Montana Woodworkers (Bitterroot, Mission, Flathead Valleys)

[Douglas Clark]

Hi all... haven't been on the forum for a while due to moving to Montana a few months ago. Now that I'm in Montana and starting to settle in I'm looking to meet some fellow woodworkers. Right now, all of my shop equipment is still in storage in CA and I've been suffering withdrawals; however, I'm lucky to have a friend here in the Mission Valley, another Creeker, who is graciously letting me use his shop to do my latest project. In the meantime, I'm also looking around for opportunities to learn, exchange services, or even job opportunities. For instance, with my friend in Mission Valley, I've been putting some of his past projects into SketchUp models and plans.

Anyhow, Although I'm not a total newb to shop work, I still consider myself a relative beginner to Fine Woodworking; so, I'm looking for any opportunity to fellowship with, learn from, work with anybody out there who likes to meet fellow enthusiasts and show off their work.

And, for now, cheers and happy St. Patricks day! :D

[Larry Edgerton]

Guess you are out of luck, but I am sure there are some.

I used to live in Kalispell and went to school in Missoula. You are in a nice area.

I almost bought a hotel in Lincoln a couple of years ago, but the pine beetle infestation scared me off. Lincoln would be kind of ugly with no trees. I may regret not making the move, but it was an all or nothing move, and I chickened out.

Don't make too much of being from California if you want to make friends of the natives. There is a lot of bad blood there from when it became popular for the Hollywood types to buy up large tracts and fence them off.

Larry

[Douglas Clark]

Thanks for the response Larry. I'll keep looking, because I do love meeting new people and I love opportunities to do projects.

You know, a lot of folks gave the whole "don't admit that you're from California" thing when I spent a couple of years in Washington (state) in the late 90s for a couple of years. But then I got there and found out it didn't matter because it seemed like most of the people I met weren't originally from Washington themselves. I'm finding the same thing here, especially in the Missoula area, which ironically has a lot of the exact type of folks I wasn't too fond of in California (thanks mostly to the UM, of which my in-laws are all proud graduates). But even when I do run into a "true Montanan" I've got no shame in admitting where I'm from. I'm a fifth generation Central Valley Californian (my great-great grandfather was born in California in 1872 after his own father moved shortly following the Civil War) and I'm as proud of my heritage as most multi-generation Montanans are of theirs. However, I am also from the more rural and VERY agricultural Central Valley (the "fly-over" part of the state). Consequently, I'm not terribly fond of Hollywood or Bay Area "types" either. Which is part of why I'm "from" there...and far from there, for that matter. you think Montanans dislike Hollywood types, you oughta hear how some Central Californians feel about them!:mad: And finally, alas, I'm young and not rich, so I'm generally not the type that the angry Montanans tend to focus their anger at.

I should also note out that my wife's family has been in the Mission Valley for about 4+ generations, too. It's a heritage I married into so that makes it easier. Besides, I got my died-in-the-wool Montanan wife not only to fall in love with California in the eight years she lived there, but I got her to the point where she's proud to admit it... mostly... in safe company... where she doesn't have to admit it to a whole group of fellow Montanans all at one time. In short, she'll defend vigorously when needed and you don't wanna get my Montana Momma Grizzly mad at you by picking on her husband or his home state! :eek::D

Anyhow...now that I've been fairly open and honest in my opinions (although hopefully not too abrupt :o), hopefully I haven't scared anyone away. I'm really not as petulant as I probably just sounded; but what can I say, while I love Montana, I'm passionate and proud of my Central Valley heritage, too. I guess I've always taken it as a personal responsibility to explain to people that California isn't all surfing, Hollywood and Silicon Valley. California still has (at least for now) one of the largest agricultural economies in the US, if not the largest... and that should continue to be true for sometime; that is, unless certain other types of Californians don't finally succeed in killing of that part of the economy for good simply because they don't care, understand or appreciate it. Regardless... in the meantime, my young family and I will enjoy Montana and getting to know this side of the family and their Montana heritage and traditions a little better.

[Larry Edgerton]

Douglas

It was not my position, but because I ran into the same thing because I was a "flatlander" I thought I would mention it. Missoula, and for that matter Kalispell are a lot more liberal than some of the outlying areas. Kalispell was a Hippy destination back in the 70's, and well, thats how I ended up there.

But just two years ago I was in a dicey situation in some small town out in the plains when I was wandering around, because I had "Flatlander" plates. When I was looking into buying that hotel in Lincoln I heard more than once, " At least you are not from California"

I did not say you should be ashamed of being from California, but the reality is there may be situations that come up where that may be information best kept unknown.

I love Montana myself, and if I didn't have such a nice business built up here I would be there now, but I am getting older and starting over again is getting a little more intimidating. Northern Michigan is great, but its gettin a bit crowded. Miss the Bob Marshall.....

In the mean time there are a lot of woodworkers here......

Larry