Cow friends

I saw these cows on the road, and chatted to them. They hung around the jeep for a few hours, while I was a mile up in the air. Then they wandered back down the road. They were always nearby while I was in the lookout, and it was nice to have company - even if a ways away! Maybe they sensed my Wisconsin cow-filled heritage!

Big Hole National Battlefield

It is always educational, and always depressing, to visit these sites when US soldiers were slaughtering people running away from them, and being killed in return. These are not the places that make you proud to be an American. But it's important to really see, to really know what happened. Seeing signs at battlefields like "here is where women a nd children tried to hide against the hill" and "here is where unnamed people killed are buried" makes any reading or study about the treatment of Indians much more real. And, it simultaneously shows the impossibility of every really knowing what it was like. Sad all around.

Cow friends

I saw these cows on the road, and chatted to them. They hung around the jeep for a few hours, while I was a mile up in the air. Then they wandered back down the road. They were always nearby while I was in the lookout, and it was nice to have company - even if a ways away! Maybe they sensed my Wisconsin cow-filled heritage!

Gird Point Lookout

See that building on the top of this mountain? That's where I stayed last night! It is a decommissioned fire lookout station, available for rental. 

The road to it, after you turn off the paved road, was about 13 miles long. It took over an hour and a half to drive - it was that bad. I knew there would be a hike to the station, but had failed to think through the need for it to be at the top of a mountain. So, that took a while to haul myself and stuff up there.

Once I was settled - it was amazing. It's a 14' by 14' room, with glass windows all the way around, for easy viewing of the entire area. This is in the Bitterroot National Forest. 

There were photocopies of several old handbooks, and a copied excerpt of a book written in the 1930s about the massive fires in 1910. It was terrifying to read. I read through the handbook on how to look for fires, and spent some time doing that. 

Later, I settled into my usual nightly routine of sewing on the quilt, and watching Dr Who episodes on my Kindle. (Oddly, I watched the same two I watched while alone in a tent in New Hampshire.)

Overall, it was a awesome visit - in every sense. Check www.recreation.gov for other interesting rentals!

Daly Mansion

I just saw a sign for this place, so drove in - and it was so interesting! The mansion was built by the man who built the town here - Hamilton, Montana. I read the book "Empty Mansions" recently, and the Clark family of that story was tied to the Daly family here, both men making fortunes in Montana. Interesting place!

St Mary's mission

Very pretty little historic site. It was closed today, but I strolled around the grounds to see things. Lots of "No!" signs here - no smoking, no skateboarding, all pets must stay in the car, security is watching. Sends a very mixed customer service message.

Lee Metcalf National Wildlife refuge

Very nice area! I always like to stop in these places - they have interesting things to see and the visitor's center usually stamps passport books. This system has their own book, but I just stamp my National Park Service passport book. And there is a lovely quilt on the wall here!

Lolo, Montana

Very nice sign! Apparently Lewis and Clark named the area traveler's Rest, and the local state park is named that. Can't get into the park - it's fenced gate is closed.

Lewis and Clark Riverfront at Caras Park

Beautiful area of the park in Missoula! They have several good Lewis and Clark signs to read - always good! 

A carousel for Missoula

This is a very cool example of volunteers working together to help the community! A master carvers made the carousel and horses for Missoula, with the promise it would be used and not taken apart. Volunteers have continued to keep it running and upgraded. Very cool! Sadly, it's closed right now, but I looked through the window and it was pretty awesome!

Already made a quick trip to my beloved Safeway, and off to visit libraries! Sadly for me, I've already been to the Missoula library so have to move on today - it's a really wonderful library! Definitely drop in when you are here!