The Bee publishes letters from readers across the Gallatin Valley. Letters are edited for length, never for truth, because we wouldn’t know where to start.

The North 19th Parking Situation

I drove into Bozeman on Tuesday to get a specific type of gasket for my tractor. I stopped at the hardware store, but the parking lot was entirely full of people waiting in line to look at a new condo model home. I had to park three blocks away and walk. It is a real shame that people are moving here so fast that I can’t easily find a place to park my truck to fix the things that were here before the people arrived. If everyone could just stay in their own town, I think we’d all have a lot more space for the things that actually matter.

— Gary Pendergast, Belgrade

Regarding the Recent Wind Gusts

I noticed that the newspaper reported last week’s wind as a “breeze.” As someone who has lived here for six years, I feel the need to clarify that a breeze is what you feel on a porch in July. When the wind picks up a patio set from my backyard and deposits it in the middle of the interstate, that is a local weather event. I spent all morning chasing my compost bin down the street while my neighbor just stood there watching. We really should be more careful about how we label the weather, as it sets the wrong expectations for newcomers.

— Susan Weatherly, Livingston

Trail Etiquette and Coffee

I was out on the M Trail this morning with my two dogs, who are very friendly and only jump on people when they are excited. A woman stopped me to complain that they were off-leash, even though I had my coffee in one hand and couldn’t reach their leads anyway. I told her that I’ve lived in the valley since 2018 and I know how the trails work. If she wants a quiet hike without dogs running through her legs, she should probably consider going somewhere less popular. It is getting very difficult to enjoy the outdoors with all these strangers around.

— Jace Miller, Four Corners