Montana

I left Kevin in Bozeman, on Monday the 23rd and headed north toward the Bob Marshall Wilderness. I took all small highways and was enjoying the ride. I'm nearing 6,000 miles of road travel and most of it has been off the major interstates. The driving is as good as being in the wilderness and the western side of Montana is as good a place as it gets.

I found a campsite edging Holland Lake in the Flat Head National Forrest. I watched the sun drape its final rays on the western facing mountains on the opposite side of the lake and then having just witnessed the last of the sun for the day the moon peaked its radiance over the ridge. It was incredible. If you look close enough - and especially if you have a reference point like the mountain - you can see the moon move ever so slowly. The sky was clear and even with the moon like a spot light filling the lodge pole pine forrest with thick shadows, stars could still be seen. A meteor left a bright streak across the sky that stood for an instant as it burned up in the atmosphere. I immediately abandoned all thought of going on my long hike the next day and decided I would simply relax by the lake and take advantage of this beautiful campsite.

The next day, after sleeping in until 11 and then laying in the hammock all afternoon reading by the lake I encountered the guy you always will if you're traveling for long enough. I went for a short drive on the back country dirt road and when going back to the campsite I encountered a man stumbling and waving on the opposite edge of the road. I slowed the car, then stopped. It took all but two seconds for me to realize this guy was absolutely smashed. He had a wine bottle in his hand that had one big gulp left in it. He was staggering around unable to stand straight. He really wanted someone to talk too - so I sat in my car and he took a seat in the middle of the road by my car. Eventually he had to pee. He was going by the edge of the road which drops sharply at the shoulder a good 2-3 feet into a ditch. He was taking baby steps as he pee'd into the ditch - I saw it coming - the baby steps turned into him running then falling shoulder first into the small shrubs lining the ditch below. Then he couldn't get out. So I got out of the car and hauled him out. He had pee'd all over himself. "I've been to 50 states and 7 countries," he would tell me about 5 times during the course of our conversation. He wanted to write a book about his stories - he had some. Worked as a deck hand in Alaska, and New Orleans. Then up to Glauster, MA where he got arrested for throwing a beer can and being drunk. Three weeks in prison - trial - then sentenced three more weeks. The stories went on. I felt bad leaving the guy. He had a p.o.s. (piece of shit) mountain bike and two crap back packs hanging from the handlebars. A tarp wrapped around the frame and another plastic bag with some clothes in it. He had dropped out of high school at 17 in Kalispell, MT (where I am now!) and just started his life as a Nomad. He was a ragging alcoholic. Admitted by him. He tried to recite a poem he had written about being a Viking, but he was too drunk to remember it. He also had Indian (American kind) in him. Talked of fire water (crap whiskey settlers gave to Indians which ended up helping to destroy their way of life - not sure the settlers knew it would do this - but the Indians never drank alcohol - their bodies cannot handle it - they get drunk quick). I gave him my copy of "On the Road". I hoped if anything it would give him some motivation to write his own story. But I know it would take multiple miracles for that story to get told. A damn shame.

For two nights I laid in my hammock by the lake and watched the moon show. I never get sick of the moon. I hiked up an 8,000 foot peak over looking the lake and snowy peaks to the west. On Thursday I drove the "Going to the Sun" Highway through Glacier National Park. I drove all over the place. Out to the Plains Indians Historical Mueseum in Browning, MT (which was excellent) and then looped right back to Kalispell. I'm going back into the park today to spend 3 nights in its interior. Almost September??.......crazy!