“There’s a feeling I get when I look to the West. And my spirit is crying for leaving“
That’s a lyric from the song “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. Widely considered to be one of the greatest rocks songs ever written.
Leave it behind. Run to nature. Run to the wild. Return to Spirit.
For anyone who loves open wilderness and wide, wild space—those lyrics ring true.
When I first landed in Bozeman, I had no idea how fast the place would get under my skin. Sure, I’d lived in Jackson Hole as a younger man, but Montana felt different. Still does.
There’s a stubbornness there—a quiet refusal to bend or break.
Whether native or transplant, Montana asks you to stand firm in your space and time.
Be authentically yourself.
Don’t conform to the expectations or demands of others. Give others the space to do the same. You either get that or you don’t.
Most folks blow into BZN, rent a car for Yellowstone, or take the shuttle straight to Big Sky Resort—never catching the vibe under the surface.
But it’s here.
The culture hits you sideways. Like the way people ask, “What fun thing are you doing today?”
It sounds simple. But it’s not. It’s an open-ended invitation to live. Not “How are you?”—which is just small talk.
No, in Bozeman, they expect you to actually do something worth talking about. At first, you scramble for an answer.
But soon enough, you start planning your day differently. Even if it’s just a hike up the “M” or a roll up Drinking Horse Mountain.
You start to prioritize everyday adventure, happiness and joy.
That spirit—the chase, the wonder, the grit—it’s why Bozeman draws so many digital nomads, creatives, and seekers.
People aren’t just here to work remotely. They’re chasing something real.
Something American.
Because looking West has always been part of who we are. We’re wired to move, to push, to test the edge of what’s possible – “rails on edge“.
Our country was born of people who left the known in search of something freer. Some stayed in the East.
Others couldn’t. They looked West—across rivers, mountains, and eventually the big sky.
That’s why the U.S. put a man on the moon. That’s why the world’s top tech companies are rooted here. That pull to go further, push farther and discover new frontiers. It’s in our blood.
It’s been a hard week for me in Maine. Maine is home too—always will be.
But Tuesday, I fly from Portland to Bozeman. Back to the West. Back to something I can’t quite explain, but feel deep in my bones.
The West calls me out and East pulls me back.
They always will.
