Translating Wyoming's Secret Language

The Facebook page Wyoming Life often comes up with some great ideas. Below is a list they recently posted with translations of our cowboy culture's secret language.

CAUTION: The Facebook page Wyoming Life is fun to read, but they are also very opinionated. They do not care if you are offended by what they have to say.

I'll get in trouble for this analogy, but it's like talking to a woman. There is what they say, and there is what they really mean. Those are two very different things.

Let's have a look at the list below and see if you agree with these translations. Then let's see if you can add a few more.

Wyoming residents don't always say exactly what they mean.

"Just up the road" might mean an 87-mile drive through absolutely nothing.

"A few head of cattle" could be a herd of 500+ spread across more land than some states.

And when someone from Wyoming says it's "a bit chilly," you might want to check if your eyelashes are freezing together.

From the Tetons to the plains, from Yellowstone to the Wind River Range, every corner of Wyoming speaks the language of wide-open spaces and brutal honesty about the weather (sort of).

You learn quickly that "windy" means hold onto your hat (and your car), "saw some folks" means you spotted two people all week, and a "quick trip to town" is basically a road trip.

Somehow it all makes perfect sense to the people who grew up here.

How many of these Wyoming translations are actually accurate?

Medicine Bow Wyoming Road Art

There’s a strange mind at work in Medicine Bow. Someone equal parts disturbed and delighted, scheming and laughing at the same time. And somehow, they want to pull you into the fun.

Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods