To some, Cody may feel like the ends of the earth.  By car, it is a trek getting here (the eastern Wyoming prairie is not a place to run out of gas or attempt to cross in winter months), but it is worth the effort.   Cody is nestled in the shadow of several mountain ranges, and visitors are struck by the beauty of this landscape; in the summer the nearby peaks shimmer in greens and blues, and in the winter they sparkle with fresh snow.  Sheridan Avenue, the town's wide main drag (wide so that horse-drawn wagons could turn around easily), is lined with western apparel shops, comfort food restaurants, art galleries, furniture stores and touristy gift boutiques.  The avenue heads west over the Shoshone River toward Yellowstone's east entrance and into some truly spectacular high country.  Town streets can become clogged during tourist season as visitors come not just to experience Yellowstone Park but also to soak up some authentic Western mythology.

Cody works hard to cultivate its Western flavor, but it is also the real deal.     Working ranches, small and large, dot the landscape outside of town, and in town, cowboys mingle with tourists.   For good or bad, Cody is the "Rodeo Capital of the World," and there is a rodeo every single night from June through August.  The "Cody Stampede," one of the largest rodeos in the nation, takes place in early July and brings in people from all over the West.   The town also presents costumed re-enactments of a shootout next to the Irma Hotel, which was built by Buffalo Bill for his daughter.  Even for those not interested in wild west gunplay, the Irma Hotel is worth a visit since it is the Old West itself.  Still open as a restaurant and bar, the Irma's focal point is the famous cherry wood bar that was a gift to Buffalo Bill from Queen Victoria.

Residents and visitors also enjoy the quite amazing Buffalo Bill Historical Center, a world-class facility that one would not expect to find in such a remote location.   It is a gorgeous structure and home to the Buffalo Bill Museum (the most complete depository for items related to the life and times of Buffalo Bill), the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, the Plains Indian Museum, the McCracken Research Library and the Draper Museum of Natural History.    This is also a good place to find volunteer opportunities.

Shopping for basic necessities is adequate (there is a Wal-Mart on the edge of town), but many residents travel to Billings, Montana (100 miles north) for serious shopping.  

Cody has nearly 30 houses of worship, but we were unable to find a synagogue.  

There is a public bus system, COLT, but it is somewhat limited; each stop is serviced every 45 minutes between the hours of 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, and buses are wheelchair accessible, but they only run from June 1 through September 12.  The fare is $1 to ride all day.

The outdoors are a way of life here and present unlimited opportunities for camping and backpacking.  Fishing in particular is exceptional.  The many nearby lakes, rivers and streams are loaded with native trout, mackinaw and other species of fish.  A number of the lakes are at high elevations, though, so accessing them may not be possible until June.  Wildlife viewing west of town, even before entering Yellowstone, is excellent.

The Cody Senior Citizen Center (307-587-6221) provides nutrition services (noon meals five days a week and home-delivered meals), public transportation with lift-equipped vehicles, a blood pressure clinic, assistance with insurance forms and claims, legal assistance, senior companions, outreach as needed, free notary services and more, including a number of support groups.  Meals on Wheels is active, and seniors will also appreciate that crime in Cody is practically non-existent.

West Park Hospital is the main medical facility.   It is a state-of-the-art 25-bed, acute care hospital and has an emergency department, a cancer care center, a cardiopulmonary center, a surgical unit, a long term care unit, a wellness division and dialysis capabilities; it offers home health care and hospice.  Further medical facilities are in Powell, 25 miles away, and in Red Lodge, Montana (gorgeous country), 50 miles away.

Since it sits at 5,100 feet, this peaceful place enjoys four seasons.  Winters usually bring temperatures in the 20s and 30s with several inches of snowfall each month (the surrounding peaks receive more).  Summers are cool with temperatures in the 60s and 70s and low 80s.  The humidity is practically nil, and the sun shines nearly 75% of the time.

Cody has a few issues of which to be aware.  Money has been moving into town in recent years, and this doesn't always sit well with the locals, who are a friendly sort for the most part.  Some citizens are quite prosperous (which explains the Whitney Gallery), and others are not.  People who cannot quite afford Jackson Hole are now coming north to Cody, and their private jets can be seen on the tarmac at the Cody airport (the Yellowstone Regional Airport, actually).   These days Hummers mix with muddy pickups on town streets, and in many ways, Cody is a town in transition.   It is also a very, very conservative place, socially and politically.  Rugged individualism is taken quite seriously here, and those folks from large, liberal cities may have a harder time than others adjusting to retirement here.

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