Thinking Moving

[Steve Molcsan]

I am considering relocating
from our home in northern california
to Bozeman MT.

Can anyone give me the pro/cons weather
ect. Our family has a summer home in
Island Park ID couple of hours from there.

I have a young son that will be high schooler within 2 years and was thinking
it may be a better life for him being closer to the outdoors ect..

The area I am in is Sunnyvale and it is changing like many California
areas.

Just looking and thinking of a better life
for the family.

Just thought I would throw this out there
to see what response I get.

I am 51 an electrical contractor of many seasoned years with a wonderful wife and
eleven year old son.

( this is sounding like a want ad
maybe in someway it is )

Thanks

Steve

[This message has been edited by Steve Molcsan (edited 18 August 2005).]

[TomL]

Well, I'm not familiar with Bozeman in particular, but I grew up in northern Idaho, so let me relate some issues with the region as a whole.

First, are you planning on working? If so, do you already have a job lined up? Employment (at a family supporting wage) is fairly scarce throughout most of the pacific northwest unless you're an engineer. I recommend you find out more about the employment situation of Bozeman before pulling the trigger.

Second, being so close to so many outdoor activities will be great for you and your son, but how does your wife feel about it? If she's supportive that's great, but if she's not the outdoorsy type you might need to find a compromise on city size.

Lastly, Have you checked out the quality of the schools in this area for yourself? Having been educated in Idaho (for high school anyway), I thought I got a great education. I certainly didn't learn as much as I had an opportunity to, but that's my fault, not the school system's.

I want to mention one last thing. It is just an observation and not a judgement of anyone living in the pacific northwest. While growing up I met many people who believed way too much in the stereotypes about minority groups. They weren't racist per se. They just didn't know any better because minorities are so few and far between in that region.

Since there were few minorities around to prove stereotypes wrong, people just believed them and automatically trusted minorities less than whites. I'm pretty sure your son has his own beliefs formed on racial diversity by now and, living in California, he will have a more educated view on it. Just don't be surprised when you hear somebody say "now I'm not racist, but you know how those black people are...."

I still hear people say garbage like that when I go back home to visit. It's incredibly difficult to hear someone say something like this an not laugh hysterically because you realize they've only met three or four black people their WHOLE life.

[TomL]

Forgot to mention the weather.

Be ready for snow. LOTS of it. If you don't mind this (I love it), then you'll be fine. The summers still get warm, but since the humidity is maybe 10% on average you won't notice it as much as in California (I'm just guessing on that one since California's a coastal state. I don't really know Sactown's average humidity).

[TomL]

Oops, just noticed you said Sunnyvale, not Sacramento. I'm really not an idiot. I promise.

[LadyFisher]

Bozeman has really become a 'money' town with lots of construction. It is also a college town with very good secondary schools. Being a college town the culture shock will be less than if you were moving say just over the hill to Livingston (not recommended). We lived 17 years in Montana and loved it, but the summer season is short, about 45 days.
You can even buy speciality veggie plants which mature in the short season. There is excellent skiiing and snow sports available in winter. If we could afford it, my ideal would be to spend 2 months a year in Montana, August and September before the snow flies.
Well, now that I think of it, I have been snowed on every month of the year in Montana - including the 4th of July. The culture in Montana is a 'do-it-yourself society'...you make your own way, and your own leisure. It is not a place where everyone will do everything (and most likely not anything) for you.

When we lived there we received letters and phone calls from friends and former students who wanted to know "if they could make it in Montana." Our answer was, "if you have to ask, no."


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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL

[gonfishn]

Construction is booming in Montana,as are real estate prices If you are serious about
relocating I would suggest you check out the Montana job service web site and cost of living [housing in particular]

[Gardenfish]

for a bit of the dark side and drama of the place read James Lee Burke's two novels about that area - Bitteroot and then The Land of Red Ponies. Burke lives up there and loves the place, but he addresses some of the things previous posters had mentioned. For beauty and the outdoors you cannot beat it. Well, almost (I live in Oregon). The employment thing is a big deal.

[This message has been edited by Gardenfish (edited 18 August 2005).]

[DG]

Take a job with you. There are jobs to be had in Bozeman, but none that will support a family.

Gallatin county is growing rapidly. What used to be fields and farms is now suburbs, and it just keeps growing. For me at least, it is kind of sickening to see how many houses sprouted in the valley in the last ten years. And forget having any of the named rivers to yourslef on a weekend, even in the dead of winter. Cars along the Gallatin on a weekend in April could be counted in the dozens last spring.

It will slow down the first time the temps drop below -40 for a week or two in a bad winter, tho. Figure on -20 every winter, for at least a week or so. But it is a dry kind of cold. Have a block heater in each of your vehicles and be prepared to drive on ice for months on end.

There is crime there. In the 4 years my wife and I lived in Bozeman and Belgrade (95-99) we were the victims of more crimes than both of us had been for the rest of our lives (and counting). Lot of stuff stolen, from our storage and from our vehicles and from our back porch.

Other than that, I would move back in a heartbeat if I had a job that would pay me enough to live there.

[Steve Molcsan]

Snow, Ice? Whats that?

Just like FAOL great input! Thanks

Boy so far alot to think about..

I will ponder it for a long while
before a plan is developed and or a move is made.

Just love to get this input it really helps
one heck of a lot with the process..
This really is quite a meeting ground we have here. My hand shake extends to all of you!

Thanks again..


[This message has been edited by Steve Molcsan (edited 18 August 2005).]

[billknepp]

Do the words "Flyfishing Heaven" Mean anything to ya..?????....Any place that might help the "crowding" prob in my home state is kewl with me...I very much meen to move back there asap....Go for it as JC says!!!!!!!

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"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best

"Wish ya great fishing"

Bill