To the people who want to move to Montana to get away from big cities, people and enjoy "nature". (mobile home, buy)

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Oh, I can just feel the love on this thread. Good people, let's give each other a break. I'm essentially an out-of-state vacationer, having retirement/vacation property just across the Idaho border. We're building a small cabin. We're not cutting our trees except for the dead ones. We spend a lot of time every summer in NW MT. Where do I plan to spend my everyday grocery money? Mainly in Heron, MT. I like to think of us as non-obnoxious people, but even the obnoxious ones put money into the MT economy. You guys are blessed/cursed with a state that inspires visions of mythological proportions--and some of those out-of-state dreamers are going to be blend in and become faithful, good-neighbor Montanans of the 21st century. I understand your frustrations, but cut us a little slack--we're not all evil...some of you guys came from elsewhere, too, with a dream...

[Walter Greenspan]

Originally Posted by alizbet

People, God dang it, use birth control.

I agree: just imagine how much better off we would all be if secular-progressive-liberal Leftists did not have children.

[strudel42]

I read Clark Fork Fantast's eloquent and heartfelt post, and I thought, "Aww! Right on!"

Then I read the next post, and I thought, "D'Oh!"

Seriously, though, can't we all just get along? All of us who come to Montana do so out of a genuine love for the state and all it has to offer. Some of us may be a bit misguided; some of us will wash out after a winter or two. That's just life in America! People will move, and move again. But, essentially, we're all on this earth together (Montana is not an island!) and we accomplish nothing by refusing to work together. I don't like to see Montana changing, either, but maybe not all change will be for the worse.

[basiamc]

The more I read these threads, the more reluctant I am to ever tell people where I am coming from. Sad thing is, i'm from Northern California, from a small town- or it was small, before the Bay Area people started pushing their way in. You think you can judge me because of what state I am from? I'm barely an adult; I had no choice to be born here. I wish I could stay, but the small town I live in is becoming less forest and local business, and more yuppie and conspicuous consumption. They're trying to build a Wal-Mart, for goodness' sake.

Look, please judge me on who I am, not where I'm from. Judge me by my actions and words. I think you'll find some out-of-staters fit in quite nicely.

By the way, I'm really looking forward to moving to MT. I promise to be the best citizen I can be.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by basiamc

The more I read these threads, the more reluctant I am to ever tell people where I am coming from. Sad thing is, i'm from Northern California, from a small town- or it was small, before the Bay Area people started pushing their way in. You think you can judge me because of what state I am from? I'm barely an adult; I had no choice to be born here. I wish I could stay, but the small town I live in is becoming less forest and local business, and more yuppie and conspicuous consumption. They're trying to build a Wal-Mart, for goodness' sake.

Look, please judge me on who I am, not where I'm from. Judge me by my actions and words. I think you'll find some out-of-staters fit in quite nicely.

By the way, I'm really looking forward to moving to MT. I promise to be the best citizen I can be.

We came from a small (ish) city in Northern CA to MT years ago. Unfortunately you will be judged thanks to all of the CA problem people that preceded you. Just don't make a big deal of where you're from, don't ever say the kiss of death words "well this is how we did it back in CA" and realize it'll take a bit (at least a year) for long term MT people to warm up to you.

Not because you're from CA (though that doesn't help) but because they're that way with any newbie. After several years you'll understand why CA is judged the way it is and trust me, you'll start doing it too. I never thought that'd be the case but after a couple of summers listening to CA tourists demand this and that, berate how "backwoods" it was because we didn't have this or that convenience or a super mall to hang out in you'll shake your head and wonder how you ever lived there.

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Originally Posted by magoomafoo

Cali was ruined by Californians so they pack up and move to another state so they can ruin that one too.

Yes! They did it to Washington state in the 90s. Turned the Forbes voted, "Most Livable City", (Seattle), in to a nightmare.

WA has many beautiful areas but it is nothing like it used to be. I got out of there to escape the Californians.

[magoomafoo]

Originally Posted by basiamc

The more I read these threads, the more reluctant I am to ever tell people where I am coming from. Sad thing is, i'm from Northern California, from a small town- or it was small, before the Bay Area people started pushing their way in. You think you can judge me because of what state I am from? I'm barely an adult; I had no choice to be born here. I wish I could stay, but the small town I live in is becoming less forest and local business, and more yuppie and conspicuous consumption. They're trying to build a Wal-Mart, for goodness' sake.

Look, please judge me on who I am, not where I'm from. Judge me by my actions and words. I think you'll find some out-of-staters fit in quite nicely.

By the way, I'm really looking forward to moving to MT. I promise to be the best citizen I can be.

What you don't seem to understand is that Montana has "nice" "quiet" small town now but the more people move in, the more likely we are to get a Walmart in those "nice" "quiet" small towns. More people? More of what those people were trying to get away from.

[basiamc]

Originally Posted by magoomafoo

What you don't seem to understand is that Montana has "nice" "quiet" small town now but the more people move in, the more likely we are to get a Walmart in those "nice" "quiet" small towns. More people? More of what those people were trying to get away from.

If you are moving in the wrong kind of people. Obviously, YOU have no choice in the matter, but keep in mind it's a particular 'breed' that does this. I don't want to see chain stores. I don't buy from them already. I vote in elections and I vote with my dollars.

I have been fighting WalMarts' introduction for awhile. While their interest was originally piqued because we're on a 100-mile stretch where there are no WalMarts (our population still isn't all that big, but it's getting there), citizens can and have been successfully fighting the big box stores from settling down in towns. Here, we did it in the 90's. Now, they're back. However, the 'new breed' that has moved in- read, transplants from the Bay Area (seriously)- is all gung-ho about it. They don't want to have to go 20 miles up the freeway to the larger cities that already have a few. Ugh, you have no idea how much my blood boils at this. Anyways, my point is that you CAN prevent the introduction of stores in your community, if you are all opposed to it. Not being united is a failure, not of population size, but of population mentality. That's what you're overrun with.

[basiamc]

Originally Posted by jimj

Not because you're from CA (though that doesn't help) but because they're that way with any newbie. After several years you'll understand why CA is judged the way it is and trust me, you'll start doing it too. I never thought that'd be the case but after a couple of summers listening to CA tourists demand this and that, berate how "backwoods" it was because we didn't have this or that convenience or a super mall to hang out in you'll shake your head and wonder how you ever lived there.

I would never!!!

[ICBM99]

I've been reading the various "Montana Relocation" threads, and while sometimes they can sound a bit harsh regarding the influx of people, I think the reality is that Montana can be and is a bit harsh. Some people believe in a sort of mythical utopia that Montana is perceived to be, but when its not they end up disgruntled or they try to change it to what they want it to be (to some success, which isn't a good thing sometimes). We plan on relocating in the next year or so, but not after a good couple of visits. There are some of us that really try and do some research before moving, and if after our trips Montana isn't what we expected, then we'll try to find somewhere else. My wife and I are currently living in Texas (West Texas, not a wacko from Austin), but we're originally from Alaska, and actually miss the winters, and tire of the excessive heat in the summer. This summer has been particularly bad, we haven't had any rain since November, and the last two weeks have been pushing 100 degrees every day, with no relief in sight.

Our original inspiration for moving was to "get back into nature", and it still partially is. The few friends and family we've told asked us why, and we didn't really have a good answer other than "it's time". Now I think our answer should be "Why not?". We've been married 14 years, and we don't have any kids. Getting out of our home towns in Alaska was the biggest hurdle. We've made a decent enough living here, but don't really have any ties to the area, and want to see more of the States.

Shopping and convenience are not an issue for us our nearest Super Wal-Mart is 2.5 hours drive. And besides I HATE wal-mart. Jobs of course will be a concern, but we're not really too worried about them, we've both worked crappy jobs and enjoyed them, and we've worked higher salary jobs and hated them.

Our hope/plan is to leave Texas next year and travel around a bit (pulling a travel trailer) and camp in various locations around the western states to get a feel for what we like. I know what we enjoyed while we lived in Alaska, but its been over 10 years since we lived there and our likes may have changed. Heck we've even talked about going back there, but to see anything other than Alaska takes a whole lot of time (we prefer to drive places to look around). Alaskans have a big chunk of independence within their souls, and from what I've seen Montanans do too.

We hope to relocate to western Montana, and be good stewards for Montana, but not change things that made Montana great. As I side note the only thing that I would most likely want to change is the closing of the National forests and such, I feel that those were set aside to be used and sustained not locked up behind some glass box. There are virtually no "public" lands in Texas, which drives me crazy! We mostly want to enjoy life and live life before we're unable too.

We hope that in the future you can call us good neighbors too.