Last Friday marked what would've been one of my best friends' 46th birthday. Jer spent most of his life outdoors, exploring Montana, so every time I go camping I wonder if he'd like the camping spot. He was a mountain guy, so I'm not sure Willow Creek would be his favorite. But the Rocky Mountain … Continue reading Willow Creek Reservoir
My buddy Chad and I have been camping off and on since I moved back to Montana. He lives in Western Montana, I live in Central Montana. He likes camping in the mountains, I like camping in the high desert/prairie. So we trade off. Copper Creek, (the one by Georgetown Lake, not Lincoln,) is one … Continue reading Copper Creek
The Southwest side of Great Falls was missing something. We had shopping centers and restaurants and bars, but no coffee. Until this place opened. Full disclosure--the owners are friends of mine. But it's Great Falls. Eventually, you get to know pretty much everybody. Great place to catch up on work They've got the usual coffee … Continue reading Broadwater Coffee Brewing
I left Montana for Portland back in 1996. It took a year or so, but eventually Portland started to feel like home. As time went on, I started looking forward to getting back home to Portland after visits to Montana. Now that I've been back in Montana for a couple of years, it's starting to … Continue reading Montana Feels Like Home Again
I have one of those dogs that is terrified of fireworks. Every year, I drug the poor guy and hope for the best. This year, we decided to go somewhere without fireworks. Lake Alva is just a bit north of Seeley Lake. There’s a great fireworks display in Seeley, but Alva is far enough away … Continue reading Lake Alva
For whatever reason, I've always been terrified of spiders. There are exceptions, (I'll let a tarantula crawl all over my arm,) but for the most part, I avoid them like the plague. I recently drove my mom and I to a little mini family reunion, and was reminded of the fact that when I was … Continue reading Widow
When my dad suggested driving out to American Bar for Father's Day this year, I was all for it. I'm always down to check out a new bar. What I didn't realize is that American Bar he was referring to isn't a bar at all. It's a sub-development on the eastern shore of Upper Holter … Continue reading A Drive to American Bar
One thing I love about summer is the early sunrises. I tend to wake up whenever sunlight starts streaming through my window, so in the summer I tend to wake up early. The older I get, the more I enjoy waking up early. The other day, I woke up at 5:45 am. Wide awake. No … Continue reading Mornings
There's a running joke amongst my friends. I buy campers, sit on them for a bit, then sell them again without even using them once. The last three were like that. I don't think the Ram van was my fault, though. The first time I loaded it up to go camping, it wouldn't start. At … Continue reading Sanford Park Campground, and a little camper history
My buddy Steve mentioned that he was going to run down to the Hardy Creek Bridge area of the canyon to shoot the ice blocks on the Missouri. The weather was perfect, so I headed over there with him. I've driven through this canyon that runs between Great Falls and Helena a million times, and … Continue reading Wolf Creek Canyon Ice
