East Through Central Montana

June 20th, 2103: a cloudy cool Thursday in Montana with rain forecasted all over the place! I left the Butte KOA at 8 am, stopping at Safeway to get a cup of coffee. I was on the road by 8:40 am, heading out on I-90 east. After a few rolling hills, the road went up, up, up and HD was adjusted to his lowest gear and we trucked on up the mountain. Then, zip, zip down the other side in a 5-6 mile joy ride. For the next several miles it was back to very mild road conditions until the next range---then back up, up, up. Woohoo! Two ranges in one day. Awesome. It is so fun to go down those puppies! Back in March, I would practically ride the brakes going down these types of “hills”, using the rubber of my shoes to assist the brakes.

But now, I am thrilling to the descent, recognizing that Henry David really is easy to control and there is nothing to be afraid of. I am even able to look behind me on a hill, as well as over the side to valleys down below and without feeling my breath catch and my heart stop. I rolled into Camp Three Forks, about 2 miles from Three Forks, MT, about 4:30 pm. I was greeted by Pam and John, the camp hosts. After pitching camp and taking a much needed shower, I wandered back to the office to see if I could score a cup of coffee. John put the pot on, while Pam served up a scoop of the best Montana ice cream ever. While I sipped my coffee and allowed that sweet caramel and vanilla ice cream to slide soothingly down my throat and into my belly, I listened to the wonderful story of Pam and John.

When asked what gives them joy, John was flummoxed, so Pam stepped in. “It’s him”, says she, pointing to John, her husband of 37 years. “He gives me joy. He is the one who gives me a reason to get up in the morning. He is who and what I love”. 

They met in a bowling alley. Pam was bowling with a friend and noticed John in the building. She asked her friend if she knew him and, yes, she did. So her friend introduced them, “Pam this is John. John this is Pam”. Nuff said. Nothing happened for a month. But Pam had set her sights on him and I think he was a bit shy. He certainly was attracted to her, but didn’t make a move. Pam knew the people he worked for and arranged another meeting, a month later. Well, two weeks after that 2nd meeting, John asked Pam to marry him. Two months later they were married. They are still together, and quite happy with the arrangement, 37 years later. 

Pam had a son from a previous marriage, but she and John married when her son was only 3, so John is “Dad”. John says that he and his stepson talk regularly on the phone and they never say goodbye without telling each other “I love you”. Pam and John had a daughter together and she lives in Spokane. Pam and John are building a house in Spokane, with plans to eventually move there. Pam’s mother already lives there, in an independent living home, connected to an assisted living facility. 

John grew up in the tiny town of Logan, just a few miles from Three Forks. His parents are still living but his mom has Alzheimers and his dad is struggling to care for her. Pam’s mother is still alive and has some orthopedic issues related to aging and osteoporosis. So, currently, Pam and John drive back and forth from Logan to Spokane to help their parents. Camp Three Forks is open from mid-May to mid-September, so they spend a lot of time driving back and forth. Logan--Camp Three Forks--Spokane and back again. 

In addition to loving each other, they love their children and parents, and they love sports. They enjoy watching baseball and football games together and they still love to bowl. Pam is a retired PE teacher and John is a retired radio operator for the border patrol. I had to laugh---”Oh, so you were working to keep out the Canadians???!! I bet that kept you very busy!”  He laughed and said that, Yes, he was kept very busy. And then he gave me a look that suggested a wink, without actually doing so. 

Pam showed me another of her passions. Needlepoint. She was working on a detailed cross-stitch picture of a bunny and a kitty touching noses. I always admire that kind of work. Such attention to detail. And good eyes...

I awakened on the day of the Summer Solstice, Friday, June 21st, with a happy heart. It was one of my favorite days--one of the REAL holidays! An actual planetary occurence to mark the day. Usually, on this day, I balance an egg on its tip for at least a few of my patients who have never seen it done. If it’s a weekday, that is. Then, I often hang out with some friends or have a little ceremony or gathering at my house. So, I sent text messages to family and a few select friends and got off on a late start from the junction of I-90 and the road to the campground. But, it is turning out that 9 a.m. is becoming the new norm. I get up about 6 or 6:30 usually, and then pack up my gear, eat breakfast, and cycle to the interstate junction travel center for coffee. Today, I added a quick trip to the Montana Wheat Bakery and purchased a big bran muffin. Yumm! Fiber. 

I answered the usual questions about HD to passersby, usually travelers whose passions are travel and family. Most of the travelers I’ve met on the road in Montana this June have been squeezing in some visits to the great national parks while also visiting relatives.There are some incredible places to visit in Montana: Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Little Bighorn Battlefield, and numerous places steeped in Native American history. There are unrivaled fly fishing and outdoor sports competitions of all sorts.

Three Forks, where I had spent the night, is the location of the convergence of three rivers--the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers---they join to form the beginning of the mighty Missouri River, the longest single river in North America. The Missouri and the Mississippi Rivers are part of the same watershed draining into the Gulf of Mexico.

Rivers are plentiful around here!

So, onward HD and I traveled on my favorite day. It started with singing, waving of the arms in the air, sun salute yoga stretches, and text messaging loved ones. As the hours ticked by en route to Livingston, my mood slowly slipped downward.  Part of this was due to fatigue, but more of it was related to loneliness. Sure, I meet people on the road and it is marvelous and fascinating. But this was a special holiday for me, hearkening back to my Celtic roots. I wanted family or close loved ones, maybe a little fire in my back yard, maybe a poetry reading, a potluck, or the music blaring from my sweet home by the Pecos River. So, homesickness was setting in. 

There is a private RV park and campground in Livingston---one side of it bordered by mobile homes, followed a row of RVs, then the tent camping area situated on the grass. I pitched camp, wandered to the store and picked up a salad, red velvet mini cake to celebrate the holiday, and a book by Nicholas Sparks. He writes wonderfully sentimental novels and I was “in the mood” for sentiment and mush. So, after finishing my salad, I ate dessert and read almost half of the book. That shook out the doldrums and I went to sleep knowing that tomorrow would be a new day.

And it was. I awakened to a beautiful day for riding, although there continued to linger a chance for showers. I headed for the KOA at Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Park. The address for the KOA said Big Timber KOA, so I cycled to that town and couldn’t find it. As it turns out, the KOA, while sporting a Big Timber address, is actually closer to the little burg of Greycliff. I was able to follow frontage roads for quite a distance that day, and made it to the KOA by about 2:30 pm. I was so excited!! It was early! This KOA had a jacuzzi, a big jumping thing for the kiddies, and a nightly hayride to the Prairie Dog Park. This meant an afternoon and evening of just FUN.

It may often sound, through these blogs, that this is a “fun vacation”. But, actually, it is very challenging and often lonely and frequently even painful. The rewards outweigh any discomfort and I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else than what is going on right now! This minute! That being said, it is very tiring as well and tests my mettle on a daily basis and begs the question, “What am I made of?” Do I have what it takes to crawl out of a self imposed shell? Do I have the courage to face the storms, the dust, the road? Who is out there whom I should meet? Is there anything of value that I can say to someone to help them face their own demons?” So, I press on with this dream.

Therefore, this afternoon was very promising indeed! Jacuzzi, shower, do my exercises, and go on a hayride. Maybe read again! Wahoooo! I was pretty jacked with excitement.  So, I did my exercises first, then headed for the jacuzzi. It is for adults only and a staff member opens it for you. You can even lock the door. So, I did--and stretched out in that roiling water and breathed happily. 

Then I gathered my clothes and soap and went to the women’s bathroom where I could shower, as well as charge my phone. I plugged in the phone with an adapter overhead at the bathroom sink (2-3 sink basins). I took a quick shower and came out to see if I had any messages. But, where was the phone???? I looked up and there was my adapter---but the cord and the phone had been stolen. I informed the staff and they were quite helpful. But, in the end, I called AT&T and reported the theft and shut the phone down. The police came and asked a few campers if they had seen the phone. Of course, no one had. So, for the first night, I went to bed without the phone next to me. 

The next morning, I packed up to head for Billings, MT. While rearranging gear, I met the mother and daughter campers who had set up camp next to mine the night before.  Donna and Rebecca were heading home to Oregon and taking the scenic route, visiting national parks and enjoying each others’ company. Rebecca is a fresh faced young lady with wavy hair and a winning smile. She recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in international studies. But all the job offerings were of a political nature and she isn’t sure she wants to go that route. So, for the last 2 summers, she has had internships at DisneyWorld in Florida. She worked more on the business end than the entertainment end: answering phone calls, taking complaints, making schedules, appointments, and reservations. She now has the challenging task of trying to figure out what she wants to do next. More school? She really loves anthropology and studying other cultures. But what to do?

It’s a daunting task. Figuring out what you want to do. What you love. What would give you satisfaction and a sense of purpose and accomplishment for many years to come.

Donna is Rebecca’s supportive mom. She has played taxi a few times, getting Rebecca to Florida from the west coast 2 years in a row. She is the mother of the household, that’s for sure. Her son even called her that day asking her what to do about his flat tire. Mom reminded him that his dad was right there! Then she reminded him about the Les Schwabb tire store within a short distance of their house.

She reminded me a little of my friend Truth. Truth is organized and smart and can find a solution to just about everything. Her family goes to her first with their questions and problems. I have seen this woman multi-task with flawless precision on so many occasions that I would just stand back and watch in amazement. 

Rebecca, you have a great support team and you just take your time. A rewarding career is a hard thing to choose.

When I was in college, my psychology professor said that, on average, American college students change their major 3 times.  Americans, on average, go through 3 careers in their lifetimes. And, on average, American women receive 3 marriage proposals before they get married.  I guess that means, get married for the “first” time! Now, this was in the 1980’s. Considering the divorce rate, I wonder how many proposals, on average, we American women get now? And now that women are taking a more assertive role, I wonder how many men receive marriage proposals?

Again, more questions to keep you awake at night!! Haha!

Now--off to Billings, Montana and an AT&T store!