MONTANA - The Last Best Place

boatman · Dec 10, 2022

Timolgra said:
Time to make another brew

And take a walk

I hear a rustling sound, what's that?

Feckity, feck, feckity feck, feck

Always one to get the photo.....

Feck, feck I get back to the car to be greeted by Ange pissing herself laughing...very fecking funny!!

A few miles south of the Canadian border we turn away from the mountains as I like the look of this road, Duck Lake road.
Imagine this at sunset as we're looking West

I see dead coyotes by the roadside as we head back for the night.

Tomorrow we're going to move away from the mountains and have a look why it's the Big Sky state

I had the same !!! “ pissing themselves laughing “ when I “ survived “ being stalked by a EFFING big Young Grizzly up in Watson Lake Canada ! ,
When I finally got back to the motel ( Grey and shaking ) I was treated to much hilarity ! - bastards!! ! Very very scary having one of these things walking after you !!!
An experience i would gladly have missed out on

shuck raider · Dec 10, 2022

I worked each summer in Montana for 10 years on and off as a fly fishing guide until Covid screwed it all up and I never so much as saw a bear

You do get bear-anoia, mind - listening for every twig cracking, every tree rustling but eventually you get used to it.

We carried the spray anyway, more for the comfort of the clients, but I was adamant that no fucking bear was ever going to get within spraying distance of me. Most of the clients were fat and well beyond middle age so I was confident I could run faster that most of 'em. We also wore Noddy-like bear bells pinned to our jackets on the assumption that bears, although very short-sighted, had acute hearing and would avoid confrontation with humans when they heard the jingle-jangle. A Ranger in Yellowstone Park burst that bubble when he asked me, "You know the difference between Brown bear shit and Grizzly bear shit? Well, the Grizzly shit is the stuff with bells in it."

The fly fishing was out of this world, cut-throats, cut-bows, rainbows, browns, brook trout, bull trout and whitefish - all heart-breakingly innocent and relatively easy to fool. All catch and release, of course. As Tim says, locals call Montana 'The Last Best Place.' Have to agree with that.

Deleted account 231207001 · Dec 11, 2022

Great trip Tim, any more?.

jasp · Dec 11, 2022

Awesome countryside and amazing pics, keep them coming......please!

MickDB1 · Dec 11, 2022

Great - in fact super great photos Tim
I can only imagine how breathlessly superb it must have been "With yer own eyes"

Timolgra · Dec 11, 2022

We're heading SE through rolling country on Highway 89.

'Brunch' stop at Choteau, a more affluent looking town than remote Browning, a pretty hippy looking woman cooks her food with love.

Despite much of Montana having an idyllic Disney like appeal the frequent, often faded TRUMP supporting signs and banners remind us that just as elsewhere throughout the world there are two types of outlaw.
First there's the wealthy, who develop wherever they want at will, then there's the self proclaimed outlaws who like to think the TRUMP sticker in there window or car will shock and stand them apart.

Hmmmm, no smoke after brunch must have left me pondering things that I don't generally have a care in the world for.

It's October and it seems everyone is really gearing up for Halloween

We skirt around the city of Great Falls heading for the oldest, continuously habited town in Montana, Fort Benton. A pretty town with great history.
The lovely waitress from Chicago asked us what brought here as most Americans had never heard of it.

But first we have to get there.

Heading NE into the heart of MT we're now in 'wheat country', the commercial local radio station wails out C&W music all the adverts are concerned with grain and seed.

How many Country and Western singers does it take to change a light bulb?
Two. One to do it, the other to sing about good times with the old bulb.

The railroad at the heart of agriculture

Timolgra · Dec 11, 2022

In my ignorance, I hadn't realised just how incredible the Missouri river is!
From the Mississippi in St. Louis it had been navigable all the way to Fort Benton as the early and important fur trade grew the town became known as the birth place of Montana.

Still not there yet but here's the Missouri a little further upstream

And can you believe what was buried in the sand near my feet!

I've stopped worrying too much about bears for a while...... did read there's a lot of Rattle Snakes in Montana but having not seen any squashed snakes on the road I felt reassured.

Anyone who's travelled in the States will have seen the many abandoned old cars.
It's typical of what American's (and others) do, take what they want, discard it and move on.

The old Marlboro pack must have made a momentary electrical connection in my brain, I'm over it and love to see the old cars tell their story to anyone who cares to listen.

Timolgra · Dec 11, 2022

So to Fort Benton, once the world's most innermost port and now a desirable place to live and populated by 98% 'whites'.
Before the railways, steam boats arriving here were instrumental in the development of the American West.

Also an area of many disgraceful murders of native Americans.

On a brighter note, it's also where in 1867 the acting governor of Montana fell overboard from his paddle steamer and was never seen again

The first bridge here was a swing bridge but after it became washed away during a flood permission was granted to build a fixed one.

Next morning we leave our beautiful air b&b, grab breakfast in town and I explain I have a 'little adventure' for us planned today

Here's a clue....

Timolgra · Dec 11, 2022

Under the Big Sky

Heading south

I turn to Ange ....."We whooped 'em again, didn't we Josey? ........ I reckon so"

I had hoped she say "Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie" but just got that look with a roll of the eyes.

I'd noted a ferry that crosses the Missouri leading to an area well away from any tarmac roads

The grumpy old timer reluctantly climbed down from his ride on mower, he hadn't seen anyone in a week.
"Sure, I can take you over"

We talk a while, he asks what we're doing here. I tell him and how I'm enjoying this country.

He grunts back that his biggest concern is the "Mexican's coming over the border."
I lighten the moment "At least you live on the north side of the river and have a big gun"...he nods approval, I do have a point.

He must be in a hurry, the donkey engine is running flat out and boils over

Safely across we leave him to his grumpiness

We drive on rough tracks into miles of nothing.
What's going through Ange's mind is unknown to me but she'd been wondering what to do if I'm ill or have a heart attack.
Can she drive this car and where would she go.

In addition to the cars standard sat nav I'd take my Garmin ...yes Montana with some very detailed mapping which several times we were glad to have.

I could sense her relief when we came past a farm

Eventually we're back to a tarmac road

Stopping to take a leak and enjoy the colour of this land I'd been thinking about my bike and did I miss it.....almost splashing my foot taking this photo as 2 bikes ride past......when I look at the photo, I love this car even more

That night we again have the railroad for company

Timolgra · Dec 11, 2022

Someone asked about using a rental car on gravel roads.

It was a better car than I'd expected and with great capability on gravel and at time a few roads that took it to it's limit.
I thought it better to say nothing and did put it through a car wash a couple of times but even the previously immaculate engine compartment was caked in dust.

Apart from a slight and unnoticed crack in the windscreen there appeared to be no damage.

For me not being able to drive on gravel roads etc was out of the question

BRD · Dec 11, 2022

Sounds like a great trip, it’s a fabulous part of America.

Excellent photos.

Timolgra · Dec 11, 2022

Ange had said she didn't want to go to Yellowstone as it's touristy and everyone's been there, also heavy rains this summer had washed away the north and east entrance roads which meant Lamar Valley and Beartooth Highway was out.
Now had this been a bike trip it would have been a bigger deal but as we learnt more about how to travel in Montana it became insignificant.

I behave and use the Jet Boil outside the room this time for morning coffee, the landlady was terrifying and I wasn't going to cross her.

I go in search of Bear Spray at long last.
One's $50 the other $60
"What's the difference?" I ask
"One lasts 7 seconds the other 8 seconds"
I splash out on the extra second

'Tooled up' we head in to Yellowstone.

Autumn colours really showing now and when I leave the car along these more remote trails with Bear Spray at my belt I'm reminded of the saying "Never been so excited not to use something".
Ange looks on with despair as I practice my quickdraw, now would be an even better time for that Josey Wales quote about whistling Dixie but de nada.

Micky · Dec 11, 2022

BRD said:
Sounds like a great trip, it’s a fabulous part of America.

Excellent photos.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Wot he sez

Timolgra · Dec 11, 2022

shuck raider said:
I worked each summer in Montana for 10 years on and off as a fly fishing guide until Covid screwed it all up and I never so much as saw a bear You do get bear-anoia, mind - listening for every twig cracking, every tree rustling but eventually you get used to it.

We carried the spray anyway, more for the comfort of the clients, but I was adamant that no fucking bear was ever going to get within spraying distance of me. Most of the clients were fat and well beyond middle age so I was confident I could run faster that most of 'em. We also wore Noddy-like bear bells pinned to our jackets on the assumption that bears, although very short-sighted, had acute hearing and would avoid confrontation with humans when they heard the jingle-jangle. A Ranger in Yellowstone Park burst that bubble when he asked me, "You know the difference between Brown bear shit and Grizzly bear shit? Well, the Grizzly shit is the stuff with bells in it."

The fly fishing was out of this world, cut-throats, cut-bows, rainbows, browns, brook trout, bull trout and whitefish - all heart-breakingly innocent and relatively easy to fool. All catch and release, of course. As Tim says, locals call Montana 'The Last Best Place.' Have to agree with that.

Wow! Lucky you.
I noticed how fly fishing was a big deal particularly in SW Montana and when we stopped in Ennis but for now here we are in Yellowstone.

We didn't called in to see 'Old Faithfull' it was just too commercialised so passed on by both times we were in the area

gazza12adv · Dec 11, 2022

Fabulous Tim
I'd love to get over there. Always said I'd like to travel in the northern states. Managed Alaska in the summer which made me want to see even more of it
Keep the pics coming.

Timolgra · Dec 11, 2022

gazza12adv said:
Fabulous Tim
I'd love to get over there. Always said I'd like to travel in the northern states. Managed Alaska in the summer which made me want to see even more of it
Keep the pics coming.

Yes Gaz, I know you enjoyed Alaska with Chris so I'm sure you'd love all these northern States.

MikeO · Dec 11, 2022

I miss Montana.

Great pics and text Tim - you struck lucky with the weather for the time you went :thumb2

To those who've not travelled in the USA, gravel roads form a great number of the roads in the network - particularly in states which have a lot of snow. Most of the restrictions on rental vehicles (in my limited experience) forbids you taking it off-road - ie rough trailing into the deserts and rock crawling. They very often have GPS bugs fitted to check on where you've been...

National Parks (like Glacier) have got weird since the pandemic, as I found out at Yosemite in September. I've been through Glacier and Going to the Sun Road a hundred times, and never encountered a hold up. I wonder how many of those snags are caused by the timed-permit system they've introduced...

Arsey · Dec 11, 2022

MikeO said:
I miss Montana.

Great pics and text Tim - you struck lucky with the weather for the time you went

To those who've not travelled in the USA, gravel roads form a great number of the roads in the network - particularly in states which have a lot of snow. Most of the restrictions on rental vehicles (in my limited experience) forbids you taking it off-road - ie rough trailing into the deserts and rock crawling. They very often have GPS bugs fitted to check on where you've been...

National Parks (like Glacier) have got weird since the pandemic, as I found out at Yosemite in September. I've been through Glacier and Going to the Sun Road a hundred times, and never encountered a hold up. I wonder how many of those snags are caused by the timed-permit system they've introduced...

I need to do a Montana and Idaho trip . The latter has so many back country routes and hot spring places to stay .
Been convinced by Juan Browne who’s a fellow aviator but a big YouTuber with his Blancolirio channel etc and also good friends with Jenny Morgan .

One day !

wilbjr21 · Dec 11, 2022

I think Tim and Ange have done this the best way - just Montana and seeing as much as possible in the time available.

If you are travelling through the USA you only get only three months (unless you go to the embassy in London) and it's a big place. I was lucky, the Border Guard on the Canada/Alaska border gave me an additional three months.

I only passed through Montana (via Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks) but loved it and that whole North West area in general.

Tim's report and photos are just superb.

Sgt Bilco · Dec 11, 2022

It's a wonderful part of the world and for anyone interested, I've got a 2 week trip in mind on bikes in Idaho and Montana which will take in a lot of the areas here. I think I'll get working on it again!!

Just for the record, Bear Spray is utterly pointless and will hardly slow the bear down if it's charging.

As a pal of mine in Alaska says "if a bear is charging you and is 30ft away, you are just about to have the worst 3 minutes of your life..........unless you have a .50 cal revolver"

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