Hope they read your post.
Also hope that you get to come back to see some of the not on the map places that are easy to get to just off of the Interstate.
(this ex-Mass resident, wishes you the best back there)
A friend from many years ago lives in Missoula. I had planned, when we were staying in Big Sky, to drive up there to see her. I know it was a long round trip, but I was willing to do it. She waved me off, though, because that year there were tons of forest fires, and apparently parts of the Interstate around Missoula were closed.