A Morning In Bozeman MT

A morning in Bozeman MT is peaceful and revitalizing. Having breakfast in the cool, fresh summer air, combined with a clean downtown, do much to refresh your spirit. Summer mornings, here, are refreshing and clear. Eating breakfast outdoors adds to personal renewal.

Every street light along Main Street in Bozeman is decorated with oversized flower pots...and a sign proclaiming, "Life is Downtown."

Bozeman gets it right. Starting the morning with breakfast on the sidewalk outdoors is an easy way to refuel your spirit.

I started my day by walking through the neighborhood, from my AirBnB place, to Nova Cafe on Main Street. I got there about 7:15am, and was the only one seated in the sidewalk dining area.

About 15 minutes later, and older couple came by. They introduced themselves as George and Winnie Hughes. They told me they lived in Scottsdale AZ during the winter, but spent April through October in Montana.

George said, "Most people think we come here to get out of the heat, which is true, but Bozeman is such a restorative place for your spirit.

The sun is warm, the air is cool, and the scenery is beautiful. Winnie are in our late 70's, and we have been doing this for almost 20 years. Being here in Bozeman has helped us both become the best version of ourselves."

Winnie agreed. "We talk about it all the time, how we've gained so much more spiritual depth by coming here. The mountain air is so fresh and clean, plus it is so easy to connect with Nature. 

We used to hike Peet's Mountain a lot, but now, we just prefer spending time in the park behind the library. It is so well-maintained, and so quiet. 

We each take a spiritual book and spend at least an hour reading outside. We touch each other and we pray together, giving thanks that we can experience a place so peaceful and so beautiful."

As they said goodbye, I asked if they could recommend a good spiritual book for me to order. They both pulled out a copy of The One-Minute Gratitude Journal, and told me purchase anything I like, but to make sure I ordered one of these to write in. 

George and Winnie said it had completely refreshed their spirits.

Even though we had talked for a bit, there were barely any cars moving. It would stay like this for about an hour.

Allison brought my breakfast out in a carton, since they do not serve outdoors. You have to order from the Take-Out counter if you wish to sit on the sidewalk.

The Early Bird Special is great...and extremely inexpensive. (It is only offered Monday through Friday, though...7:00am - 9:00am. Breakfast cost me $6.50 for two scrambled eggs, two slices of bacon, sliced tomatoes, and a half-Belgian waffle, and a lot of real butter.)

Yes, I know that 1/2 Belgian Waffle is not Paleo...but I told myself I might need those fast carbs for some hill sprints, later.

I know, pretty lame excuse.

Looking west along Main Street. I was the only one out here for about an hour.

Bozeman mornings are peaceful, quiet, and restorative. This is the perfect place to refresh your spirit.

Taking A Walk On A Quiet Morning In
Bozeman MT

I had spent an hour at breakfast...being thankful for being in Bozeman, and reading a Kindle book from my iPhone...just really being in the moment with the beautiful morning.

I decided, since I was taking a rest day from my CrossFit workout, that I would go on a "recovery walk."

I started by going across the street to checkout the display from BangTail Bike Shop. I love this place. I found it the second day I was in Bozeman. The staff puts a premium on friendliness and customer service. They invited me to come back in the afternoon and watch the Tour de France in the shop.

I really wanted to continue with the quietness of the morning for a few more hours, so I decided to walk through some alleys on the way to Lindley Park/Bozeman Sculpture Park, which is behind the Bozeman Library.

Unique Sights On A Quiet Morning In
Bozeman MT

I saw quite a few unusual things on my walk to the Gallagator Linear Trail.

One of them was this artistically colorful brink wall in the alley behind Nova Cafe.

Another was this vintage-looking wall and plumbing a few blocks down the alley.

Actually, I did not discover this on my own. Two women about my age were also photographing the alley and told me where to find it. (They were shooting with the Canon G7X. I was jealous. Those were nice-looking cameras.)

When we introduced ourselves, we found out we all had a teaching background.

I had retired early, when I was 55, because my district had an amazing "Buy Out" plan. (It was too good to pass up!)

Both of these women taught in Fayetteville AK, and came out West each summer.

Donna Felton, an art teacher, said, "I love being out of the heat, and being in such close proximity to Nature. Bozeman is very healing to me. We run everyday through the park. We read in the park, and we go on hikes outside of town. I always feel like I have a stronger connection to God out here. It's like I cannot get enough of this clean air and silence."

Danica Hilton, who taught Home Ec, nodded. "This place makes me feel so centered. My spirit is calm, and I seem to think more clearly. I'm fortunate to travel with such a wonderful friend. We are both quiet, and we are both committed to working on ourselves to extend more grace. More kindness. It seems like Bozeman brings that out so easily."

I asked them what they were reading, and they told me, The Magic, by Rhonda Byrne. I said I would put that on my list. 

As I continued on, I saw that the MDOT (Montana Dept Of Transportation) storage boxes along Main Street were decorated with different collages.

This one depicted sepia-colored photographs from early-20th Century Bozeman.

While another displayed paintings of vintage cars. I had never seen anything like this. A very novel idea from the Montana Dept Of Transportation.

Extending A Quiet Morning In Bozeman

The Bozeman Library is one of my favorite places in town. Not only is it well-stocked with great books, but it is one of the few libraries in the United States that still has soft, comfortable, over-stuffed chairs.

I spent almost every afternoon in here, doing work on my Internet business to generate more traveling funds. 

Today, though, it was real early and I wanted to continue my quiet walk through the Bozeman Sculpture Park along the Gallagator Trail.

On the left side of the Bozeman Library is the entrance into the west part of Lindley Park, which transitions to the Sculpture Park.

You can see how inviting it is in the freshness of the early morning.

The path is wide and well-paved. You can imagine the quietness in a beautiful place like this. Bozeman MT is one of the most inspiring places in America.

Lindley Park is lush, green, and cool. In the late morning I see a lot of new mothers pushing baby strollers, or playing with toddlers on the soft grass. The lawns are impeccably manicured.

This is a very peaceful place. It is easy to find much to be thankful for, and revitalize your spirit.

The Sculpture Park contains a diverse assortment of creative sculptures. There are also several benches to rest on and enjoy the cool morning breeze.

There is no telling how many hours...and months...of work went into creating this horse sculpture.

The cool mornings are also a time for runners to get in some beautiful miles.

I continued on another few hundred yards, then took a trail into Burke's Park/Peet's Hill. It is a climb that will make you breathe a little hard in the thin air of 5000' elevation.

It only took a few minutes to reach the top. I had a spectacular view to the north side of Bozeman, and the Bridger Mountain Range. I was the only person up here.

It was sunny, cool, and just the hint of a gentle breeze. This was the perfect way to conclude a quiet morning in Bozeman MT.

Author Tommy Ray wanted a life with purpose. He chose to recreate his by traveling and writing about his experiences. You can do it, too! 

Filled with personal insights, inspirational quotes, and photographs.

Go to Refresh My Spirit home from Quiet Morning In Bozeman MT

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