Mike, Emily and David at the top of the trail. Actually, the trail went a little further but we were too hungry to continue!! 
On the trail to Memorial Falls.
See!! There really are jackalopes!!
Honest to goodness tumble weed in WalMart parking lot in Billings!What a day! We decided early this morning to abandon our scheduled directions and leave the interstate system for some local flavor and culture, after the local flavor of PetSmart. We especially wanted to drive through part of the Lewis and Clark National Forest. I so wished for my brothers, as the signs to enter the park looked just like the ones on Rocky and Bullwinkle, if I remember correctly. Byron and David would have had a lot of funny things to say about that! The drive through the forest was spectacular. We stopped at Memorial Falls, hiked up a quarter-mile trail to a natural waterfall. The rocky stream water was cold on our feet!
We stopped for lunch in Neihart, Montana which is an old silver-mining town. The last silver mines closed in 1931, but the locals still talk about the industry. Fortunately for the local economy, a wonderful ski resort is nearby. So, Bob's Bar, which is owned by Tony and Sherry has a bar, pool table, movie rentals, and great little restaurant. The waitress was personable and knowledgable, reminded us of Anne Evetts, and told us the story of Bob who lost the restaurant in a poker game years ago. The bar changed hands many times until it was bought by Tony. He tried to change the name but the locals declared that it had been Bob's Bar for as long as they could remember and needed to stay that way. So, he consented. She remarked that she worked for Tony for two weeks calling him Bob until she got her first paycheck. "Who is Tony? I've never seen him at work!" Tony had to admit that indeed he was the owner and he pretty much just let anyone who wanted to call him Bob. We loved this place and really wanted to stay. The drive after that was so wonderful. The highway paralleled a rocky-bottomed river that took our breath around every bend in the road.
Next stop was to have been Great Falls, Montana. However, seems that all the falls have been dammed up. The Missouri River runs through here and is wide and beautiful. Not finding the falls was disappointing but we really needed to get into Canada as we have several long drives in the days ahead. We crossed the border without any trouble, although Emily was terrified that Fishy wouldn't get in! He had no identification.
Hope I remember tonight to tell about the football fields in the little Montana towns! Until tonight in Edmonton. . .
6 comments:
I have slept overnight in my rig many a times in that Billings WalMart parking lot on King Avenue. Even have stopped into the PetSmart on King as well...bet that's where you guys were. I thought Texas was full of tumble weeds? Saw quite a few on Lonesome Dove tv series.
Keep those blood worms as the brookies and cutthroat love 'em. You don't even need a flyrod just some line, treble hook and float and with the small streams throughout Montana and Canada, some you can spit over but are full of troat, you just toss your line in, let it float downstream and pretty soon you'll be pulling in a beautie.
I'll be curious to hear about your football field experience as you folks in Texas think it is a sport only played there, eh?
I think Fishy just misses Vader drinking all his water.Maybe you need to stop along the road and pick him up a cat.
Maybe too Fishy could make for good trout bait...you know, circle of life kind of thing.
Poor Fishy! I sure hope he will make it, tell him that I'm pulling for him. Let me ask - is a Jackalope the same as a Snipe? I really hope yall are enjoying this adventure of a lifetime. Post more pictures. Ok I wasnt smatr enough to do this... so Mark set it up for me. Travel Safe until next time.
Happy birthday! I know David would have made you laugh on this trip! I think I laugh everyday at something he comes up with! Living with him is never dull! miss you! love, keitha
This is great info to know.
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