Bozeman - the first few days

MONTANA

BOZEMAN, MT

We had a spectacular flight following the mountains all the way from LA to Salt Lake City and then picking up the Rockies to Bozeman. Snow everywhere.

Arrived in the dark three hours later than originally planned. The Bozeman Valley looked pretty with the snow. Steve and Jane met us at the airport and brought us to the house and helped us settled in. They had produced dinner for us to heat up, and left us with a food starter pack.  Alexis and Tom had the house sorted the day before, hot water on, fire wood stacked. 

The house has a lot of electronics and unique structural features to cater for the environment, climatic conditions, and security. Sensors, cameras, on-line comunications, heaters and snow machines to mention a few.

On the first morning Jane left milk on the back of the truck and Cindy passed by with milk too, and to see how we going.

We feel very humbled by all the thoughtfulness and hospitality we have been shown. 

The next morning task one was to get the truck going. 

The truck was frozen with a foot of snow and ice. The tray cover had a big bow in it. Used a rubber axe to free doors and bonnet. The battery was dead flat. Put on a 10 amp fast charge. I had told Craig not to disconnect the battery as it stuffs up the electronics but in the end it was the electronics that drained the battery.  The charger was taking a long time. Steve popped up with a battery booster and got the truck going in a minute flat.  Unpacked the bags and did a quick trip to Costco to buy chow.

Ended the day at Steve and Jane's. Had a soak in their spa with snow all around us. Their house is on a golf course surrounded by trees and a river with views to the Bridger Mountains. Fantastic location. The golf course in the winter is used for cross country skiing, you can't see golf balls in the snow! As we soaked, skiers were zipping past.  Bbq dinner of buffalo burgers, asparagus and salad with air fried pears with almonds and ice cream for desert. 

(In Queenstown in the late 1980s early 90s, when there used to be a lot of snow, one golf club offered night golf using florescent balls. In the daytime they used orange balls. I don't think it will catch on here the snow is so deep you would never find ya balls).

The next day another foot of snow came overnight. 

The Troops

Katie arrived into Bozeman first. Teri was bumped off the same flight from LA because the passport scanner mis-read her passport and  Immigration could not match her Esta visa. She flew onto Dallas(Texas) later in the day, all flights were fully booked, overnighted and caught the Red Eye flight to Bozeman the next day.

Once the girls were both in situ got them straight to work...

Teri and Katie knocked a foot or so of snow off the roof, using a 7 meter pole. They made sure not to snag the exterior heating wires on the roof. Snow blowing and shoveling to clear decks, paths and driveway. It was hard working supervising them but a glass of wine in hand made the task easier...

Getting ready for Yellowstone 

We are heading away for a few days in Yellowstone and Idaho. These adventures require serious preparation. In the back of truck we carry easy fit snow chains, snow shovel, blankets, sleeping bags, rubber ice axe, dunny paper, matches and extra petrol. Every year people are caught out, freezing to death in their cars. Coming home at night getting trapped, sleeping off the booze or simply running out of gas. Hopefully we've got all the gear we need...

We learnt the hard way on our first trip to Montana in 2010 the importance of good food storage for road trips in this climate. On that visit we decided to pack the truck the night before. Frozen meat was put in the eski/icebox and all the vegies and fruit were left on the back seat. By the morning, after we chipped off the ice to get into the truck, we found the vegies were black like canon balls. Burnt with the cold! The meat slightly thawed was okay. Hopefully we've sorted the food storage better this time...