Bozeman, Montana

[sign216]

Work has me in Bozeman, Montana for 10 days.  Are there any good motorcycle sights?  Or any other must-see attractions?

Joe

P.S.  I can't believe the weather.  They are still in winter here, moving snow around.

[Chuck in Indiana]

They know how to do Winter in Montana.. 

[JohninVT]

I was there for a week in August.  It's beautiful.  Go to Yellowstone because even in winter it'll be amazing.  Lamar Valley is mind blowing.   

[Kiwi_Roy]

What is good, Phædrus, and what is not good—need we ask anyone to tell us these things?

I made a point of riding by there last fall.

[cloudbase]

I lost an H-B left side bag somewhere between Bozeman and Butte three years ago.  If you find it, let me know.

[JamesNFalconaut]

What Kiwi_Roy said
Let Phaedrus be your guide

[canuck750]

Lewis and Clark caves are near Bozeman and I really enjoyed the tour through them some 10 years ago plus Bozeman is a real nice University town.

[sign216]

John and Canuck - thx for the leads, I always enjoy the natural wonders.

Cloud - I saw your bag.  A vagrant was using it to carry oil for his Harley.

Kiwi and James - ahh, what do I say?  I ask for travel tips, and you give me the meaning of life.

Joe

[JohninVT]

There are a half dozen very good coffee roasters in town.  Food and alcohol is less $$$ than in New England.  Everyone is thin and healthy.  People are laid back and friendly but Montana has long attracted some religious nut jobs.  There are numerous cults/sects in and around Bozeman.  It’s an interesting and incredibly beautiful place but it’s really, really cold in the winter and the wind is brutal.  It’s wild in a way we East Coast folks don’t typically experience.  I was there for a week long certification and I watched a mountain lion on the side of a mountain opposite the training center with binoculars. 

If my daughters were out of school I’d move out there in a heartbeat.  It’s an 80 mile drive to the Yellowstone(an hour...speed limits are HIGH) North Entrance.  That’s the only one open in the winter.  I don’t know how high the snow drifts are right now but winter is actually the best time to see wolves in The park.  Stop when you see more than one person with a big telephoto lens on the side of the road.  Chances are they’re looking at wolves.  You can see more animals in an hour drive through Yellowstone than in 6 months in New England.  It’s majestic and awesome.  You won’t see as much in the winter as you would in the summer but you won’t have to deal with busloads of Chinese tourists either.

[sign216]

John, I will say I was pleasantly surprised that there's no sales tax.  In New England (NE) the taxes bite you everywhere you turn.  Montana is definitely a more outdoors culture, and they take hunting and fishing seriously.  But ... the Montana weather makes the NE winter seem tame.  I pity the settlers of long ago that scratched out a living here.

Joe

[rocker59]

Bannack.  It's 140 miles distant, but might be worth the drive.

http://bannack.org/

[Roebling3]

So Joe? Hard to imagine it was personally selected timing for this  trip; but I understand the need to comply - - on occasion. BTDT. Trapped in MN for 2 weeks in January. Temp never above double digits below zero!
Zoomed through Bozeman years ago, on my way to Spokane, then Seattle. Got my worst speeding ticket @ Moses Lake. I 90W. Speed cop asked if I was trying to; 'bank some energy before climbing the mountains'. Hadn't thought of it that way, but I was carrying serious weight. Hard to imagine electric cars playing a major roll out that way.  R3~

[kingoffleece]

I'm with Kiwi Roy on the quote.............. .....


The discussion about gravity and ghosts is brilliant.

[JohninVT]

John, I will say I was pleasantly surprised that there's no sales tax.  In New England (NE) the taxes bite you everywhere you turn.  Montana is definitely a more outdoors culture, and they take hunting and fishing seriously.  But ... the Montana weather makes the NE winter seem tame.  I pity the settlers of long ago that scratched out a living here.

Joe

The coldest temperature ever recorded in the contiguous United States was in Rogers Pass...-70 degrees Fahrenheit. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Pass_(Montana)

[smdl]

The coldest temperature ever recorded in the contiguous United States was in Rogers Pass...-70 degrees Fahrenheit. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Pass_(Montana)

Interesting.  I just learned something new.  JonninVT's comment about Rogers Pass led me to seek additional information, as there is also a Rogers Pass in BC.  Apparently, both are named after the same person!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._B._Rogers

Old A.B. certainly got around!

Cheers,
Shaun

[sign216]

What is good, Phædrus, and what is not good—need we ask anyone to tell us these things?

I made a point of riding by there last fall.

Kiwi,
Amazing, I just stubbled onto the fact that Kiwi was alluding to; Pirsig, the author of Zen And The Art..was a professor at Montana State Univ. here in Bozeman!

I must do more research on this. 
Joe

[drdwb]

If you are looking to get out and explore and ride, they use to run snowmobile tours into the park from West Yellowstone. Not sure this is possible anymore but it was fun when I was in my mid 20’s.

[sign216]

If you are looking to get out and explore and ride, they use to run snowmobile tours into the park from West Yellowstone. Not sure this is possible anymore but it was fun when I was in my mid 20’s.

Thanks Drdwb,
I'll go see some local parks for sure, but probably limit myself to my feet.

I did visit the Computer Museum, and it was great.  Much more interesting than it sounds, with a large display on the Enigma cipher machine the Germans used in WW2.  Primitive technology by modern standards, but it took geniuses to break the cipher.  Polish mathematicians, using just pen and paper, were able to break it in the beginning, aided by code sheets that French intelligence captured and shared.  Both countries were overrun, but were able to give some material to the Allies. 

Joe 

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

winter wont be over there til May

I moved to Greenough MT on June 11 2007
When I got up on June 12, it was snowing

An amazing trip it a ride up to see the dry falls at Shonkin Sag and hit the Ulm Pishkin First People's buffalo jump on the way.  You can ride through the Lewis & Clark National forest along your route

if you are new to MT, be aware there is dusty gravel in every corner once the roads are 'clear'. Plenty of chipseal roads necessitate a FF helmet at all times, IMHO

[sign216]

What is good, Phædrus, and what is not good—need we ask anyone to tell us these things?

I made a point of riding by there last fall.

Kiwi,

Thanks for reminding me that Pirsig was from here.  I made application to the Univ. library special collections room and got to see his personal papers, and also visited some relevant sites.  Very interesting.  When I get home and upload the photos I'll post the findings on a new thread, to let all the Zen lovers know. 

Joe