Chelsa + Rudy // Bozeman, Montana + Virginia City, Montana // Fairy Lake + Branham Lakes Campground
We had the pleasure of getting to know Chelsa and Rudy through our good friends Cole and Jenny back in Iowa. So when they called and asked if we’d be up for traveling to Bozeman, jumping in their 1984 VW Vanagon, Fern, and heading up to the lake that Chelsa’s dad used to spend his summers at in Montana with only their immediate families to celebrate their wedding and camp for a few days we couldn’t get on a plane fast enough. We spent the first couple days exploring what Bozeman had to offer and hiking around one of their favorite spots, Fairy Lake. Where I might point out, there was a cougar on the loose! Also, did you know that cattle just roam freely around Montana? Because I didn’t, and it was awesome. On the third day we set out for Branham Lakes and met up with both of their amazing families. The wedding was perfect and so uniquely them. From subbing walking down the aisle for taking a canoe across the lake, a post first kiss full body handshake, to dancing on top of their beloved Westy, I couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate these two. After the ceremony we ate way too much food (that lead me to thinking we would be eaten by bears all night) drank tasty beers, and hung out around the fire until the sun came up.
There are many reasons that our week with Chelsa and Rudy will forever hold a special place for us but among the biggest was our introduction to Westy’s. When we got back to Portland, actually before we even left Montana, we started looking for our own. It’s hard to put into words what these vans can do for you. It’s more than just a camper van but a way of life. They get you out into nature and force you to slow down and enjoy things as they come. Westy’s are truly special and the community of people that surround them is even better. It took us a while but we found our Westy, who we named Rhoda, and will be forever grateful to Chelsa and Rudy for showing us a whole new world.
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