MONTANA - The Last Best Place

Timolgra

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A few years ago my wife Ange and I had planned a bike trip around Montana, its didn't happen, Covid arrived so another idea was hatched.

Rather than crossing many States without getting a real feel for them and Montana being high on Ange's wish list we thought to take a big gamble with the weather and try the first two weeks of October. For some reason she was adamant we'd be staying away from Yellowstone....anyway, we'll see about that.

Already tired we leave Seattle for our starting place, Missoula MT.

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We find Air B&Bs, motels etc as we go along and ended up covering over 2,500 miles making it up as we go and using many dirt roads and remote tracks.

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Can't put this off any longer and can hardly bring myself to say it but y'know I said we had been planning a bike trip? Well, this isn't one if you know what I mean.
What I'm trying to say is........it's not a bike trip, it's a yes, a fucking car trip!

There, got that off my chest so can carry on.

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The 'season' ends last week in September so very few tourists and many hotels etc. shut and it could get very cold with heavy snow falls. As it happened we missed the snow and cold by a week or so, the weather was fine and air clear from any forest fires.

General advice was to carry bear spray when out and about, 'for now' I thought $50 was a bit steep so for a week was always looking over my shoulder when walking around.
I also hadn't yet figured if I could run faster than Ange.

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Loved Missoula when I passed through there on my way North.

In my search for the iconic American bar I found one there with tree trunks for tables, sawdust and peanut shells on the floor and a great atmosphere.:thumb2

Living the dream Tim.
 
It's impossible not to feel as though we're trespassing here as we trample and drive over 'The First People's' land.
Just how many generations had such reverence for nature during the past 12,000 years?

I put such philosophical thoughts to one side and begin to enjoy the Ford Explorer's V6 engine heading through the National Bison Range and Flathead Indian reservation.

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I'm loving the space, colour and feel of this country already.

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This turned out to be the dullest weather day of our trip except for a few hours one morning

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No pot smoking here

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Today I learnt a little about Huckleberries, I won't bore you but left me wondering why did Huckleberry Hound have a North Carolina accent and Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn come from Mississippi when Huckleberries only grow in NW Montana?
I'd only packed in smoking a week or so and these questions would continue to keep my mind off it....

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We head north up the eastern shores of Flathead Lake, one of the largest and cleanest in the US and stop at the enchanting small town called Big Fork which had a great cafe run by Big Dave.......

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Early next morning a truck fires up it's first smoke of the day, I try not to feel envious.

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I
 
I am NOT envious :blast

Great photo's as ever Tim :thumb

More please ....

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At Big Dave's cafe in Big Fork we have a Big breakfast, Ange makes me promise not to use the wide angle on my phone again or I'll be in Big Trouble.....and I promise myself not to order a Big portion of 'Grits' again.

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We get the message

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In the late 1940's a dam was built creating a huge reservoir and the new settlement was given the boring name of Damtown, luckily there was a legendary 'tail' of two horses, Tex and Jerry who almost starved to death in deep snow nearby so now guess what it's called?

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The only road that dissects the Glacier National Park was partially closed for the year, as it turned out the early closing of the Going to the Sun Road was a mixed blessing.
In high season you need to book well ahead and can imagine it's just one long although scenic traffic jam, it's a mixed blessing because it opens a new opportunity and in a day or two we can have a look at the far side of this road which is open right up to the highest part at Logan Pass.

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The remnants of previous forest fires are evident

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Montana's fall colours became better and better throughout our two weeks here

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Huckleberry pie and ginger beer at this historic trading post, they took cash or card not furs btw

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Ha, so much for that idea

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Next morning dawned full of promise

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The Eastern side of Glacier National Park has a whole different feel to the West. Here's is more raw, small villages with huge wooden hotel complexes are closed and boarded up for the winter, finding somewhere to stay and eat is more challenging.

We arrive early at our next place for the night which I found and booked this morning, it's tiny and Ange hates it....I think it has character.

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The hotel is run by two interesting guys with Big beards who also run the only other place here. I pay them and we head out for the afternoon.

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The trains run continuously through the night shaking our old wooden motel.....more of that soon.

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We head into the park

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At the lake there's some picnic benches and I get the Jet Boil out to make a brew and we'll have some food.
The nearby campsite has steel containers for campers to keep there food in at night.....away from bears......fuck, wish I'd spent the $50 and bought that bear spray now, the Leatherman multi tool in my pocket brings little comfort or reassurance.

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I gingerly walk along the beach ..... watching Youtube videos of bear attacks the previous night hadn't helped

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The 'season' ends last week in September so very few tourists and many hotels etc. shut and it could get very cold with heavy snow falls. As it happened we missed the snow and cold by a week or so, the weather was fine and air clear from any forest fires.

General advice was to carry bear spray when out and about, 'for now' I thought $50 was a bit steep so for a week was always looking over my shoulder when walking around.
I also hadn't yet figured if I could run faster than Ange.

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You could have always just tripped her up;:D
Great pictures by the way.
 
Great looking trip, cracking country. I worked in Russia with a guy from Montana, he kept telling me it was near perfect and it looks like he was right. How did you get on with the rental agency and gravel roads? I've always been told not allowed, once the agent said it was okay and I got her to email that to me just in case.

One day I'll take him up on his offer to stay
 
Well it's taken a while to overcome my fears so it's time to include another photo of a car!

Two weeks later I was raving about this thing and was reluctant to give it back:okay

at least the photo's blurry :beerjug:

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We have time to drive out of the mountains

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The land all around here belongs to the Blackfeet Tribe, I haven't checked why they were called that but it's probably not what we think.
We're going to have a look at the only real town around here, Browning, where more than 90% of the population are Native American Indians.
Nearby homesteads are like historical scrapyards but the town is interesting in a harsh way.

We thought to find better accomodation for the night rather than the one I've already booked and payed for but at $190/night it's out of our budget so I'll have to face the music for our tiny room with continuous trains outside.

Meanwhile we get a coffee in an awful casino served by perhaps the only Indian gay in the village, camp as they come and strangely also served our food that night several hours later and 30 miles away!

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I thought our motel was great

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Ange not convinced

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The trains were fantastic and became a familiar feature running through many of the towns we stay at with their amazing horns....must get one for the van

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Up to 2 miles long and sometimes with 6 engines!!

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Ange developed an agreeable obsession with the trains.....bet not many can say that about their wife....unless you're Casey Jones

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Great looking trip, cracking country. I worked in Russia with a guy from Montana, he kept telling me it was near perfect and it looks like he was right. How did you get on with the rental agency and gravel roads? I've always been told not allowed, once the agent said it was okay and I got her to email that to me just in case.

One day I'll take him up on his offer to stay

Do it!!!
I drove 2,500 miles and every mile was like drinking nectar ............ that's sounds a bit wanky but you'll know what I mean :)

Still much more to see there as well!
 


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