Buffalo Bill's Blog

You know, “wild” is an often-used term out here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country!  After all, Buffalo Bill Cody became famous for his Wild West Shows; wildlife abounds at every turn; wildflowers are in bloom all summer long, depending on your elevation; and “wild” entertainment happens year-round!  So I thought that this week I’d highlight some of the “wild”-ness that happens here all year round!

“Wild” Action!

The Cody Nite Rodeo provides “wild” entertainment every night, June through August!  It’s the longest running nightly outdoor rodeo in the country, entertaining visitors for almost 70 years.  All the traditional rodeo events are represented each night – team roping, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, bull riding, bareback, the works!  There are even trick riders and rodeo clowns to keep the audience entertained between events.

 “Wild” life!

No matter which direction you go around Cody, you’ll find wildlife.  Heading east, you’ll see herds of wild mustangs and antelope; south, the Bighorn Sheep find themselves right at home; north, elk can be found in abundance in the Sunlight Basin area; and of course, west takes you to Yellowstone National Park, where you’ll find bison, moose, wolves, coyotes, and bears!

“Wild” flowers…

The high elevation here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country means that flowers are in bloom all summer long.  The higher the elevation, the later the flowers bloom, so even in September you’ll find a huge variety of wildflowers in every color if you take highways such as the Beartooth All-American Road.

 “Wild” entertainment!

Cody has its own “Wild West Show” that runs in the winter – it’s a concert series that has brought entertainers such as Mel Tillis, Suzy Bogguss, the Kentucky Headhunters, Asleep at the Wheel, B.J. Thomas, Billy Dean, Gary Morris… the list goes on!  This October, “Whisperin’” Bill Anderson is scheduled to appear at the historic Cody Theatre!

“Wild” rides!

The rivers are running at their peak right now, which means that river rafting is a great activity to enjoy on a hot August afternoon!  Whether you’re looking for a whitewater experience or a lazy float trip, there are several rafting operators who would be glad to help you have a memorable (but safe) river adventure!

 Until next time, I’ll be goin’ wild here in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

You know summer’s coming when the first week of May comes along.  It’s Fire School Weekend, which doesn’t really mean anything to folks who don’t live here, but to the locals, it’s the signal that the winter is over and the busy-ness has begun!  There are several events that take place this last weekend in April and first part of May that kick off our summer season in style…

April 29-May 1^st: Fire School – firefighters (volunteers and otherwise) from around the region converge on Cody for three days of training, seminars, workshops, and camaraderie.  Want to watch a group of firefighters set fire to a vehicle, then put it out?  It happens that weekend!

April 29-May 1^st: Cassie’s Spring Fling – entertainment, darts, a pool tournament, outdoor barbecue, and a talent show, all at one of the most historic and colorful locations in Cody – Cassie’s Steak House on the west end of Cody!

April 30:  Grand Ole Opry star Jim Ed Brown comes to Cody as part of our Cody Wild West Show concert series!  Only $25 per ticket, but there are only 300 tickets, so get yours now – call 1-800-EYE-CODY for more information on this concert, as well as upcoming events in the summer and next fall.

May 6-8: Wild West Days – The Irma Hotel is the central location for true western recreation.  The first full weekend in May the Irma blocks off 12^th Street in front of the hotel for a horse sale, and the fun is just beginning!  There are rodeo events at the Stampede Grounds and the Heart Mountain Equestrian Center, as well.

May also marks the opening of several of our major attractions – The Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center opens its doors May 1; Old Trail Town will begin showing visitors how the west really was beginning mid-May; the Dan Miller Cowboy Music Revue will begin entertaining audiences around the 20^th of May; the Dug-Up Gun Museum opens its doors this month as well; before May is over the Cody Cattle Company will start their twice-nightly dinner shows; and Tecumseh’s Old West Miniature Village and Museum will be open daily in May.  Of course, you can visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center year-round – no matter when you come to town, that’s got to be on your must-see list!

So whether you’re planning to pass through, or stay for a few days, May is a great time to visit us here in Cody!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country…

Corrie N. Cody

We are SO lucky to live here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country.  And it’s not just because of the scenery, and the people, and the slower pace of life, and the restaurants.  It’s because famous country singers come here to play their music!

Now, there are a lot of folks who live in the area who are pretty well-known – we’ve got artists, actors, WWE wrestlers, famous politicians, and other recognizable personalities who have homes here and live here either full-time or part-time.  Most of these people love the anonymity of living way out here in the mountains, but there are a few who are very visible members of the community and strive to make Cody the best little town in the Rockies.

One of these personalities partnered with the Park County Travel Council a few years back in order to liven up the slower winter months.  Dan Miller, who has been a television personality since the late 1980s on The Nashville Network, ESPN’s (now GAC’s) Extreme Bulls, The Outdoor Channel’s “Best of the West” series, and other television shows through the years, headlines a music show in downtown Cody in the summer, Dan Miller’s Cowboy Music Revue.  It’s a fantastic show!  Entertaining, funny, western and country music – everyone who goes to the show just can’t believe that kind of quality and talent is tucked away here in little Cody, Wyoming.  Anyway, Dan offered to contact his big-name country-music-star friends in Nashville and ask them to come to Cody during our slower season.  And come they did!

The Cody Wild West Show series kicked off in January of 2009 with a visit from music legend Lacy J. Dalton.  She was followed the next month by country hit-maker T.G. Sheppard.  And the next month – what a show – Mel Tillis!  Since that flashy beginning, there have been a total of fifteen different acts that have put on shows here in Cody.  Gary Morris (“Wind Beneath My Wings”) was here twice, as was the incredible Suzy Bogguss (“Letting Go,” “Someday Soon”).  Others who have shown up with fantastic performances include The Kentucky Headhunters, Asleep at the Wheel, BJ Thomas and The Bellamy Brothers. 

Dancing in the street!

The concerts take place throughout Cody, although most of them are at the Historic Cody Theatre – that concert hall’s intimate quality (just 300 seats) and amazing sound make for an incredible night of entertainment!  However, for groups like the Bellamy Brothers or the Kentucky Headhunters, other venues here in Cody are put to use.  In conjunction with the Irma Hotel, last summer the Bellamys (and special guest Suzy Bogguss) played a street dance that was sold out!  And the fabulous Texas swing band Asleep at the Wheel played at the Cody Auditorium, also to a packed house, and folks were dancing in the aisles.  The high school auditorium is also a location that’s been used frequently, since it’s a better place for entertainers like Mel Tillis, with his 11-piece band!

One of the things that I think is so cool about the concert series is how impressed the performers are with the hospitality they receive while they’re here.  As a producer, Dan treats the entertainers with genuine respect and personally makes sure they’re well taken care of.  And when I talked to Dan, he said that almost as important as the concerts themselves is the feedback that he receives from the entertainers.  He told me, “I’ve known these guys for a long time, and to have them feel as strongly about Cody as I do is very rewarding to me.” 

Dan credits the people of Wyoming and Montana, who come to these concerts, for their genuine western hospitality.  The audience greets the acts with such warmth and gratitude, the entertainers themselves have been spreading the word in Nashville that Cody, Wyoming is THE place to book a show.  Billy Dean (“Only Here for a Little While,” “Billy the Kid”) absolutely loved it when he was here in January of 2010, so much so that he recorded some video with his camcorder and posted it to his Facebook page, along with some footage from the concert that was shot by the Wyoming Office of Tourism!

The best thing is, the hits just keep coming!  Dan’s good friend Jim Ed Brown will be making an appearance in Cody at the Historic Cody Theatre on April 30.  If you’re going to be in the area, be sure to get tickets – they’re a steal at just $25!  Go to http://www.codywildwestshow.com/ to get more information.

Be sure to check the web site often for updates, too – because you never know who’ll show up next here thanks to the Cody Wild West Shows!

Until next time, I’ll be dancin’ up a storm here in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

Wow, I can’t believe how cold it is here!  This morning as I was pulling my little car out of its nice, cozy garage, the temperature was a not-so-balmy minus 10 degrees!  And I am SO not a cold weather girl – give me days of 70 degrees and I am a happy camper.

It got me to thinking, though, about the things we do around here in the winter when it is uber-cold outside.  We, of course, have the Buffalo Bill Historical Center – that’s the first place that comes to mind.  Five museums, all indoors, and all chock-full of interactive displays, fabulous artwork, photographic archives, and opportunities to learn year-round.  It’s fabulous!

We have an almost-brand-new library here in Cody – it was dedicated about a year and a half ago, and is state of the art.  It’s got a reading area with a fireplace, computers, magazines, a children’s library that almost makes me wish I was a kid again, a teen room, meeting rooms, and the “warmest” atmosphere!  They’ve even got a little café there – they call it the “Biblio Bistro” that serves sandwiches, soups and coffee.  It’s a great place to just chill out in a relaxed, nicely-lit, quiet place that looks out over a duck pond and has a wonderful view of Heart Mountain to the north.

The Paul Stock Aquatics and Recreation Center is another place to spend some quality indoor time. Racquetball courts, fitness classes, basketball courts, two huge swimming pools and a water slide, along with exercise equipment and an elevated walking track – if you’re looking for a place to get in shape for the new year or spend some great time with the kiddos, this is the place! 

Dining out in Cody – what a great way to spend an evening in the winter!  We’ve got restaurants of all kinds here – steak houses, oriental restaurants, bistros, cafes, sandwich shops, contemporary cuisine – something for every taste.  Dinner and a movie sounds good to me… or maybe dancing at Cassie’s Steakhouse!

We’re so blessed here in Cody to be a stop on the tour circuit for several major musical acts.  As part of the Cody Wild West Show concert series, Cody has hosted acts like Mel Tillis, Riders In The Sky, Asleep At The Wheel, the Bellamy Brothers, Suzy Bogguss… the list goes on!  The concert series started out as the brainchild of Dan Miller, television personality and talented musician in his own right, to bring many of these acts to Cody.  I can’t wait to find out who’s coming this year!

Well, looks like I’ve outlined my to-do list for the next few weeks…  I’ll catch up with everyone again next week!

Lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country,

Corrie N. Cody

As 2010 comes to a close, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on what this year has brought to us here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country.

We celebrated the 100^th anniversary of the Shoshone Dam, now called the Buffalo Bill Dam – that structure completely changed the economy of Powell and Cody and the geography of the North Fork highway!  

We had some top-name entertainers come to Cody this year for the Cody Wild West Shows – Billy Dean, the Kentucky Headhunters, Bryan White, The Bellamy Brothers, Suzy Bogguss, Asleep At The Wheel and Riders In The Sky wowed local audiences throughout the year.

Sleeping Giant Ski Area was featured on National Geographic Channel’s “The World’s Toughest Fixes” – ever seen a ski lift being built?  Watch that episode!

We learned to be careful around wildlife – several grizzlies went haywire this summer…

Our local air service board negotiated a great deal with United Airlines AND we have a new terminal at Yellowstone Regional Airport – so flying to Cody is easier and more economical than ever (hint, hint)…

The 4^th of July Stampede Celebration once again brought thousands out to celebrate the western way of life – and it was televised, too! ESPN broadcast the Cody/Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls in July.

The National Park Service unveiled its new Yellowstone National Park visitor’s center at Old Faithful – beautiful! 

Yellowstone National Park set attendance records AGAIN this year – over 4.5 million people had visited the park as of the end of November.  Amazing! 

For the first time, the Capitol Christmas Tree came from a forest in Wyoming – and the tree’s stop here in Cody was cause for celebration on a cold November day!

And 2010 brought me, Corrie N. Cody, an opportunity to express my enthusiasm for this amazing place!  I love to be able to blog about all there is to do and see here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country.

So, until 2011, I’ll be…

Lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody