Tag Archives: Montana

To the Sun and Across the Great Divide

13 Aug

We left Great Falls and moved north toward Glacier National Park. Keeping with the plan, we skipped the interstate and went up Highway 89, one of those dotted roads on the map that signifies a scenic drive. We were not disappointed with the landscape, as we passed agriculture of all types and a few cyclists, which we did not anticipate in such an isolated place.

It wasn’t long before we entered the Blackfeet Reservation. I can always tell when I enter a reservation because the entire atmosphere – air, land, roads – becomes more depressed. It’s as if the fog of history has never lifted from the lives of Native Americans.

Our destination was the Glacier Park Lodge, and there were some concerns from the group about our accommodations. Lodges, both around and within national parks, tend to be remnants from the turn of the last century and are built in the Victorian rustic style. I have no problem with this, but a few of us have issues with staying in hotels that are a century old. Also, these lodges have some rooms without bathrooms. Instead, there is a communal bathroom at the end of the hall.

I must admit that I was wondering what we were getting ourselves into. None of us should have been worried. The Glacier Park Lodge was a great place to spend an evening. We were not even concerned that the rooms had no televisions.

I thought I would see Jack Nicholson busting through a door. Luckily, that didn’t happen.

The lobby, where everyone hung out because of the “NO TV” rooms, was awesome.

I want a room like this is my house.

The view from the back porch was also pretty good.

I also want a view like this from my deck.

After checking in, we had a little time for me to show my nephews how to play pitch-n-putt.

He has this putt to win The Masters.

Overall, the Glacier Park Lodge was a great place, but there was a somber reminder that national parks contain dangers as well as beauty. The front desk was plastered with information of a missing hiker. He had been gone for a few days by the time we arrived and had not been found when we flew home.

The next morning we ventured into the park but not before there was a struggle over which way to go. My dad and brother were convinced that we needed to turn right. My oldest nephew insisted that we go left. My nephew was right. We made the correct turns; made it to the eastern entrance; and, drove on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Words can’t describe its beauty, so I will let a few photographs do the talking.

Along the way, we crossed the Continental Divide.

We did it just like Lewis and Clark.

I have some advice for those thinking about going to Glacier. Enter the park from the east because there is a lot less traffic that way.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. We had a nice lunch at the western entrance to the park. I thought my nephews were getting bored with the ride, so I bought them something to read. It was the literary classic, “Who Pooped In The Park?”. They thoroughly enjoyed it.

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I Want My Tay Made With Really Old Water

9 Aug

We left the wheat fields and returned to Lewistown to get our tire fixed. In my town, it takes forever to get that done, but in Lewistown the job went lickity split. My nephews wanted to cross the street to check out a cool-looking store. Alas, it was closed, but there were some interesting objects outside.

Nice guy. He’s just a little stiff.

We followed Highway 87 westward through towns such as Moccasin and Geyser before reaching Great Falls. I’m not sure what we thought we would find in Great Falls, but it is a thriving city with all of the franchised amenities of other cities. We all assumed that this was because it serves as home to Mainstrom Air Force Base.

We checked into the biggest hotel room I have ever stayed in; my youngest nephew swam; then, we went out for dinner. This brought us to a problem that faced the expedition several times. No one cared where we ate. You must understand that this is coming from a group of individuals who like for things to go their way. Yet, we rode around while the SUV filled with indecisions.

Finally, we decided to try Jaker’s, a restaurant chain in that part of the country. My dad and oldest nephew had been to one before, so we figured it would be good. We got seated next to the slot machine room (most Montana establishments have slot machines), and the waitress came by to take our drink orders.

Brother: I would like iced tea, and my dad would like iced tea, as well.

Me: I would like tea.

Waitress: (confused look) What?

Me: I would like tea.

Waitress: I don’t understand. You want tay?

Me: (getting frustrated) I WOULD LIKE ICED TEA!

My brother said something to ease the tension, but she walked off. I understand that I have a southern accent, but I also know that my brother has the same one. She understood him just fine. On top of that, there are probably some southern people serving at the base. Anyway, I was tired and wanted food and drink. I probably overreacted because she never came back. Some other waitress worked with us after that. Oh yeah, the food and tay sucked.

We went back to the hotel, and I made the same mistake that my youngest nephew made earlier in the day. I used a toilet that didn’t work and ended up going to the front desk to get a plunger.

The next morning was spent visiting the tourist sites of Great Falls. First, we went to the Lewis and Clark National Trail Interpretive Center.

For some reason, I like to take pictures of signs.

The center was pretty cool, with a couple of good films and a decent museum. Most of it focused on the Corps of Discovery making its way over the waterfalls of the Missouri River, from which Great Falls gets its name. The group had to tote their boats around the falls, and they covered many miles.

Fake people taking a fake boat over fake land and around a fake waterfall.

Honestly, I had more fun looking over the real Missouri River behind the center.

Lewis and Clark passed by here. Of course, they passed by a lot of places.

Next door was a place that our wheat-growing friends told us to visit, and it turned out to be very interesting. This thing flows at over 330 million gallons of water per day and forms the Roe River, the shortest river in the world. It has been determined that the water travels for 3,000 years from its source before reaching this point.

This water has been around since they were counting years backwards.

Then, we made our way to the C.M. Russell Museum, which displayed the works of Charlie Russell – cowboy turned artist. It was a huge museum that showed works by many artists and had an excellent exhibit on the story of bison, a symbolic animal of the West. It was also the location of Russell’s home and workshop. My youngest nephew is an aspiring artist, and I took a picture of him in front of the shop.

One day, people will be taking pictures in front of his workshop.

In the next post, we will journey north.

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Amber Waves of Grain

8 Aug

After climbing Pompeys Pillar, Lewistown was the next destination of our Montana adventure. Along Highway 87, we passed through communities like Roundup and Grass Range. We also passed through lands scarred by fire. A lady at the baseball game told us that the area had been ravaged by wildfires, and dozens of homes had been destroyed. Also, livestock had to be euthanized due to excessive burns. We had heard nothing about this on the news, and she wasn’t surprised. I believe her quote was, “The only time Montana makes the news is when someone shoots a coyote, and PETA gets upset.”

We made it to Lewistown, and I took a stroll down the main street with my oldest nephew. I felt like we had jumped into Mr. Peabody’s WABAC Machine. Kids were riding bicycles past storefronts filled with toys, appliances and furniture.

I know you can’t see the chairs because they are camouflaged.

There was also a movie house that was 90 years old. I know that because we went into the lobby and asked. It was strange to see a modern superhero movie like The Dark Knight Rises playing in a theater such as this.

I assume it wasn’t the silent version.

As we walked, I began to notice that most of the downtown buildings were adorned with the dates which they were built. Almost all of them were built between 1900 and 1920, and no other commercial buildings, except for McDonald’s, had been built. This was a clue that the town hit its peak in the first decades of the 20th Century and has not grown since. It must have been a thriving community because it was home to a Carnegie Library.

Carnegie was one of the richest people who ever lived, but people still mispronounce his name.

After spending an evening at the Yogo Inn, which sits on the geographic center of Montana, we visited friends who grow wheat and raise cattle near Winifred. The first ranch was only 20,000 acres. I say that because the second ranch was 35,000 acres. They were in the midst of harvesting their crop, so we drove into the wheat field to check it out.

Now this is real farming.

Unfortunately, our SUV did not make it through the field as well as the farming machinery. We got a flat tire.

National Lampoon’s Montana Vacation

We escaped the wheat field and drove to the second ranch, where we were treated to a home-cooked meal. At least, most of us were treated. My youngest nephew wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to eat. He went to the bathroom and threw up before experiencing a Dumb and Dumber moment. The toilet wouldn’t flush, and he went into panic mode. Finally, he was able to get the thing to work.

My oldest nephew rode the harvester until we forced him to leave.

This is not tiddly-winks farming.

What did I learn on the stage of the trip?

1. Farming in central Montana is a tough and isolated way of life.

2. Don’t drive into a wheat field.

3. Be sure a toilet works before using it.

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Baseball, Crazy Horse and a Great Big Rock

7 Aug

I have returned from my ventures in Montana and can report that a great time was had by all. The best part was spending time with my dad, my brother and my nephews. We picked on each other, laughed and learned a few things along the way.

The trip began as we landed in Billings and found our way to the hotel. It was immediately apparent that my oldest nephew would be the navigator of the trip as we felt our way through the town. We had planned a journey through history, agriculture and different landscapes, but first we needed to do something for my youngest nephew. That meant going to a baseball game.

Good looking bunch, isn’t it?

We saw a Rookie League game between the Billings Mustangs and the Helena Brewers, and you could tell from the quality of play that this was about as low in professional baseball as someone could get. There were dropped balls, balks and wild pitches. However, the action is not what caught my attention. These guys were living the dream of playing pro ball and trying to move up through the ranks. Then, I realized that the Brewers are part of the same organization as Nashville’s AAA team. Those guys were working hard to get to Tennessee on their way to Milwaukee.

While living their dream, the players were offering entertainment for the community. The stands were filled with people of all ages, from the very old to the very young. The outfield fence was lined with people in lawn chairs. We found ourselves in a real community event, and that is one of the things I like about these kinds of trips. At times, you can avoid the typical tourist destinations and immerse yourself in another lifestyle.

We talked to the people around us and learned about life in and around Billings. We got free t-shirts for being among the first 500 fans. We paid reasonable prices for food and paid a dollar to enter the pitching cage. For one night, we were honorary citizens of Billings.

The next morning, our driving journey began as we headed down Interstate 90 toward the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. This is where George Custer and the 7th Cavalry was defeated by Sioux warriors led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. It is my favorite historic site and an event that I have read many volumes about. We drove to Last Stand Hill, where my nephew wanted to film me giving my lecture on the battle. I talked about the events that led to the fight. I talked about the battle as I looked over the land and pointed out where different stages took place. When I finished, I turned and discovered that about 20 people had gathered around to listen. Then, I spent time answering questions.

As a historian and a teacher, there is nothing better than being able to talk about an event where it took place. I wish I could beam my classes to different places as we cover them.

The site of two big events – Custer’s Last Stand and my lecture.

After a drive through the battlefield, we went across the street to KFC. Yes, the Sioux won the battle but the Colonel won the war. Unfortunately for the Kentuckians, the KFC didn’t open when the sign said it would, so we went to the Custer Battlefield Trading Post instead. I had fry bread stuffed with meat, cheese and beans. After that, I had fry bread covered with honey. It wasn’t as good as the sopapillas of New Mexico, but beggars can’t be choosy.

As we dined, a photograph of an imposing Native American looked down on us.

This is a Native American warrior – not a founder of a chain of strip clubs.

I didn’t pay much attention to the photo because images like this can be found in books and places throughout the West. Then, the owner of the trading post came by the table to see how we were. My brother told him that I was a historian of the West, and the guy asked:

“Do you know who that is?”

“I don’t think I do.”

“That’s Crazy Horse.”

Here’s the thing. Every book I have read and every teacher I have heard tell the same story. Crazy Horse refused to have his picture taken. Now, the owner of a tourist trap is telling me that I am looking at the image of Crazy Horse. After the meal, he took us to another room; pointed out the smaller original; said that the descendants told him privately that it is a photo of the warrior; and, gave me a free copy to put in my classroom. Is it really Crazy Horse? I don’t know, but I hope it is.

We left the trading post and got into the SUV. Unfortunately, our door hit a red truck parked next to us. The woman in the truck jumped on us pretty good, and we got out of there as fast as possible. George Custer could only wish that he had our instincts.

We drive north and hit a back road (interstates suck on these kinds of trips) toward Pompeys Pillar.

Did Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage make a movie about this place?

This rock was seen by William Clark on his return voyage with the Corps of Discovery. As Meriwether Lewis traveled on the Missouri River, Clark went down the Yellowstone River.

The Yellowstone River

Clark climbed the rock; named it Pompeys Tower in honor of Sacagawea’s son; and, carved his name on it. People say that it is the only permanent mark the Corps of Discovery made on the land they explored.

William Clark was here.

I’m not sure about that. They told the Native Americans that the land they lived on was owned by the United States. Over 70 years later and only a few miles away, the Battle of Little Bighorn would be one of the results of that statement.

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As for You Old Man – Go West and Grow Young With the Country

27 Jul

No, that’s not the way it goes. However, it is one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Dutton Peabody, the newspaper editor and town drunk, utters this line in honor of his former boss, Horace Greeley. Unfortunately for the movie makers, Greeley never wrote “Go West Young Man and Grow Up With the Country.”

Anyway, I say all of that to say that I am going West. Tomorrow, I am heading out for Montana, one of my favorite states. Even better, I am going with my dad, my brother and my nephews. I will not be blogging while I am away, but I will be tweeting. You can follow those tweets by hitting the button to the right. Like my last trip into the West, I will blog all about it upon my return.

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The State of Music – Part 3

17 Apr

Well, we have made it to the long string of states that start with “M”, but I promise that we will get through it and move over to the “N” ones. I must confess that this project has become more tedious than I anticipated. However, I have happened upon some decent performers and songs. Without further adieu, here goes it with the next ten:

Massachusetts – Most remember the Bee Gees from the disco era, but they had a long and fruitful career before delving into that nonsense. One of their better songs was “Massachusetts”, and I choose it for a couple of reasons. One, I like it. Second, the Bee Gees have faced past tragedies and are going through another. Robin Gibb is currently in a coma; Maurice Gibb died almost a decade ago; Andy Gibb, the youngest brother, died in the late 1980s; and Barry Gibb bought Johnny Cash’s home (which is not too far away from me) only to have it destroyed by fire a short time later.

Michigan – This one comes straight from my iPod. I realize that “1823 S. Michigan Ave.” is not really named after the state. But, they name streets after states, so it has to count for something. Besides that, it is a cool tune by Magic Slim.

Minnesota – This one was a little tricky because I really couldn’t find anything. I did find some newspaper articles about how there aren’t many songs about Minnesota. However, I kept on searching and found a not-so-good song by Northern Light called – surprise – “Minnesota”. It’s weird to hear a Beach Boy-ish sound about a place with no beach.

Mississippi – There are a lot of Mississippi songs in a lot of different genres and by a lot of great artists. They range from social commentary to comedy, but I am going with something off the regular path. Mountain recorded “Mississippi Queen” about a prostitute, and, since I have written about the history of prostitution, it seemed fitting. Maybe that should be my next musical project – the best songs about whores.

Missouri – I am going more modern with this pick. Several weeks ago, I saw a David Nail, a new country artist that doesn’t sound very country. That’s the kind of country artist I like. He sang a song named for his home state of “Missouri”.

Montana – There is a herd of cowboy songs about Montana, and, as a historian of the American West, something inside makes me think I should pick one. I am not going to do that, though. Cowboy songs are kind of hokey to me. With that in mind, I choose “Hey Montana” by Eve 6 about a girl who needs to return to the mentioned state. By the way, Montana is one of my all time favorite states, and we are working on a “male family members” only trip this summer.

Nebraska – Known for corn, football and…that’s about it, Nebraska, like many others, has not inspired many songwriters. After a long and wandering search, I found a Josh Rouse singing “Dressed Up Like Nebraska”. It’s a rough video and tough to hear, but the song seems quite good.

Nevada – Las Vegas songs. Reno songs. Even songs about Hoover Dam. There are all kinds of songs about places within Nevada, but there is one excellent song named after Nevada. To preface, I will listen to anything by Mark Knopfler, and he had a record called “Sands of Nevada”.

New Hampshire – Going in, I thought this would be one of the hardest to get. As it turns out, it wasn’t difficult at all because Sonic Youth had a song called “New Hampshire”.

New Jersey – I found out one thing for sure. There are bunches of songs that refer to Jersey. However, I need the Jersey with the New in front of it and have found it with Red House Painters. I didn’t know this group before the state project began, but, when I heard it, I immediately downloaded “New Jersey”.

I am sixty percent into an alphabetized list of states and have used some good songs and some not so good songs. Honestly, I can’t wait to see what I find with the next two installments. To catch up with the states already covered, check out Part 1 and Part 2.

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