The five days Lexi the Golden and I would spend in Montana had been circled double extra bold on my calendar for months.  Of all the places I most looked forward to exploring, this easily topped the list.  I realize now that I can chalk up part of that pure anticipation to a working knowledge of the state from previous encounters, though they had been brief.  On past trips, I would get a peek of it here and there, but never get to pull back the curtain and experience it head on.  I couldn’t wait!

So Much More

This time I planned to take every last bit I could squeeze out of it. Truly a foolish concept, as all in all it covers over 147,000 square miles, though only 1 million people currently claim residency within its borders.  For comparisons sake, my own beautiful state of Pennsylvania, much of which qualifies as middle-of-nowhere, covers a mere 46,000 square miles and boasts a population of almost 13 million. 

I was determined to really see as much as I could of this part of God’s creation. Montana stretches far and wide, and its waterfalls, lakes, bluffs and snowy peaks beckoned to me.    In the end we covered but small patchwork pieces of it, but it will stay with me and no doubt call me back again.

And while it was all glorious, the penultimate day would be spent oohing and aahing at Glacier. 

That experience proved to be so overwhelming that I cannot graft it into part of any other entry. It must stand alone, though I’m sure I will have nothing to say about it that hasn’t already been said.   Still, the experience looms so large that I’ll save it for now, along with our three-day stay on Flathead Lake.

Gargantuan Beauty

As I look for a bit of a theme running through my Montana days, the overwhelming sense of enormity remains.  Yes, it is ginormous.  But how does that affect those who call it home, as well as those who visit?   Man answers to the land here, not the other way around.  While outsiders are trying to carve out their manufactured transplanted spaces in places like Bozeman and Billings, ultimately Big Sky country stands on its own merit – golf courses and condos be damned.   Montana is like a wild horse not made to be broken.  I think Montanans know that.  The land just demands respect, and it’s only too easy to offer it in the face of so much overwhelming gargantuan beauty. 

I think I enjoyed letting it have its way with me.  I wandered back roads of both the dirt and paved variety, and eagerly anticipated each curve in the road, not knowing if the bend would offer new skyline or mountains, a bear or a rushing stream.  Lexi the Golden and I saw all that and more.

Digging In

After our first evening near the somewhat southwestern town of Three Forks (a major stopping point of discovery for the Lewis & Clark expedition), Lexi and I headed west and north, slowly leaving the dust and imposing yet scrubby high hills behind us as we passed interesting the old copper-smelting towns of Anaconda and the mining city of Butte before turning west on route 200 and finally north to 83, where I would drive for long stretches under the cool canopy of pines flanking both sides of the road.

True to my typical approach to exploring, I chose two-lane options, hoping to see more towns, people, and get a better sense of how they live.  I’m never disappointed.

Bears but no Brad

Heading west on Route 200, a rather large bear chose that moment to lumber over the guard rail on the right, scoot across the road and hurdle the left rail before I had a chance to take it in.  I wish I could say he was a grizzly, but no.  A pretty grand looking old black bear though, with his mid-molted brown hide and head, and black torso spanning the middle.  He would be the first of several we would see in the days to come (so much bear fun in Glacier!).

Shortly thereafter, we approached a bridge crossing the Blackfoot River.   Memories of the beautiful Robert Redford movie, “A River Runs Through It” flooded over me, and I stopped on the other side to walk back to the bridge and take it in more fully.  Beautiful. (But no Brad Pitt.  Disappointing.)  Two dry fly fishermen were working their way down the stream a hundred yards beyond me, their lines ripping through the air as they lay their flies gently on the water.  A moment not easily forgotten.

Norman MacLean, author of the novella made into the movie, called the Blackfoot “a river of age and rawness, unparalleled in notoriety and beauty.”  I would humbly add that there is a bit of poetry in the bend of the river, sunlight shimmering in the morning light, anglers relishing the stillness as they patiently wait for a strike from a curious brown trout.

Holland Lake

The highlighted destination of the day, however, meant turning north on Route 83 into Bob Marshall Wilderness and Flathead National Forest, where we would eventually arrive at Holland Lake, where Lexi for certain thought she had found heaven!

Our three-mile hike to the beautiful 100 foot + waterfall cascading toward the lake was completely worth the hot dusty effort.  The intense smell of the sweetest pine hung in the air and I breathed it in like my favorite Yankee Candle at Christmas.  But it was the lake itself that stole our hearts.  Blue-green in color, warm enough for wading and swimming, Holland Lake was a bit of magic hidden at the end of a long dusty road.  As it’s off the beaten path, the lake is a getaway for locals as well as a popular wedding setting.

Unless you’ve seen these Montana lakes and streams with your own eyes, it’s difficult to understand their clarity.  I loved the smooth stones that covered the shores and the bottoms of the lakes, and how you can see straight to the bottom, no matter how deep.

This was also our first encounter with smoky skies.  Forest fire season affects so many parts of the west.  We tend to think of it mostly in California, but in areas of Oregon and Washington, as well as Montana, they are raging.  For my part, it served only to change the smell of the air here and there and to diminish long-distance views in places.  We would encounter more later in our travels, and I would realize the effects of it are felt across the West.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Lest you think it was all too bucolic, know that Holland Lake is a pretty popular destination for families who boat, kayak and water ski.  It was hardly crowded, and we bumped into just enough people to enhance our time.  In the midst of all the beauty, one of my favorite moments concerned two little boys of about 8.  The scenery was lost on them as they pondered the greater questions of life.  They were a good hundred yards across the water from me, swimming by one of the little islands, but as sound travels, I clearly heard this important conversation.

Boy 1:  Would you eat human poop if it was the only thing to eat?  And if it didn’t stink so bad?

Boy 2:  I guess so.  After all, you already ate it once, right?

Aah childhood.  Please don’t think less of me. 

A sure sign it was time to move on!  Exhausted from the trek and an afternoon of endless swimming, we opted to head for the last stretch of road before settling into our home for the next few days along the magnificent Flathead Lake.

I loved feeling like it was just the beginning of such a grand five days of adventure, and I felt small in the face of so much glory.  So much wonder.  So much pure beauty.  So very pure Montana.

Just Being Lexi

One oddity on the day, and it has carried over to every new body of water she plunges herself into these days.  At Holland Lake, sticks were not plentiful on the shoreline where she was swimming.  There is nothing this golden loves more than chasing a stick thrown into the water.  The only back-up plan was to throw stones.  Turns out she prefers this by far.  She chases after the splash and “kerplunk”, makes no effort whatsoever to dunk her head to find it, and waits for me to throw another, and another, until I’m sure my throwing arm is on the edge of rotator cuff surgery.  She just loves to swim, and doesn’t have to be bothered with bringing anything back this way.  Smart dog.

Parting Thought

As I reflected on this day, I realized just how large the impact on me was.  The beauty of God’s imagination overwhelms, and His creativity continues to astound me each day of this trip.  So many words in my poor attempt to share His creation with you!  Pack your car and come see for yourself :).

More Montana to come on the next installment of Around the Bend!

Come Along!

To stay up-to-date with our adventure, head over to Facebook and like Just Being Bing. I’ll post each update there as well as on my website.

As you can imagine, traveling for an extended period of time takes a lot of planning and preparation, and I love the planning!  Once we’re on the road though, there’s room for all kinds of twists and turns in our travel.  I love so many of the unexpected moments of our trips.

There’s also a ton of prayer involved – both as part of the planning, and when we are on the road.  If you’d like to pray for me (and Lexi!) while we are adventuring, we would be grateful.  I’ll share a few specfics in my updates.  Thank you!

Maybe we will see you Around the Bend!

Future Just Being Bing & Finding Freedom News

I’m excited to share the road with you!  If you’re keen to follow along on my Northwest Passage trip, check back on the home page of Just Being Bing, or follow me on Facebook or Instagram for all the updates, news and photos.  My ultimate goal is to inspire others to find their own freedom on the road!

To make sure you get all the upcoming news about my upcoming book, Finding Freedom:  A Girls’ Guide to the Open Road – join The Wander-Bings, a Facebook group for anyone looking to find and share the wonder in their travels.

Travel on!

Bing