Big Sky Montana, July 2020

Our Cabin

This was a duplex cabin but we never heard the neighbors. There is a back deck with a trail which people would hike and bike down.

Rafting

We rafted in the Gallatin River Basin with Geyser Whitewater Expeditions and loved the trip. This company also has options for biking, fishing, etc. and they were professional and friendly.

Big Sky Park

Summer Vacay, July 2020

I haven’t written a blog in awhile for two reasons: (1) I had to drop it to keep the rest of my life rolling, and (2) since I’m in seminary pursuing my Masters in Divinity, I felt overwhelmed to produce content for the blog along with content for my classes. So, something had to give.

However, two things motivated me to start again: (1) our recent pandemic and (2) my need to clean off my computer. I’ve been sifting through files and photos and realized I’ve been on a lot of trips and adventures, so I thought I would share some of my favorite memories, hoping to be a voice hope and fun in your life.

Usually our family spends all summer serving churches with our Crossroads Summer Camps for middle and high school students. However, the invasion of COVID19 meant we had to cancel traditional camp and provide an online experience for students instead called Crossroads Hometowns. It is mid July and we have already served 17,000 (plus) people so far. Soo….we had the summer off, and since we didn’t want to spend it all in quarantine, we decided to head to Yellowstone in Big Sky Montana.

Big Sky, Montana

The goal of this vacay was to see Yellowstone without contracting COVID so I was hesitant to stay in a hotel because of too much proximity to people and needing to eat out. Lodging in the park was limited and there were few food options, so we checked on hotels outside the park. In the end, we decided to stay about 1 hour outside the park in Big Sky because the prices were comparable to the hotels, the environment felt safer, and we could save money cooking. We rented a ski resort cabin called Moonlight Basin through a super nice company called Natural Retreats (they gave us a great deal because we asked). We loved it because it felt like the home and provided a place to cook instead of searching for open and accessible. (We flew into Boseman (1.5 hrs from Big Sky and rented a car.)

Outdoor wonderland.

Montana is simply an outdoor wonderland. The people take care of their land and love to play in it. There are so many outdoor adventures in Big Sky, but we decided to raft, which took me back to my younger days when I was a rafting guide in NC. This river is family friendly, being a little trickier than the Nantahala River in NC, but definitely not on the level of the Ocoee in GA and certainly not the Colorado River. Our guide asked our boys if they were up for some adventure, and when they said yes, he felt free to strategically bump a rock and let them take a swim. This gave Clayton and I a chance to save their lives, which we can always hold over their heads ;) The scenery during our ride was unbeatable, and we bonded with the other couple in our raft from India by sharing travel stories of India, Greece, Italy, etc. (The river is cold, but the boys were fine in shorts and the splash shirt they provided. I rented a wet suit for $7 but might have been fine without it in July.)

Food

We didn’t eat out much in Big Sky because we were trying to save money by purchasing groceries. If this is your goal as well, then I advise purchasing your groceries in a bigger city (like Bozeman). Don’t get me wrong, Big Sky has a super-fresh grocery with lots of options (like a hometown Whole Foods) called Roxy’s Market, but it is pricey. We did pick up some quality odds and ends here.

As far as restaurants, because of the COVID, we only ate out once at a scrumptious restaurant called Lotus Pad! Each meal is made when ordered so they are hot and fresh coming to the table. I ate the Yellow Curry dish with Chicken and the flavors were authentic and distinct. My tastebuds felt like they were traveling back in time to my trip to Thailand (I actually took some home and ate it for two more meals.) Clayton and JoJo got the Pad Thai which was “rich, fulfilling, tasty and mildly spicy” according to my husband. Jacob got Crying Tiger, which was definitely spicy, but had a sweet flavor at the same time. He LOVED it, but also took it home for another meal. The portions are big. I would return to this restaurant for sure!

Big Sky Town Center

Because of COVID, the downtown area was not lively, but being just 10 minutes from our cabin, I know we would have enjoyed this area if open. There are so many restaurants, trendy shops, ice cream, etc… And across the road, there is a park with soccer fields, basketball, a rock climbing area, disc golf, a trail by the river for walking or biking, a golf course, and so much more! I think Big Sky is one of the dreamiest family vacation areas I’ve ever been. There’s so much to see and do.

Next time on the blog, I will talk about our time in Yellowstone National Park! See you then- Sharie.