This Californian moving to Montana (a few comments) (Bozeman, Red Lodge: contractors, smog)

[Idaho Spud]

Move where you want. People have nothing better to do than complain about people moving around. People will always move around where they want and nothing will change so get used to it. There are plenty of good people to outshine the jerks so move and have fun.

[mchartman]

Hi Guys,
Just blogged on as curiosity and wanted to put my 2 cents as I have had lots of experience in Sun Valley, Idaho Moved here 20 years ago and it seemed a little pretentious back then but not so bad. Anyway wht I have seen over the years is that most of the big city people that move to these quaint little gem places are attracted to it as it is and then live in theseplaces for a while and before you know it they are missing their Theaters, Galleries and having the accomadations of what they left, we then vote them into city coucils and before u know it they are calling the shots...You must stand for your community and get involved most people ust want to complain abut it but actually don't want to do something about it...Whats going to happen when all these little rural places are no longer available...People will always want power and money and the answerdoesn't come easy,and you can't control who buys your neighbors house who can't afford to keep it..but you can control your P&z and your downtown core stand up to these intruders when they want to do this and send them the message that your community is fine the way it is..

[GLS]

Originally Posted by mchartman

Hi Guys,
... wht I have seen over the years is that most of the big city people that move to these quaint little gem places are attracted to it as it is and then live in theseplaces for a while and before you know it they are missing their Theaters, Galleries and having the accomadations of what they left, we then vote them into city coucils and before u know it they are calling the shots...You must stand for your community and get involved most people ust want to complain abut it but actually don't want to do something about it...Whats going to happen when all these little rural places are no longer available...People will always want power and money....

I am sure your points apply to a lot of people, but let me offer a minority opinion. I have nothing against theaters and galleries, but I don't NEED them to enjoy my life. They are accessible to me one hour away and I still don't go much. It's the Taco Bell's, 3 gas stations on the same corner, and eight Starbuck's within one square mile that I detest and I would NEVER wish this on my neighbors, either here or in my new home. In addition, it's not just "big city" people who are moving. I live on 5 acres in the rural Sierra foothills, love it here, don't intend on moving away. However, I will build a second home in rural Montana, outside a small town, with few services, and I HAVE NO INTENTION OF TRYING TO CHANGE THE TOWN.

The people are pleasant, and they and the town have done quite well without me for hundreds of years. I intend to conduct myself with courtesy and respect, and stop to help someone if they are stuck on the side of the road. However, I am NOT joining any city councils, CC&R committees, or any other club or organized group that has as it's primary mission, passing rules, laws, or "suggested community guidelines" that tell other people how they should live. Finally, it's not true that "people will always want power and money". I certainly like enough money so I'm not dependent upon others for my needs, but I don't need power over my neighbors.

[jimj]

GLS, most don't realize there's a big difference between the "usual" californians and rural californians, more to the point "flatlanders" vs people who live in the hills. I grew up in the bay area but moved to rural CA and the thought process differs like night and day.

[Coffee Mate]

I lived in Montana for five years and loved it, even though I was born and raised in the S.F. Bay Area.
I knew I was in a great state when I saw dead deer hanging in the trees, curing on roof tops and in the back of pickups' here and there, ammunition commercials on T.V. and compete strangers would pass you in the street smile and say 'hello'.....[NICE!]
Sadly though....way too many 'KEWL', trendy, fashionable and tragically hip yupsters began to move it....and Bozeman started to go the way of Jackson, Estes Park, Sun Valley, Boulder, Durango, Taos etc etc...So I left. My native Montanan friends keep trying to get me to move back and live in MT insisting that I'm "not like the others" but I just don't want to be associated with the CALI-yups that have made such a mockery of Western Montana.
The real trick was to find a beautiful place that no yuppie in their right mind [is this even possible?] would want to live. A place with no skiing, no hipster clubs and the like.
I knew Bozeman was down the tubes when I started to see Range Rovers, pouting Rock Stars, Models and other mutants waltzing down Main St. in huge flowing Mink coats while walking their lamas....the only thing worse is when CALI-IMPLANTS worm their way into your local government, PTA etc....That is the ABSOLUTE KISS OF DEATH.....your town is FINISHED when that happens.....Too many folks in rural areas have lived in a comfortable and easy complaisant stupor for so long...they're not ready for hyper-politically active filthy rich left-wing yuppies when they flow in and take over. I tried to warn people, tell them to get active and interested in their own local politics....but nope...wouldn't listen....well not until it was tooooo laaaate!

[rickers]

Many or most of those so called Cali implants are originally from eastern states. If you weren't born in Montana why trash people you think are from California for something that is none of your business since you don't live here anymore ? What is a hipster club anyway ? Hey jimj or joejoe do you know of any hipster clubs around western Montana ? Maybe they'll let me join ! Do you mean bars where people you want to label "hipsters" go to enjoy a bit of food and drink ?
Jeez what a bunch of ignorant baloney. You were born and raised in California and you are bashing your own ! That's priceless ! More power to people who are doing well and like to show it. Who cares where people are from and what they do. I'm sure that people who run back home are glad they don't have to put up with us native country hicks and rich Californians anymore. People that last here whether Montana born or transplant get along very nicely for the most part. Only the losers do all the whining in both groups.
When someone runs back home from an attempt to live here and then wants to bash someone else for their failure to assimilate they really should realize that the place they ran from to begin with may just be the right place for him or her anyway. Calling a fellow person a mutant is just freaking lovely. I want to see these pouting rock stars walking llamas in Bozeman, I hope I don't forget my camera ! I'll be in Bozman soon on busness and I'll be sure to post the pictures of all the freaks ! There is no way that Bozeman is anything like Aspen or Jackson ! I think I just ruined my keyboard with my tea I was laughing so hard !
Oh by the way bozeman is east of the divide and most folks consider Bozeman to be in south/central Montana. You trash western Montana and I doubt if you have ever been to Kalispell.

[Coffee Mate]

At ease guy....I live in Indiana....and love it.
I've lived and assimilated in some pretty tough environments....the toughest...Northern Russia....Try Northern Russia...in say February...
Relax babe....I love California.....well...the landscape at any rate...
Oh...the neatest place in Montana....The Rocky Boys Res....Dig? Do you know where Lennup is?
As for bashing.....hey....bash I must. Targets that present themselves like the trendy yups are just toooo juicy to resist and California is chock full of that!

[ElkHunter]

You know what I find interesting is that foreigners bash foreigners. It's not the Montana down home residents.

The down home residents are just that. They live there cause they're born and bred Montana.

It's the outsiders that moved here and don't want others to move here. They come in from California, Wisconsin, Idaho, where'ever. Then, once settled, they don't want anybody to follow. They have found paradise and they don't want to share it.

I guess we should just bust up the land in 5 acre parcels and start selling it off. The heck with deer hunting, don't need no stupid elk, just need 5 acre parcels so people can buy and build.

[GLS]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

You know what I find interesting is that foreigners bash foreigners. It's not the Montana down home residents......

This perspective might have some credibility coming from a Native American.

[runenmom]

I think the funniest part of the posts is the California perspective. I moved to Montana 3 years ago from California. Most people picture CA as LA and The OC they have no idea that there is so much more than that. I came from a Mountain Community at 5500 ft. with a pop. of 2500. We got more snow than there than we do in MT. I had to drive 45 min. down a mtn. for a grocery store. I don't even do that here in MT. The other thing is the California stigma, California is low on the list of people moving in the people moving in the most are from Texas, The Netherlands, but you don't hear people bashing them. I think the other thing that is amusing is that people complain about the Californians driving up the housing prices but who is asking the price for their homes that they are buying the Montanans and then who employs most of the Montanans and is bringing in business the other states moving in. So complain, complain, complain. But I find it a beautiful place to live and to raise a family. My husband and kids hunt, fish and enjoy the lifestyle. Get over the CA thing it's old but I know you need something to compalin about so enjoy and get it out of your system.