There and back again

I went back to Bozeman this past weekend for Beth's wedding. It was awesome. The weather was perfect. The setting was gorgeous. I was among good friends. Who could ask for anything more? This first picture is my absolute favorite photo from the weekend. Congratulations Beth & Aaron.

They got married in Big Sky, Montana (about 40 miles south of Bozeman) at the Soldier's Chapel. Take a look.

It's a beautiful old church that sits along Highway 191. The mountain in the back is Lone Peak...the bulk of Big Sky Ski Resort. You walk into the chapel and the view looks like this:

I've been to several weddings and this one was right near the top in terms of how beautiful it was. The reception was just down the road at Buck's T-4 Lodge. The food was good (including my 3 pieces of wedding cake) and the company was better. Suffice it to say....I had a very good time.

While Beth was preparing for her wedding, one of my other Bozeman news buddies (and Beth's co-worker) was preparing to say goodbye. Although we worked at different stations, my friend Alyson and I started in Bozeman at about the same time. Now, she's moving on. This was Friday night in the studio as her station aired a goodbye segment for her.

And this is Alyson and I dancing the night away at the wedding reception.

Good luck Alyson. I feel a little better now knowing I'm not the only one that's moved on from Bozeman.

That, of course, brings up a good point. This was first time back in Montana since I took the new job. I'm a pretty nostalgic guy. You'll often find me reflecting on the good times in life I've already experienced. It's no secret that many of those good times took place in Montana. I was a little unsure of how I'd react....in light of the skeptical nature I still have for Boise. But it was fine.

Just over two years ago, I was in the same position. I was returning to Glacier for the first time since getting my job in Bozeman. This is what I said about that experience:

"So I was a little nervous to go back. I expected something heart-wrenching. It didn't happen. I stared out over the waters of Swiftcurrent Lake and smiled. I was happy to be back. But something was different. I felt like a bit of an outsider. Normally that would dismay me. Glacier is "my park" after all. But then my intuition spoke loud and clear. "You feel like an outsider because you don't belong here. You've moved on."


I felt the exact same thing in Bozeman. It's funny how you simply have to go back to a place you once called home...to realize it's not home anymore. This is an extremely nerdy reference but does anyone remember what Frodo Baggins said at the end of "The Lord of the Rings?" In the movie, he says, "How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand there is no going back."


That resonates with me quite a bit. How do you go on? I think the answer is to embrace where you've gone or where you're going. I took a big step in doing that this weekend. I decided to take the scenic route home. I drove from Bozeman west to Butte and then southwest to the Big Hole Valley. It's an extremely remote part of southwest Montana. Then I crossed into Idaho and headed towards Salmon, Challis, Stanley, Idaho City, and finally to Boise. I've got one word to describe the drive. Wow! Truth be told, the Boise area is not the prettiest part of Idaho. I realized that soon after I arrived. Unfortunately, I think I let it color my opinion of Idaho as a whole. Not anymore. There are so many parts of this state that are simply stunning. Now I just need to get out and explore.


It was a good weekend. I saw old friends and discovered new places. It was the best of both worlds.