" We're not tied down anywhere at the moment...maybe we can go on a few road trips.

So, if anyone is planning to join Boston's or anyone else's free state project out West, I'd like to hear about it...Thanks!  

[Ted Nielsen]

*

[Basil Fishbone]

FreeWest.org      has a lot of useful information for those considering a move to Wyoming, Montana or Idaho.  There is information on jobs and business opportunities, regional differences, local and regional culture, housing and real estate, plus good links.  Local economies like Bozeman, Kalispell, Missoula, and Billings are booming.  Depending on what kind of work you do, the job market can be tough, and wages are generally not real high compared to the cities. Lots of folks want to live here, but many decide to move on after a while.  The website tries to let people know what to expect, so they can plan effectively and so we don't lose them to disappointment.  Lots of information to get through, but it is there for those who find it of interest.

Construction workers are in demand, I should think.  There is a lot of building going on in Bozeman and other places, mostly in western Montana.  Wyoming and Idaho have similar hot spots.  

This July would be a good time to come through Wyoming and on up to Montana for the Free Montana Conference July 17-18.

Basil Fishbone

[kbarrett]

I'm heavily involved in the FSW project... and planning on moving there late 2006.

These URLs may be useful:

http://www.javelinpress.com/free_state_wyoming.html
http://www.javelinpress.com/fsw_links.html
http://www.freewest.org

Email lists:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FSW-discuss
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/W-A-L



 

[Misfit]

Yeah, I've been to Boston's website...that's what got me thinking. I didn't know about the yahoo groups, I'll go check them out.

Still thinking about the idea. I'm not up for making any rash decisions at the moment, but would consider something a year or two down the road if things look promising. The job/income issue is all too real for me. We were unable to stay where we had planned due to just that reason. We will definitely not take that plunge again without finding more promising opportunities. We did do our research on where we moved, but in the end found you have to spend some time there to find out the real deal. So, now I'm going to take the "you go first" stance and see what happens with the early settlers there.

[Pagan]

I've been debating where to move out West for some time, and still am.

Am leaning toward the Black Hills now (having traveled through there several times, and am charmed by that part of South Dakota and Wyoming anyway) -- and will be vacationing there in October.

See me in the Fall, when I will give my "What did you do on vacation" report to the class!

[yorick]

Hey - I'm in Vegas too - Henderson actually.

I lived in the Black Hills for a couple years - my Dad is still up there - Buffalo Gap is the name of the nearest town - and yes there are misfits there too -

As much as I like isolated rural areas, I've noticed the people who make up the 'communities' are often anti-social and 'odd'

- (of course that's exactly how many would describe me  )

you have to live there awhile and even then there isn't any guarauntee that your neighbors will ever actually be neighborly - the smaller selection pool can mean lower odds of finding like minds (true in romance as well as politics)

But the way I look at it - If your goal is to be self sufficient and independant - well then if the neighbors arn't neighborly it don't matter much - as long as they leave you alone....

[Pagan]

"you have to live there awhile and even then there isn't any guarauntee that your neighbors will ever actually be neighborly - the smaller selection pool can mean lower odds of finding like minds (true in romance as well as politics)"

You should try the East Coast for unneighborly neighbors! As for like minds, give me freedom-seekers over romance or politics any day...
 

[Misfit]

I'm from the East coast.... Now, if you don't have a screw loose, most folks out West seem more friendly than back there. What's this? People talking to you in Walmart and the grocery store...whoa! Back East you always pretend you're all alone in the store and most of all never make eye contact
Yes, the more people the more chances of finding folks with like minds...there are Libertarians here...If there are any down where I was I wouldn't know where they were.
It's pretty hard to be out in the middle of nowhere without someone else around. It's one thing if you got a job or some other regular connection to people, but when you just out there for days and weeks on end without any connection to the outside world, it gets difficult.

[Misfit]

Just got an e-mail from Boston:

Great to hear from you!  Please keep visiting:
www.freestatewyoming.org

and do check out Crook Co. in the NE corner of
Wyoming, especially between Hulett and Aladdin.

We are currently putting together a land deal to
develop for the FSW's needs, and exciting news will
soon be forthcoming.  Stay tuned, and stay in touch!

Boston

(Bolded by Misfit)

[Wyomiles]

So Misfit, Are you still out there ?  Did you find what you were looking for ?  How about an update .   Miles

[FDD]

yes

[MamaLiberty]

I've been here for ten years now. No lack of friendly people, but at the same time they mind their own business. A stranger in the bank yesterday asked what I was carrying... and we had a nice conversation about the differences between all metal guns and the "plastic" kind. 

I'm sure never going back to California.

[RVM45]

So,

All of the Haters of Wyoming--

Where else would you recommend?

Me, I am of the age that I'm more or less rooted to the area and what little family remains.

If I wanted to relocate it would probably be somewhere in Kentucky. It ain't exactly "Roadwarrior" there but there are still hints of "Next of Kin" and much of the countryside is pretty.


.....RVM45