May 14, 2018

It’s sort of funny to me what sticks on this blog versus what doesn’t.  What started out as a fun filler post, has turned into a yearly regular – my Summer bucket list.  We have had temps over 70 degrees lately and it has been dreaming of days spent under the beautiful Montana sun.  So it probably won’t surprise I have been tallying and tracking everything on a Montana Summer bucket list.

Camp in Glacier.

I actually asked for Logan Pass + wildflowers for my birthday this year! We were lucky enough to visit Glacier last year on a paid work trip for me, but this year I want to slow down and enjoy the park. Though I’ll admit my main goal is definitely to see Logan Pass  c o v e r e d  in wildflowers and redeem myself for a project that ultimately failed. (Promise to talk a bit more on this later!)

Bike to work.

Truthfully, I need to just change this “bike more.”

We are lucky enough to live very close to downtown Bozeman and even this weekend biking around we were shocked just how quick of a bike ride it is for us to get all the way across town.  Plus, after our week in Charleston we were reminded just how much better the views are on a bike!

Hike in the Beartooth and Crazy  mountains.

I also want to hike through the Spanish peaks and Tobacco Roots, as well.  But if I had to pick through allllllll of the hiking spots around us the Beartooth and Crazies are definitely what I want to focus on.

Push my comfort zone with photography.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I’m a comfort zone queen.  I  l o v e  being comfortable.  And sometimes it scares me just how ok I am with the daily grind.

So this summer I want to push myself a bit.  Whether that’s actually marketing myself as a photographer (babysteps ya’ll) to photography subjects I typically shy away from – I want to keep growing.  Which typically means getting uncomfortable.

Have at least three paddleboard Friday’s.

We started this tradition at the end of our first summer in Bozeman and I am most excited about this tradition.  We are lucky enough to only live about half an hour from a beautiful reservoir and it’s entirely too easy for us to duck away from the city.  So don’t be surprised when lots of my Instagram stories end up being of me hanging out on a paddle board (no doubt with a can of wine near by!)

 

Hang out on our deck as much as possible.

The longer we live in Bozeman the more I realize how lucky we are to have a second level deck with stunning views of the Bridger Mountains. (Haha yes Bozeman is  l i t e r a l l y  surrounded by mountains in case you are wondering just how many mountain ranges I can name in one post!)

This year I really wanted to create a space on our deck that we would love to hang out on! I’m excited about an upcoming project and to share all the details later, but for now I just want to take remember how lucky we are to have those views. And to enjoy them as much as possible.

Paddleboard the aquamarine lakes near Yellowstone.

This was actually a goal for us last summer, but on our way to the lakes we got lost and ended up an hour and a half North of even more secluded lakes.  Turned out to be a blessing in disguise, but we never got to see the aqua colored Cliff and Wade lakes.

Staycation a bit more.

Anyone else feeling the crunch of a budget?  With moving to Bozeman we definitely gave up the cushy corporate jobs for a bit of dream chasing.  Though nothing is without sacrifice and we have cut our budget down quite a bit, so traveling a lot has taken a back seat.

Still, one thing I always forget is how nice a simple staycation is.  You really don’t need an long flight to recharge and rest.  A simple hour drive to a secluded location seems to do the trick and we are already over here planning a couple.

 

It’s definitely true.  Montana is big sky country and once the good weather hits everyone seems to jumping at every chance to enjoy it.  Whether you are in Montana or not, I would love to hear some of your summer bucket list items??