Day 5: Bozeman, MT

Woke up early again (4:30a my time) like I have every day this week and got right to work. Productive morning and then I checked out around 10:30a and headed to a local coffee shop to take some client calls in the afternoon and finish the day out.

I spent a little time driving around Billings and I really like it. It's large and spread out yet downtown is very walkable.

Side note: I've noticed that every single city, without exception, has had MAJOR construction projects going on downtown. They must be taking advantage of quieter times with the quarantine.

There is a ridge right beside the city upon which the airport sides and you can drive up a steel slope that hugs the cliff and get a beautiful view of Billings and the valley in which it resides:

Here's the road. It's a lot steeper than it looks.

Then I hit the road. Only 2.5 hours this time - my shortest yet, by a lot.

Within a 10 miles of the city, I saw the Rockies for the first time and they did not disappoint. 

I didn't take a lot of pictures for the next hour but it was some more beautiful countryside with the mountains overlooking everything. 

For the last 45 minutes approaching Bozeman, you cut through a pass between snow-capped mountain ranges and on the final stretch the road brings you right through a gorge with ragged cliff faces looking down on you.

Finally, I pulled into Bozeman. I had never heard of it but our agency had clients there last year and a few coworkers went and raved about it. It's a thriving, vibing, buzzing mountain town with a great downtown. I only saw bits and pieces today when I got dinner at Montana Ale Works. Looking forward to exploring downtown more.

I believe this is as far west as I'll go on this trip, unless something changes.

I'm staying at an AirBnB here for the next 3 nights. It's a spare bedroom in a house a really nice young family who've been very accommodating.

Looking forward to not having to drive tomorrow.