Need a place to stay in Browning (Cut Bank, East Glacier Park Village: real estate, rentals)

[ScottyDM]

Help! I'm a poor, out of work, college student from Colorado who will be taking a couple of summer classes from the Blackfeet Community College in Browning. Money is very tight and I cannot even afford the hostel in East Glacier Village ($36.50/night). Besides, I want to be in, or at least very near, Browning. Heck, even Starr School is good. East Glacier Park Village is a bit further afield than I wanted to be.

I'll be in Browning late June 16th or early June 17th. And I'll stay about 3 1/2 weeks as I want to stay over for North American Indian Days.

I'll be in Browning to study, do some research, and possibly a little pre-arranged side job. I'm not looking for the tourist experience, but I do want to get out on the weekends. I'm 56 years-old, married (although I'll be alone), I'm housebroken , and I'm quiet. I can afford a few hundred $$, but not too much. I need a quiet place to lay my head at night and to clean up. Although I expect to feed myself, I would consider a some-meals-included deal. I assume there's a laundry mat somewhere in Browning and I can get my Internet at the library or the college.

Thanks a million!

S~

[Reziac]

Isn't there a motel in Browning? maybe weekly rates? How about local families who'd rent you a room?

What are you studying? I didn't realise the community college had gotten big enough to attract out of state students.

[ScottyDM]

Thanks. I appreciate the comment.


Yes there are motels in Browning, but I'm a poor starving student. Classes will be for 15 days, starting Friday June 17th. Plus I want to explore, see the reservation, and talk to the people for a few days after. Finally I want to experience North American Indian Days. So I want to be there about 3 1/2 weeks total. There's no way I can afford $500 per week. I could afford $500 for the 3 1/2 weeks though.

I don't know any local families in Browning. I'd love to meet some.

My interest is in the reservation itself, the modern Blackfeet people, and how their history impacts them today.

I'm writing a novel, which mostly takes place on the reservation and is set in the early 21st century. I've chosen the Blackfeet reservation and people because of the perfect combination of many factors. I've done a bunch of research on the Blackfeet, but now feel the need to go there and get to know some of them, walk their land, and breath their air. Reading books, watching vids on YouTube, and studying Google Maps has kinda run its course. The bulk of my novel takes place during July and August, and is set in Browning, points west, and up near Chief Mountain.

Although my novel is for entertainment, I want to write something a Blackfeet person would recognize as within the realm of plausibility.


I talked to a real estate agent yesterday. Basically, no rentals in Browning. But he encouraged me to look for rentals in Cut Bank. There seems to be a few suitable properties there. Now the challenge will be to convince a landlord to take a one-month rental at only a slightly inflated rate.

However, I'd much rather be in Browning.


Plan B is to blow off the college courses and get a hotel in Browning for North American Indian Days, as I have several scenes set at NAID. I could possibly return for a week in mid August. If I'm lucky I'll have a bit more money by August. NAID is only once a year.


If I'm going to do plan A, I have to pack and leave in one week. I'm getting a touch anxious.

[Reziac]

Well, why not do it right and live in a tent (modern teepee)?? Surely there's a vacant lot somewhere in town that won't mind a temporary camper.

Seriously, seems to me what you really want is hostel space in someone's home, to share space rather than rent space, so you're really with the people. Doesn't the college have a list of people with rooms for rent? Whatever does duty for Student Affairs should know something about that. How about people your professor knows? I'd be surprised if you can't find someone who'd be glad to help.

BTW I also write -- space-opera type SF, not contemporary, tho here's a bit of fiction I coughed up about Browning from my memories of the town, would be interesting to hear how it compares today:
https://www.city-data.com/forum/8656748-post111.html

[ScottyDM]

I ran into a nasty wrinkle on Monday. I'm signed up for some online classes at PPCC and one of them is Photoshop CS5. I have that program, but it only runs on my desktop. My notebook is too old (wrong CPU and wrong O.S.). While I might be able to use a computer at BCC to do my homework for PPCC, a safer bet would be to either rent a newer notebook ($125 and up) or tote my desktop along for the trip. Thus, camping is out of the question. BTW, renting a teepee is $60 per day, but I believe that's for the whole teepee, not per person.

Sharing a space with a Blackfeet family would be awesome! And I'm sure an extra $500 would help them out as well.

I talked with Deana at BCC earlier today. I was hoping to trade a redesign of their website, and training of their staff on how to maintain it, for my tuition ($475). Because of some recent changes in management at BCC she said it may take a week for them to make a decision on my website redesign offer.

So plan B is looking better and better. Go to NAID the weekend after the Fourth and talk to the BCC management in person (they still need a website) then. I could return mid August when I'm between summer and fall semesters, and able to travel light. I can do the staff training and further my research then.


Ahhh yes, your post. I'd read that a few days ago, along with your later post near the end of the thread. You're a rascal, and I like that.

[Keim]

I drove through Browning last summer, Reziac. Your imagining of it seems a bit too optimistic. I remember thinking it looked like a 3rd world country.

Black Foot Community College looked well kept, the rest just looked VERY run down.

You imagined a McDonalds, for instance. I don't recall seeing ANY national chains.

Originally Posted by Reziac

Well, why not do it right and live in a tent (modern teepee)?? Surely there's a vacant lot somewhere in town that won't mind a temporary camper.

Seriously, seems to me what you really want is hostel space in someone's home, to share space rather than rent space, so you're really with the people. Doesn't the college have a list of people with rooms for rent? Whatever does duty for Student Affairs should know something about that. How about people your professor knows? I'd be surprised if you can't find someone who'd be glad to help.

BTW I also write -- space-opera type SF, not contemporary, tho here's a bit of fiction I coughed up about Browning from my memories of the town, would be interesting to hear how it compares today:
https://www.city-data.com/forum/8656748-post111.html

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Keim

I drove through Browning last summer, Reziac. Your imagining of it seems a bit too optimistic. I remember thinking it looked like a 3rd world country.

Black Foot Community College looked well kept, the rest just looked VERY run down.

It's never been a thing of beauty by city standards, even back when I was last there... the main street was barely paved, and the whole place was a mite dusty and dilapidated. But it still had character, which counts for something. And you can't go through town without stopping at the museum!

Originally Posted by Keim

You imagined a McDonalds, for instance. I don't recall seeing ANY national chains.

Now that's a GOOD thing... means some local cafe still has a chance to make it as a local business.

[ScottyDM]

Google street view is awesome for such details, and Shari at BCC confirmed that the Taco Johns is still there. Ours here in Colorado Springs shut down a few months ago. My wife and I courted at the Taco Johns in Hastings Nebraska, but that was back in the mid 70s. Google also says they have a Subway, but I didn't see a Micky-D's.

Google street view can be deceiving. That service makes everywhere look like a third-world country.

[Keim]

Originally Posted by Reziac

It's never been a thing of beauty by city standards, even back when I was last there... the main street was barely paved, and the whole place was a mite dusty and dilapidated. But it still had character, which counts for something. And you can't go through town without stopping at the museum!



Now that's a GOOD thing... means some local cafe still has a chance to make it as a local business.

Well, it is as dilapidated as you remember-plus 30 years more.

The museum is great, though.

As the OP points out, looks like I was wrong about the restaurants. Forgot about TJs and Subway. Generally agree with you about local cafes. They can be fantastic. Always my preference when traveling.

What really struck me was the burned out shell of a building that used to be (I think) a grocery store. Looked like it had burned many years ago, and was just left standing. Right in the middle of town.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by ScottyDM

BTW, renting a teepee is $60 per day, but I believe that's for the whole teepee, not per person.

Yeouch! Sounds like someone plans to hit up the tourist market. You can rent an RV for less. I was thinkin' more like half a dozen big sticks and a swath of canvas.

Originally Posted by ScottyDM

Sharing a space with a Blackfeet family would be awesome! And I'm sure an extra $500 would help them out as well.

That's what I had in mind -- two-way help there with some deserving family, maybe with old-timers still around who'd teach you a few traditions hands-on.

Originally Posted by ScottyDM

I talked with Deana at BCC earlier today. I was hoping to trade a redesign of their website, and training of their staff on how to maintain it, for my tuition ($475). Because of some recent changes in management at BCC she said it may take a week for them to make a decision on my website redesign offer.

Sounds like a fair trade to me... <goes off, looks at site> What the heck did they do to it? used to look better, all Blackfeet traditional decorated, tho a bit short on info. Now it has lots of pages but is durn generic-looking, and I hate that javascript menu. And the associated 404s and random unwarned PDFs.

Originally Posted by ScottyDM

So plan B is looking better and better. Go to NAID the weekend after the Fourth and talk to the BCC management in person (they still need a website) then. I could return mid August when I'm between summer and fall semesters, and able to travel light. I can do the staff training and further my research then.

Whatever works

Originally Posted by ScottyDM

Ahhh yes, your post. I'd read that a few days ago, along with your later post near the end of the thread. You're a rascal, and I like that.

<bowing>