| from Deanna Travis October 5, 2009 |
Montana is about space. Being anywhere outside towns and cities you can see
and feel the enormity of the country. The “Big Sky” is not just about the
heavenly canopy over our heads.
It is a sense of place, identity.
For those born and raised in Montana, they may not fully realize the importance
of their birthright until they are gone having moved on to the bright lights
and pseudo technology world.
Those who come here, perhaps to fish or travel to Yellowstone National Park,
to see the wonders or photograph the wildlife may get more than they realize.
What they capture in photos may instead make prisoners of them.
Some make an annual pilgrimage; especially fly fishers, to fish the famous
rivers, the Madison, Henry’s Fork, Yellowstone, Buffalo Ford on the upper
Yellowstone and the Spring Creeks near Bozeman or Livingston. Truly wonderful
fishing on all of them.
Many, in their private thoughts, wish “they could make a living” in Montana.
I don’t know what percentage actually move to Montana, but I keep meeting
people who did exactly that, including my husband Trav’s stock broker who
came here from Grand Rapids Michigan. He recently brought his nephew from
Grayling Michigan into the business. The nephew hasn’t spent a winter in Montana
yet, being from Graying he won’t mind the snow – it is the cold, twice cold
with the wind that will get to him.
I know it isn’t every day every winter, but I do vividly recall many -60 degree
days up on Cottonwood bench when we lived here. “But it’s dry cold” they
told me, “Doesn’t feel as cold.” Ya, right.
If you haven’t been to Montana for a while, you can’t help but notice the
growth. We took a drive over to the Boulder River valley (west of Big Timber).
New homes, really big, very expensive, and for the most part, part-time homes
for what the locals call ‘high rollers’.
Between Livingston south to Yellowstone National Park is fifty miles of big
ranches. A large number of which have been sold off and divided up to make
yards and pastures to go with the multi-million dollar summer homes. There
are many hidden between coulees, only visible with lights twinkling at night,
but they are they changing the look and the feel of the country.
Some homes look like they grew there, nice – others so over the top, including
one with a stone and glass greenhouse bigger than my home, looking like they
must have been designed by a Hollywood set designer. Good for the local and
state economy I’m told. Montana is one of the few states with a surplus in
the state coffers.
Most folks moving to Montana have a chance for a new life. The only liability
they bring is themselves. If they listen and pay attention they will find
rock solid, honest, hardworking, conservative, flag waving god fearing folks.
I could give you lots of examples, but here’s one I see every time we are
in town. There is a lovely park (on Park Street) right across from Dan Bailey’s
Fly Shop. This is the main street through town, and on each tree there is
a big yellow ribbon and large photo, with identification, of a person serving
in the United States military.
This is Montana too.
Originally published October 5, 2009 on Fly Anglers Online by Deanna Lee Birkholm.