# Ask The Guy From Montana **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 19, 2002, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717 "2002-12-19T02:09:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/21 "2002-12-19T05:21:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whistlepig \* > \*\*]How come you pronounce Absaroka in that wierd [sic] way? > > You mean, “Ab-sork-ee” or “Ab-sork-ah”? > > It’s different pronunciations of an Indian name. I live in the “Apsaruke” dorm in college. > \*\* I always heard it pronounced as “Ab-zork-ee, Mon-tan-ah” I moved away from Bozeman last year. I liked it there, but there are not many jobs in most fields–you really have to want to live there (or like to ski) to stay there. A couple factoids: Most popular cars (accord to my astute observations) in Bozeman: likely, Subaru Outbacks. Number of full service gas stations in Winnett, county seat of Rhode Island-sized **Petroleum** county: 0. Butte is a pretty ugly city, but it has a lot of character. Of the larger towns, I liked Helena, Missoula, and Bozeman the best due to the scenery in which they are situated. Bad Place to be during a nuclear war: Great Falls. Good Place: West Yellowstone. and **Derleth** , I liked Havre (or at least driving through it, maybe living there I wouldn’t). All those little towns up that way like Kremlin and Chinook that are dwarfed by the horizons remind me of just how big, Big Sky country is. ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/22 "2002-12-19T06:19:58Z")
Holy Cow! As long as I’ve been lurking here, how the heck is it that I’ve missed two native posters until today! Good grief! But hello anyways!! 😃 Syl ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/23 "2002-12-19T06:33:37Z")
BTW, my mother lives in Absarokee (Ab-zor-kee) which is over next to the Absaroka (Ab-SOAR-kah)mountain range. (Excellent hunting and fishing!!) The pronunciation makes for a good way to tell the natives from the tourists… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Flowerchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@Flowerchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flowerchild)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/24 "2002-12-19T07:02:27Z")
Did you know the place where they filmed “Frontier House”? I love that show. ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/25 "2002-12-19T07:30:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Caught@Work \* > \*\*Where is Montana? > What is it famous for? > How do you pronounce Montana? > This from an Aussie guy who has no idea where y’all are from. \*\* Canada. but a little south in the middle ("Just a little bit soouuth of Saaskaatoom’) Cows, government rebels, skiing Rhymes with Con-Ten-Uh We know you Aussies and like yuh. Montana has a couple of exchange programs with cattle farmers in Australia. My mother knew and corresponds with a woman who is on a station around Alice Springs and spent a year on a ranch in eastern Montana (Baker). I meet a couple of Aussies a year who work on cattle or sheep ranches in Montana. Our beer tastes like piss, but any Aussie and any Montanan will drink beer together and have a good time. ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/26 "2002-12-19T07:34:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Flowerchild \* > \*\*Did you know the place where they filmed “Frontier House”? I love that show. \*\* Yep, go south of Big Timber and 10 miles west. But it’s all private land. And we (Montanan’s) thought that show was about as interesting as New Yorker’s would like watching hicks learn how to ride the subway. What they did for sport, our grandparents did to survive. Big freaking whoop. ---
**Author:** ![Flowerchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@Flowerchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flowerchild)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/27 "2002-12-19T07:47:06Z")
Actually, I dont think they got paid or anything, they called it an “Experiment”, like they did it just to see if the could survive. If so, the Clunes should have gotten kicked out, they cheated on more than one occasion. Like you said, your grandparents couldnt walj to the next town to go to winn dixie and watch tv like the Clunes did. ---
**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/28 "2002-12-19T10:53:03Z")
Ever read Jonathan Raban’s _Bad Land_? Reasonable historical assessment of the homesteaders or just a know-nuthin’ Brit’s take on things? ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/29 "2002-12-19T11:54:05Z")
I grew up in Great Falls till I was 13, then moved to California till I graduated High School. Then I moved to the flyspeck that is Choteau for a year. I’m back in Cali, and happy as hell. I retrieved my girl from Bozeman about 1.5 years ago, and so far she’s pretty happy as well. We may be headed back to Montana in July for a wedding. Any chance of putting together a Montana-Dope? ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/30 "2002-12-19T14:58:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by manwithaplan \* > \*\*Ever read Jonathan Raban’s _Bad Land_? Reasonable historical assessment of the homesteaders or just a know-nuthin’ Brit’s take on things? \*\* Sorry, I haven’t. But I will check it out since I grew up in the the badlands. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/31 "2002-12-19T16:22:32Z")
If you could tie Montana to a device that drags, where in the world would you drag it to? What do you think of people naming their babies after your state? For instance, if people started calling their kids New South Wales, I’d be a little concerned. Satan gets abducted by Montanans. What happens next? If you could have had anyone to babysit you as a child, who would it be? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/32 "2002-12-19T16:49:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gex gex \* > **If you could tie Montana to a device that drags, where in the world would you drag it to?** IMHO, nowhere. I like this part of the world, despite the killing cold in the winter and the killing heat in the summer. I like the fact that it does snow around here (when it isn’t too dry… ) and that we’re rural enough to avoid traffic problems throughout most of the state (plenty of exceptions in the big cities, though (goddamned Missoula drivers… ;))). > [@](#): > > **What do you think of people naming their babies after your state? For instance, if people started calling their kids New South Wales, I’d be a little concerned.** I think Montana is a pretty name, but Montanans by and large are a live-and-let-live group. We don’t really care what you do as long as it doesn’t hurt us. That’s why Ted the Unabomber (can’t spell his last name, won’t try) was able to hide out in his little 8\*10 cabin for so long: Montana has always been the last refuge for those who just can’t hack it anywhere more civilized. > [@](#): > > **Satan gets abducted by Montanans. What happens next?** We smear him with honey and take him to Glacier. He’d make really good bear food. 🙂 > [@](#): > > \*\*If you could have had anyone to babysit you as a child, who would it be? \*\* Eh, how is this related to Montana? It’s a pretty odd question anyway… You wanna get this one, **whistlepig**? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/33 "2002-12-19T16:54:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Caught@Work \* > **Where is Montana?** Halfway to nowhere. > [@](#): > > **What is it famous for?** Pipe bombs and extreme-right milita groups. Oh, some of us hunt and fish, too. > [@](#): > > **How do you pronounce Montana?** mon-TANN-uh > [@](#): > > \*\*This from an Aussie guy who has no idea where y’all are from. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/34 "2002-12-19T17:21:26Z")
When I was a kid, my family used to backpack in a wilderness near Red Lodge. I loved the place. I wan’t to go back. I have no idea what it was called. It had a bunch of lakes that went by numbers instead of names. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/35 "2002-12-19T17:45:50Z")
Scratch the numbered lakes part, I just remembered that the numbered lakes are in the Rawah wilderness in CO. Red Lodge had the largest grasshoppers this midwestern boy has ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/36 "2002-12-19T18:59:46Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by gex gex If you could tie Montana to a device that drags, where in the world would you drag it to? Canada. What do you think of people naming their babies after your state? For instance, if people started calling their kids New South Wales, I’d be a little concerned. It’s stupid. You need to find other things to be concerned about. Satan gets abducted by Montanans. What happens next? We buy him a drink and swap stories about his sister, my ex-wife. If you could have had anyone to babysit you as a child, who would it be? Once upon a time I would have said PeeWee Herman, but I don’t think that’s safe anymore. I’d have to go with either Anna Nicole Smith or a dead guy. ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/37 "2002-12-19T19:03:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NurseCarmen \* > \*\*When I was a kid, my family used to backpack in a wilderness near Red Lodge. I loved the place. I wan’t to go back. I have no idea what it was called. It had a bunch of lakes that went by numbers instead of names. Any thoughts? \*\* Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. I’ve done many trips in there. And there’s a glaicer which contains ancient, frozen grasshoppers. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/38 "2002-12-19T19:07:02Z")
Do you still have no speed limits? How fast do people drive the long open stretches on the interstate? ---
**Author:** ![jessicala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@jessicala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jessicala)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/39 "2002-12-19T19:10:51Z")
Cat or Griz? Any snow in the Bozeman area yet? Last weekend my mom said they still didn’t have any. I miss Montana. I grew up there but had to move out here to work. We’re planning on moving back there in another 5 or 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717/40 "2002-12-19T20:10:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whistlepig \* > \*\*Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. I’ve done many trips in there. And there’s a glaicer which contains ancient, frozen grasshoppers. \*\* Absa-f\*cking-lutely! Man, that named jumped out at me as soon as I saw it! Is is still relatively uncrowded? Back in the 70’s, if you saw more than one group of people on the trail a day, it was a “traffic jam”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-from-montana/143717.md?page=3)