First big adventure: trip to Montana

Our first big adventure was in 2014, a trip to Montana for a music festival featuring our favorite singer/songwriter Corb Lund and his band the Hurtin' Albertans. Here's his website in case you need some excellent songs. Because we had a lot of miles to go, Fred insisted that we start our trip at 10pm the night before I thought we were going to. He just wanted to be gone, and his logic made sense, that if we stayed at home getting a good night's sleep, hanging out with the cat, eating breakfast leisurely, that sort of thing, we'd be on the road far later than if we just got out there. And hey, we had a trailer to sleep in! So we did, and pulled over at the first rest area along the Columbia Gorge highway, and had a wonderful night! We were the only ones there!

 As we made our way north and east, almost to Coeur d'alene we saw some folks driving past us, waving and pointing at our trailer. We first thought they were just agreeing that it was a beauty, but we soon figured out what they were trying to tell us. Good thing google knew that Les Schwab was less than 2 miles away.

It was time to replace those old split rims. New wheels and tires, and great people at Les Schwab, and a wicked rain storm! The squall lasted the whole time they were putting on our tires.

 

 So much wind and rain, they were propping the door closed with a chair. On the road in a few hours, with confidence in our new wheel and tire situation.

Found a bull for Fred to ride at the home of the Testicle Festival.

Big sky country. Our campground for the Red Ants Pants Festival was a big cow field that they mowed. We were among the first to arrive so we got an awesome space near the entrance to the performance grounds.

 Town of White Sulphur Springs. Sort of right in the middle of Montana. Home to a motel with a large swimming pool that they re-fill with hot springs water each day. You could buy a ticket for a shower and soak in the pool. Fantastic way to relax and get clean.

The washing up trailer, sinks and hot water. Very welcome after dry and dusty days!

 

This guy was a genius. He parked his rig right near the path where everyone would walk to the outhouses and water tanks, and watch as, predictably, folks would do a double take. What the heck? How did that guy get the only spot in the whole field with water, sewer, and electricity??? Prankster he was, he had a solar panel that ran a small pump to keep the "faucet" delivering endless water to a bucket that never filled...and the sewer, well that was just a hose in a hole in the ground. Good laughs to be sure.

 Here's our man, Corb Lund, on stage. Great show! I got him to autograph my hat, and he was excited for the next act, Charlie Pride! A great afternoon.

  These gents were brothers who enjoyed traveling all over the west to attend music festivals. They told us about some great campsites that we stayed at on the way home...they knew about the roads that were less traveled.

the soaking pool at Jerry Johnson hotsprings

politics on the road