As a traditional American in the post-pandemic world, it’s easy to lose hope in our country and fellow citizens. I’ve spent my whole life in California, the acknowledged liberal capital of the country—if not the world. Although one reads about conservative meccas like Florida and Texas, I wondered how different people truly could be because of the worldwide influence of social media and the internet. I was in for a surprise when I visited Montana for the first time in November 2022 for the week of Thanksgiving.
Our Lodging
For my whole life, my family has spent Thanksgiving at home, with my mother making a turkey and usually my grandmother as our only guest. This year was going to be different, though. As the first year since my grandma’s death and the first autumn in our new home, this holiday season was bound to be different. I was glad when Rebekah’s tour gave us an excuse to make the holiday a totally new experience. We could have stayed in a hotel in Billings, but we decided to make it a true adventure by renting a cabin on Airbnb. To have the full Northwest experience, we booked the Calamity Jane Horse Cache Cabin, which is located about twenty miles outside of Billings in Molt. After all, why not go all the way and have the full Thanksgiving experience? We booked our flight, started packing our warmest clothes, and asked the host to have a turkey there for us.The owner of the Calamity Jane Cache met us by the Chief Joseph Monument, several miles outside of Billings. From the rental’s listing, we understood that the drive to the cabin could be rough, especially in wintery weather, so we made sure to rent a vehicle with all-wheel drive. As the owner David described the steep ascent up slippery rocks alongside steep cliffs, I was very glad we had! The dirt road proved to be akin to a rugged offroad adventure which we would have to repeat on our own many times during the stay, but it wasn’t quite as frightening as David’s warning made me believe. Knowing we are from Southern California, the longtime Montanan probably figured we live in a suburban community fifteen miles from the beach. As of August 2022, he would be right, but before we moved to Fallbrook in North San Diego County, we lived for 13 years in a rustic century-old wooden house in a mountain resort town called Idyllwild. It doesn’t get the heavy snowstorms and below zero temperatures of Montana, but it has steep roads which get icy on the freezing nights after the occasional snowstorm. My father’s years of driving the winding, steep highway up to the 6000-foot Idyllwild helped him navigate the road with confidence.
Our Activities
After Thanksgiving, San Diego Ballet rehearsed with dancers from local studios and the Billings Symphony, which gave us some time to explore the downtown area. After exploring the local stores, we had lunch at Bernie’s Diner, a retro eatery on the bottom floor of the historic Northern Hotel. I sampled huckleberries for the first time and enjoyed the simple Americana cuisine with fresh local ingredients and reasonable prices. I found it refreshing to see them putting up Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving, according to the old tradition, instead of decking the halls before Halloween!My Conclusions
As soon as we arrived in Billings, I knew we weren’t in California anymore. It wasn’t just the hardened snow on the ground or the brisk air. Shopping for Thanksgiving groceries at Albertson’s, I noticed strangers were making eye contact and smiling at me. My retro style makes me stand out anywhere, but Montanans offered warm, friendly smiles and nods instead of the bewildered, blank stares I often get from curious strangers in California. That hospitable spirit was also evident from servers at restaurants, where the service was slower than what we’re used to receiving in the Golden State, but the people were far more amicable.Throughout our stay in Billings, I appreciated seeing families enjoying activities together. It was especially delightful to see polite, well-behaved young children at “The Nutcracker,” enjoying real experiences instead of being glued to electronic devices. I was shocked by how many people were dressed very formally to see the ballet at all three shows. Men wore suits, and the women wore fancy dresses! I’ve found that audiences in California and even New York tend to be very casual at the opera and ballet, except for very young girls, who still enjoy wearing frilly little frocks. Could it be that conservative people still understand the importance of wearing your finest when you go to a special show?
I really enjoyed my visit to Billings, Montana. In our weeklong stay, we just scratched the surface of what this inviting community has to offer. If you’re interested in visiting a beautiful city full of warm, traditional people, I highly recommend Billings. It may just restore your faith in the average American citizen and give you some hope for our country’s future!