OPINION: Montana’s 14 Day Travel Quarantine is a Joke

It's difficult to expect people to do the right thing under the BEST of circumstances. 

But I have a very uneasy feeling about this summer in Montana and travelers actually following the 14 day quarantine after arriving in the state for vacation. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.

First of all, it's not as if your car or RV gets tagged when you cross the state line and Big Brother is watching to see where your vehicle and family goes. You're just expected to do the right thing.,

Most people don't have the luxury of more than 2 weeks for a vacation to begin with. They're just not going to stay in one place during their time here. Completely unrealistic...and they're still going to come.

It's so emotionally taxing to hope that my business owner friends can survive the summer with a "decent" tourist season and locals doing their best to spend money with them too. AND wishing that tourists quarantine themselves if they DO come for vacation. It just doesn't seem realistic.

Before my family moved to Montana 30 years ago, we spent every summer here. All summer. In a rented house. For 3 months. In the middle of nowhere (then), We'd fish just about every day and not go into town except for provisions, booze and the 4th of July festivities in Ennis. It was quarantine by choice. But even then, it wasn't following the rules that we expect travelers to follow now during the (still effective) State of Emergency.

I've resigned myself to doing the right thing on my own. Most people I know are exercising precautions, wearing masks where appropriate and doing their best to stay healthy. And sane.

Let's hope that at the very least, our visitors spend tons of money, but practice social distancing as much as we can hope for. It's going to be a nerve wracking summer for many of us. Yes, I want the tourist dollars to circulate throughout our community. We depend on that money. But DAMN. I sure don't want to spend 90% of my time at my house until Christmas...