The Grass is Greener out West

         The grass is always greener on the other side. In my case that phrase is very true. I literally made an overnight decision to leave my home in Central Iowa and go against the wind to a whole new world. I had just gone through a difficult time and thanks to my family and friends I probably wouldnt be where I am today. One week is all the time I had to sit on my decision. Just seven days before I was in Montana did I not have a clue it would be where I would reside. Bozeman, Montana. Hell I hadn't even heard of the town a year before. All I felt at the time was I did not want to live in Iowa anymore. Change is good they say, and once again, in my case it was legit. I decided to head out West.

          The very beginning of my journey was about to make way. I've never been to Montana before, and like Bozeman, I never thought to live there. The drive was 16 hours but I was very excited to get out of the Midwest. We stopped in Rapid City, South Dakota on the way to let the dogs run around and stretch. The air was starting to smell different, we were movin' on!

East of Rapid City, SD, Cali looks west

 

          With all of my belongings and two dogs on the road, I was a bit nervous. My Jeep even broke down two times on the way. It was slightly stressful but she made every mile of it after we fixed her up. We pressed on through South Dakota, then Wyoming where we started seeing mountains. We stopped in some small town I cant recall and I remember a huge sensual fiesta! The wind was blowing through this enormous valley, the air was warm, and the smell of the air was mountainous! I was finally feeling excited to get there. Change was happening and it felt incredible. We rolled across the state line and I was now in a true state of wilderness and adventure. Usually when I'm at places like this I am on vacation, this time

I wont be going anywhere.

         Five or six hours later we made it to Livingston, MT, we were almost there! Between Livingston and Bozeman is a fast and winding interstate section. It all happened so fast and before I knew it we had broken into "The Valley of Flowers", aka "The Valley of Peace, or, the Gallatin Valley. The Gallatin Valley is an enormous open space that cradles the freestone river known as the Gallatin River (well get to that later). The whole valley is walled off by four major mountain ranges. The Bridgers, Tobacco Roots, Madison, and Gallatin ranges. All filled with trout habitat, grizzly bears, wolves, moose and everything else there can be! This adds for some excitement when a newcomer like myself ventures into the wilderness , it leaves a lot to the mind. Part of my journey has been somewhat subtle changes like said above. New things that I've never encountered or need to worry about are all around. I would certainly be respecting this massive state and its green areas on the map.

The Gallatin Valley looking west over Bozeman

             Since moving here this wonderful escape has influenced me more than I could write about. You'd have to experience it yourself. Sure people move to great places all the time and they feel the same I'm sure! For a place I never had on a list, Bozeman sure is 5/5. Now If only I could stop all the people from fleeing out here after they read this, LOL. Id have more river to myself. With low population per square mile, you really dont have to rush to your honey hole or bump elbows or tangle lines with other fisherman. If I choose to be secluded and unplugged, I can certainly find a place where there is no one around. That's what its all about out here, finding yourself but getting lost at the same time.