Thank You, Bozeman and Missoula

Less than twenty-four hours after my last post, about Summit to Shore not receiving any visits from Montana and South Dakota, Google Analytics recorded two visitors to Summit to Shore from Montana. One visit was from Bozeman and the other from Missoula. Thank you, visitors from Missoula and Bozeman. I know nothing of your identity, but thank you nevertheless.

In yesterday’s original post I wrote that I had never been to Montana or South Dakota. My wife later reminded me that we had indeed flown into Billings, Montana, the state’s largest city, several years ago. We arrived in the morning and left that evening. Now that my memory has been jump started I remember the day being sunny and mild and our visit pleasant.

Missoula is the second largest city in Montana and the state’s largest media market. A bing search revealed what looks to be an outstanding outfitters in Missoula, Traili Head, Missoula MT! Check it out. There is at least one Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Congregation in Missoula, fpc missoula, with a pretty neat website. If I ever make it to Missoula, I will be sure to visit both.

Bozeman is the state’s fifth largest city. It is two hours north of Yellowstone and home of the H20 Kayak School and Barrel Mountaineering. Bozeman. like Missoula, hosts at least one Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Congregation, First Presbyterian Church, which has its own 10 acre wilderness camp! I think I am ready to visit Bozeman in the flesh.

In the meantime, I am still waiting for the first visitor to Summit to Shore from South Dakota and hope they will leave a comment.

Hello Montana and South Dakota, Is Anybody There?

Less than a month away from its first anniversary, Summit to Shore has logged visitors from 52 countries but only forty-eight states. To date not a single person has logged on from or within Montana or South Dakota. What Gives?

Since no one from Montana has visited Summit to Shore, I decided to visit some sites in Montana. A Bing search returned the official state site, and after a few hot links I discovered that Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer has been very busy releasing “Flag Proclamations.” A google search returned a list of sites primarily related to outdoor recreation, especially fly fishing. A blogcatalog search returned a blog related to Montana Real Estate and one devoted to Hannah Montana.

Likewise, a bing search for South Dakota also returned the official state site. Glancing at the official site I did not see a single mention of Governor Mike Rounds making any proclamations about flags but I did learn that South Dakota is changing the types of documents required to get or renew a driver’s license. A google search returned official and unofficial tourism sites. Blogcatalog returned mostly political opinion blogs.

The truth is I have never personally visited either South Dakota or Montana, though I would like to visit both. Montana offers some excellent mountaineering and there is some outstanding rock climbing in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I could also kayak on one or more of the many lakes of South Dakota and enjoy white water boating in Montana.

OK South Dakota and Montana, I visited web sites and blogs in and about your states. Won’t someone there please visit Summit to Shore and leave a comment?