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 construction dance
I’ve lived in the valley since 1994, and I’ve seen my share of roadwork, but the current situation on North 19th is a marvel of human endurance. It takes me nearly twenty minutes to get from the interstate to the coffee shop now. I’ve started bringing a book for the commute, which is nice, but I find it curious that we are building more lanes for cars that are all currently parked in a line. If we keep adding pavement at this rate, I suspect we’ll eventually be able to drive from Four Corners to the airport without ever actually moving forward. It’s quite peaceful, really.
— Gary Huckleberry, Belgrade
Too many hats at the Co-op
I am writing to express my mild confusion regarding the recent trend of wearing high-altitude mountaineering gear to buy organic kale. Last Tuesday, I stood behind a gentleman in the checkout line wearing a full down parka and a headlamp. It was sixty-two degrees outside and he was buying a single carton of oat milk. I moved to Bozeman five years ago because I appreciate our rugged, authentic spirit, but I worry we are becoming a bit over-prepared for the walk from the parking lot to the produce aisle. Perhaps we could all agree to leave the ice axes in the truck until we actually reach the M Trail.
— Sarah Jenkins-Smythe, Bozeman
The wind is stealing my recycling
Every Tuesday, I dutifully place my blue bin at the curb, and every Tuesday, the Livingston breeze decides to redistribute my cardboard across three neighboring zip codes. My neighbor, who moved here from California in 2021, asked me if I’d considered a weighted lid. I told him that out here, if it’s not bolted to the bedrock, it’s just a donation to the next county. I found a stack of my mail in a tree near the interstate this morning. I’m not even mad, really; it’s just interesting to see how far a stray Amazon box can travel if it catches the right draft.
— Bill “Buck” Henderson, Livingston