Butte, Bozeman, and Beyond

Garnet Ghost Town lies off the highway ~ way off the highway, when a winding, dirt road is involved ~ east of Missoula. It was well worth a visit. I could have spent hours simply meandering here, and as evidenced by the photo above, we had the place to ourselves. But the hour was late and the open road beckoned.So after poking around ghostly buildings, we forged ahead to Butte. You'll notice I have no photos of Butte. There's a reason for that. The only time, in the long two hours we spent in town, I felt compelled to use a camera was when I saw a sign affixed to a chain link fence ~ a fence surrounding a "house" as inviting as a portable toilet ~ that read: "I Bit the Head Off the Last Person Who Parked Here". Ahem. Rest assured I have no desire to park here, there or anywhere else in Butt(e), thankyouverymuch.

On to Bozeman. You'll notice I have no photos of Bozeman. There's a reason for that. A rather long, convoluted reason which can be summed up thusly: It was pitch black when we rolled into town. We took the proverbial last room in town. Being me, I could not help but express my displeasure at the moldy carpets and blankets riddled by cigarette holes. Whereupon the manager kicked us out of the last room in town. At midnight. True story. And while a certain Other Adult in our family was less-than-pleased at that turn of events, I found it quite thrilling. I left the premises head held high and pointed the car east.

In Livingston, as expected, there was no room at the inn(s). So I parked outside a hotel with a "No Vacancy" sign and spent the wee hours of the night hanging out in the lobby, chatting with the desk clerk (a likeable, overweight, two packs-a-day kinda guy) while the posse attempted, in various positions of disarray, to sleep in the car.

Much to my partner's chagrin, I enjoyed the early-dawn drive down to Gardiner, Montana ~ north entrance to Yellowstone. I was last here in 1984 with my parents and a trio of German relatives. It hasn't changed since then, and I mean that in a good way.

See? We're no worse for the wear. Sleep is overrated.