It's like one huge golf course...

And I mean huge !  That right there is a typical windshield view of North Eastern Montana. You see me and MPeasy have a map of our new State that we highlight the roads we've traveled with a goal of seeing the entire State.  So, in between rain storms we did a 3 day 1,000 mile adventure to hike at Makoshika State Park in Glendive Montana ( I saw this stunning geography on Sunday morning television )  and then up to Fort Peck Reservoir to see the country that MP's grandparents homesteaded on and lost to the government when the Lake was flooded in the early 1930's and get a feel for how they lived, what they saw and who what their neighbors might have been like. And then we wanted to drive Highway 2 from Wolf Point to Havre with a stop at Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs near Malta. 

The rock formations at Makoshika are amazing. Of course it was raining and the lady at the check in station told us to use our poles as the rattle snakes were the worst ever...yikes.... I didn't much like that part. But we got our hike in with me grumbling along about snakes. Then we retreated to Glendive as MP perused the 2nd hand store I walked into a music store .

What a surprise and the highlight of the trip for retired guide 003. This place had a as many guitars as any Guitar Center Franchise I've ever been in, for a music hound like me this was huge...but MP finally found me and we discovered the second room with a full sized Tyrannosaurus rex replica . We were astounded . This place is the coolest ever so stop and see it, buy a  t shirt. Guitars, comics, candy....AND as I talked with the owner about how he ended up in Glendive Montana and he showed me the new PRS SE with an acoustic Piezo pickup with two output jacks a guy walks in and says hi who is depicted on the shirt, it was Ron Thral who plays the double neck guitar for Guns and Roses . .The two of them were searching for a slower life so I congratulated them and off we went with a wonderful brush with stardom. 

With the record rains Montana has experienced everywhere it is incredibly green. Fort Peck is gorgeous and huge . MP chatted with some other descendants of the area as I took pictures. The two brothers were city folks who came up for a cousins reunion. There grandfather had worked on the Dam and they shared stories as we gazed on the project from a viewpoint that had a memorial for the dozens of men killed in construction. I loved the story of MP's relative swimming the mail across the river before construction.....I guess I'm just not a good enough writer to tell you how we felt as we drove off but I can tell you it was unusually long and quiet for me and MP.

All over the ' High Line ' as they call it you come across scenes like these. Most of the little towns once active main streets are shuttered and I wondered why, where'd the people go ? Why ? How does one town have a vital commercial are, small but successful and the next town is all shut down ?....How does that happen.  Here's Saco .

I guess every town starts out with big dreams....it's going to be a city someday .  Towns have these 100 year old buildings like this Bank in Big Sandy that now looks a bit out of place and  has a Real Estate office in it....The Visitor and Cultural center reminds me of a Pawn Shop in the inner city somewhere, strange .

Half way to Alaska on the Alcan highway is Laird River Hot Springs . I tell people it's like the lord put it there for car sore travelers. Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs outside of Malta is no different. Don't drive by without stopping. It's 3 pools are hot, clean and the friendliest staff ever , they're glad to see you and we're glad to see them.

And seeings how I'm passing out endorsements like I was making money from it I gotta give a nod to Ma's World Famous Diner is Loma .  It's owned by a Mexican Lady from Hermisillo so I had authentic Rancheros . Amongst all the cool fish mounts and memorabilia I spot this fish . Yup, and honest to goodness Kenai King Salmon right here in the heart of Montana....I'm feeling connected like I often do. We spotted their billboard up the road around Box Elder and when it said World Famous we agreed we were stopping. As we chatted in the cafe I told them you can't be world famous unless you think you are....

Now you've read through this so far and thank you....but you're probably wondering where the rest of the fish are....Well, I found them at yet again another fantastic State Park in Great Falls called The Giant Springs. Cold clear water creates the worlds shortest river as it merges with the mighty MO. The fish Hatchery has these huge Rainbows that I assumedare the Brood stock as  I know a little bit about old slimey. Well I'm told they're ' show fish '....So you got a place with 20 miles of riverside trails, birds and wildlife and Show Fish...did I mention it's all free ?....what a place.

I can't help but notice that Mile 14 has hit a milestone , 1/4 of a million reads . Wow, all I can say is mucho gracias for letting me share this trip around the sun with you. I'll keep the faith and as I said earlier I see it evolving like most things in life to something it didn't start out to be...the natural order of things at work here at Mile 14....