Visiting The Area

Dear Editor,

A friend and I recently spent eight days hunting birds in North Dakota and eastern Montana. The Covid-19 pandemic troubled us, but we decided to travel anyway. We spent time and money in restaurants and diners, bars, sporting goods stores, some service spots, hotels, and county conservation offices. We were treated with great friendliness wherever we went except for one thing: very few local people wore masks.

My friend and I cut our trip short by a week. During that lost week, we had intended to spend our money in places like I mentioned above, but we decided the region we traveled in wasn't really interested in taking steps to protect its local workers and citizens, and not interested in protecting visitors either. So our money came home with us to Missoula, and we are sad about the loss of exploring your beautiful region. We had a tentative plan to return, but we will not be back, at least this year.

It's true that two travelers aren't a big deal, and our money spent or not spent there won't cause your businesses to lose sleep, but what if a thousand others decide the same? Is it so difficult to offer visitors the courtesy and protection of a mask?

Wishing you well,

Dan Sieckman

Missoula, Mont.