Northern Exposer: Bozeman, MT

Driving north from Jackson Hole up towards Bozeman, MT I got a nice view of rural Idaho. Along the other side of the Tetons, and thru the Targhee National Forest, are vast fields of golden wheat. I know we all think of Idaho as potato land, but they also grow a fair amount of wheat as I learned. The road from Teton National Park to Bozeman (Highway 20) is a winding two lane back road. Be sure you have a full tank of gas before you leave Teton because you’ll not find another gas station for hours. You’ll drive by beautiful lakes, abandoned grain silos, wind mills, and lots of farms. This is an area of our nation that you won’t want to hurry thru. Pack an ice chest of drinks, some apples, and goldfish crackers and enjoy the ride.

I arrived in Bozeman after a 5 hour drive exhausted and “hangry”. I was excited to note as I drove into town the Montana Distillery and just a wee bit down the road a lovely looking local pottery shop. I made a mental note to return to both the next day. I had done a little research before I left on Bozeman and learned that it is the home to Montana State University. It’s a fairly flat landscape surrounded by mountains in the distance. Montana State is the land grant university and as such is more of the agricultural school. The laid-back atmosphere of this town plays right in to that.

I got to my hotel which happened to be right off Hwy 90. Although GPS took me a back way, it wound up being very conveniently located. The Holiday Inn Express was very clean and the desk staff was prompt and helpful. It was located next to several nice chain restaurants and was within walking distance to a Target…which is always helpful when you realize you have no contact solution or need some snacks for the road/room.

Downtown Bozeman is where it’s at. This college town has one of the cutest Main Street/Downtown areas I’ve seen. They are not want for eateries and cute looking shops. Normally this is where I would post the link for the local CVB or Main Street websites but both of those are sub-par and do not do this area of town justice. My advice, if you’re headed to Bozeman…just find your way to Main Street and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

I happened to meet a client for lunch at Nova Café on Main. This place is adorable and known city-wide for their breakfast and legendary waffles. So when in Rome…eat the waffles. Service was friendly and prompt. Restaurant was clean and bright.

After that it was on to my next appointment at the Gallatin County Fair. Yes, my client wanted to meet at the county fair. Mind you, I haven’t been to a county fair in ages and this one did not disappoint. When I travel I always look for local festivals or concerts. It’s a good way to get a feel for the community. However, I’ll admit, I have never attended a county fair outside of Arkansas and Oklahoma.

When you think of county fairs or see the movie industry ideal of what a fair should be…this is it. There were barns full of young children showing prize chickens, rabbits, goats, and pigs as well as arenas full of teenagers prepping their livestock for show. There were sticky little toddlers with clouds of cotton candy on paper cones and cowboys strolling about with meat on a stick. This is a fair where people come more for the 4-H exhibits and less for the carnival rides.

After that it was off to the Rough Stock Distillery for some birthday shopping for my brothers. As I mentioned earlier, this is right on your way into Bozeman. It’s a large distillery and tasting room with plenty of parking. I happened to walk in during a down time and was greeted very politely. I asked my host about the whiskeys and bourbons and he was very knowledgeable about the process and the differences between both. Before purchasing my presents, I asked to do a tasting and was poured two very generous “samples”. Perhaps it was because it was a slow day, or perhaps he knew he was already making a sale…but my tasting was free. I highly suggest, when doing tastings, that you find out where the price break is for the tasting fee. Many wineries, breweries and distilleries will comp your tasting fee when they know you will be making a purchase. And let’s be honest…who walks out of a tasting room without at least ONE bottle?

Next it was down the street to the Montana Arts Pottery shop. This shop is housed in a very small residential looking home. There is a small gravel parking lot in front of the small front yard. Scattered in the yard a bistro tables for people to sit and enjoy a café sandwich, salad, or a variety of baked goods served from within the store. Thru the screen door you’re greeted by the scent of baking pastries and the sounds of very busy people. One side of the store is dedicated to the pottery and the other is home to several small tables and chairs for dining. The pottery is beautiful, well-made and can be shipped directly from the store to your home.

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