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.
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).
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.”
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]
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).]
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.
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).]
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!!!
“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
Hey Ron sorry to say even in the small towns in the middle of nowhere are going up in price quickly. here its people looking for horse property or their hideaway in the woods gotta love the ones that ask to see remote properties after 30 seconds off the main road they decide that possibly their concept of remote is a little different than the average montanans.
“I am considering relocating
from our home in northern california
to Bozeman MT.”
You and everybody else from your god forsaken state. Maybe you can move here and help your california bretheren make this state a little more like where you came from? That would be great.
“I am considering relocating
from our home in northern california
to Bozeman MT.”
Make that Re-consedering Banjo! LOL!
I do very much want to relocate where people get along… Kindness, consideration,respect, and no stereotypes about any persons…
I can stay here and enjoy these things as I do now but, if we do relocate we will bring these values with us where ever my family and I chose to live…
( Heck maybe even where Banjo lives )
For these values are instilled within us and
can be passed along, in my book they surely are.
PS: Tom L,
Some of the things you spoke of are
garbage and my Son as you thought has a mindset to see it for just what you say it is and not stand for it. In fact denonce it.
This I am very proud of as well as his ability to cast a good line on the water. Boast, Boast,Boast!! Tied his 1st fly at four… Ok I will hold back but… you should have seen him at Yellowstone last week…
Again Tom and all the rest of my angling bretheren I thank you for your kind observations and insights.
Steve
[This message has been edited by Steve Molcsan (edited 18 August 2005).]
I doubt that the “high real estate prices” will shoo off anyone who owns even a garage in Sunnyvale, CA.!!!
Steve, I would be more concerned about the extremeness of the winters. At temps like our friends are describing, you need to be very serious about plain ol’ survival. Flip flops and flowered shirts won’t work up there.
Having said that, I wish I had a 2nd home in that area, I’d drain the pipes at the end of the Summer and lock 'er up tight until next Spring. But boy would I enjoy the days when the water was running.
Snow on the roof but with fire still in the hearth
A majority of the people in the area aren’t like I described. However, they are common enough to be bothersome. I just don’t want you to think the vast majority of people up there are ignorant rednecks, that wouldn’t be a fair generalization.
On cost of living:
I would imagine property values are going to be close to what you know now in CA. The big difference is wages and day-to-day expenses. If Bozeman is anything like Coeur d’Alene, ID (another tourist town), I suspect it’s a great place to visit, but it’s too expensive to live there.
I’m glad we could provide some useful information for you. I’m sure whatever decision you make will work out for the best.
“With luck, it can be like quitting drinking without entirely losing the sense of fun you learned while you were smashed.” - John Gierach
Geez, Benjo, I moved from Bozeman to northern California. Cause we have things like jobs here. And steelhead, come to think of if. Do I get a gold star from you or something? I figure he can have my spot, since I aint using it any more.
Oh, wait, I need my spot in October when I (and three of my friends) are going to invade your state and catch all of your fish. For a week anyway. No guides, just us heathen trouters crowding your waters. And spending money.