What are the people like in Bozeman? (Helena, Big Sky: how much, home)

[freshtracks]

Originally Posted by magoomafoo

I disagree that the true cowboys are in the ag department as cowboys are not farmers. Two totally different breeds.

Obviously you have never done whiskey shots out of an inflatable sheep's orifice with the boys from the Beef Science program.

Yeah, I guess there are technically some cowboys around Bozeman outside of campus - but for the real deal you would have to go out for beers at Stacey's in Gateway, or head west of Belgrade a bit.

Honestly, though, Bozeman is hardly a cowboy town by any stretch.

[Geo Roam]

Originally Posted by CTC

My point: Bozeman is very diverse and friendly to boot. Don't buy into this "Bozeman is just a yuppie NF wearing town-" mentality-I have lived throughout the West (CO,NM,CA,ID,WA) and Bozeman is my favorite small city/large town hands down.

Couldn't agree more CTC!

406, Madison River, and Bozone taprooms are great for getting a feel for the people of Bozeman.

You will see all sorts for sure and all agree that beer is God's way of letting us know he loves us and wants us to be happy.

Grab a pint, makes some friends, take home a growler.

[eddie gein]

30 years ago Bozeman seemed real "cowboyish" but not anymore. It reminds me of Ft. Collins, CO now.

[casacaudill]

I was born & raised in Los Angeles, moved out to a real hick town in the desert on the way to Las Vegas, spent a year in the biggest hick town in Pennsylvania, moved to Pittsburgh for college, took two years in San Francisco (Pac Heights and The Haight) and now live in Oakland, CA. That is to say - I've seen everything from real hicks who love "mudbogging, chew, and country music" to real life gangsters to some of the truly wealthy and all points in between.

My mom has lived in Belgrade for the past 16 or 17 years and it took me forever to go visit because I had heard every negative stereotype you could possibly hear about Montana and I was having none of it. Last year my mom got sick and I had to suck up my prejudices and go visit. Within a day I was in love with the place. The air is clean and the vistas are among some of the most beautiful I've seen. The people are extremely friendly which is something I was very worried about. I'd heard that Montanans were "hard people" and "hated Californians." Maybe because I'm not your typically CA stereotype (none of my clothes are designer) and maybe it's because my mom has lived there for so long, but no one gave me any grief at all.

Did I mention how truly beautiful it is? I mean, it knocks your socks off. Having stayed in both a house on the Gallatin River for a week in September, and then a house in Downtown for another week this May, I am hooked on Bozeman. The beauty of it, the vastness of it, the peace of it all ... it gets in your blood. I think that's probably why there are so many CA transplants - money or not. Folks in Silicon Valley (confession: I am one) work long and hard at cerebral occupations. We sacrifice a lot of personal time for the almighty dollar and the chance to work for the next big company. We have beautiful nature of our own but we hardly ever see it. But when you land in Montana immediately you feel something different. There is no concrete jungle. People don't ask you what you do for a living.

I don't know what it is, but Bozeman gets in your blood.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by jasper12

Bozeman is full of cowboys with tight jeans, boots and hats.

Just the jeans are tight, or the boots and hats are tight too?

[jasper12]

You know you are from Bozeman....when you buy all of your clothes at Murdoch's. The folks from California are still buying their clothes from the Sundance catalog.

[rangerider]

Originally Posted by freshtracks

....Yeah, I guess there are technically some cowboys around Bozeman outside of campus - but for the real deal you would have to go out for beers at Stacey's in Gateway, or head west of Belgrade a bit.

Honestly, though, Bozeman is hardly a cowboy town by any stretch.

Gotta agree. Head for Miles City, or Ekalaka, maybe Grass Range or somewhere in the Big Open. Even Willow Creek or the Bunkhouse up in Radersburg. There are scattered ranches in the western part of the state that are still pretty rawboned, but a lot of them are showplaces anymore - getting harder to find a hand with callouses on it or someone who has been up to their armpit in cow trying to birth a calf at 3a.m. on a January night. If you're the 'real deal', most of your work clothing has dried blood on it somewhere and it's tough to find a hat without a sweat ring on it. The vast majority appearing the local saloons does not qualify.

A few years ago, Stacy's remodeled and lost most of it's old school feel..much like the Corral Bar up Gallatin canyon. I used to hang out in there a bit back when it wasn't a Saturday night without a couple fights and the cops showing up at least once. Anymore, it's a lot of college guys and some locals who can't break the habit of being there. Still a nice out of the way spot, but doesn't generate the stories it used to.

[Goober13]

Bozeman is a college town, and there is not much cowboy about it. Being that it is more educated, it is fairly progressive politically, people are very health conscious, they have several decent sized natural foods stores here, the Co-op store resembles one you would find in a bigger city, and it is always busy.

You will attract campers in the summer and ski people in the winter. It's more like a combination resort town, college town with somewhat of a Berkeley CA feel, but with a rural lifestyle surrounding it.

[Reziac]

If you live in Bozeman, the people in Bozeman are... like you.

[michael11747]

Bozemanite here. There are not nearly as many cowboys as in other parts of the West. Your informant seems to know nothing of Bozeman, as you probably picked one of the least hickish parts of Montana. That doesn't mean you will like it here though. As for me, I love it here. I love having a secure job in town, and walking to work, and spending my free time exploring the mountains. The people are great, but I can see how most people would think they were snobs. You're going to need to ask more specific questions.

Also, to those people hating on the "yuppies" because they were "north face". I am not a yuppie, and I don't wear North Face, but I honestly see more people decked out in their finest cowboy gear, or snowmobiling, or ATV'ing gear in town than I do with Mountain Hardware or North Face. The people wearing the expensive outdoor gear are the college kids trying to fit in. They couldn't possibly have a good time with the finest equipment for a hike.

I'll just lump all of you guys into one category: slaves to fashion. Next time you see a morbidly obese couple riding ATV's in $2000 worth of equipment, or a blonde ski bunny in another $2000 of gear, you are all slaves to fashion mark my words. People want to look good, get over it. How much did those cowboy boots cost you again??? Oh yea, BUY LOCAL!