DPea:
You can't get much better help than Dave M has just offered. A contact in the vicinity of your next relocation destination is invaluable. We highly recommend you take advantage of Dave's offer.
As a career military guy, I've relocated family and belongings to unfamiliar areas, including Kodiak, AK, about a dozen times. Moving to a new community is always a challenge; particularly finding acceptable nearby schools, hospitals, stores etc. You need to make a lot of right choices before you ever get there.
I've always found it helpful to subscribe to a couple of local newspapers so you can get a feel for your prospective neighborhood. A call to the nearby Chamber of Commerce will get you a ton of pamphlets and information. If you're driving to the lower 48, a service such as AAA is a must for peace of mind. If you have it, you won't need it and if you don't have it you'll breakdown somwhere in northern Montana. Triple A is also a good source of information for travelers. Another good source is the internet, of course, so check this site; it has some info on your next home town:
www.epodunk.com
Good luck with your choice of neighborhhood, Trucking company and truck vendor.
Terry and Rene'
