Big Sky, Open Range and Outdoor Girl

Today was a very calm and peaceful day. I drove from Gardiner, MT to Miles City, MT. I had thought I was going to drive to Missoula to visit Harry Kotlarz and then go to Glacier National Park, but decided that maybe I was confusing this journey's goals and direction with a National Parks tour. And while I have enjoyed everyone of them, I think I am getting 'natured out'. Maybe that is why I had the fender bender so I would think about getting home to get it fixed and then in the process, realize that my original goal was to visit the states, not to see every waterfall between here and there.

So once I got that through my head, I drove towards Billings, MT and found it very relaxing and peaceful I did end up getting on the interstate, and it was a mindless experience as I listened to a book on CD and enjoyed the rolling countryside. As much as I said I had enough nature and animals - I couldn't help but notice all the cattle, the horses and even sheep ranches.

The mountains and rock formations were still beautiful and impressive. I wondered if the people who lived beneath them, or even on them appreciated the beauty. Or do they just take it for granted and don't even notice it anymore. It made me think of how many things we just take for granted.

Interestingly, I was listening to a CD called the "Four Lessons of Liao Fan". It was a Chinese wise man's sharing his wisdom and life's lessons to his son and is based on practicing loving kindness. I couldn't help but question my own self and whether I have practiced kindness and humility. I am sure I have lots of room for improvement, but to do both requires us to be present in the moment, and that is what I question on how many things we take for granted.

So when I get up in the morning, am I thankful for the day, thankful for the special people in my life, thankful for the food I put in my body, thankful for the sun shining, thankful for living near the lake that provide water and a place to walk, thankful for etc.

So, once that thought ran through my head for awhile, I was glad to get to Miles City.

This is a trip for my friend Cindy and I am a week and 1/2 too soon. I had never heard of the Bucking Bronco Event, but it is a big deal in town. In fact when I stopped at the visitor center, I met Terri, a newly divorced woman, who said if I came back next year I could hang out with her and her friends. (Cindy, look at the calendar for the 3rd full weekend in May 2011). The town is packed with cowboys and ranchers - and they hang out in the local bars at night.

While in town, I went to the Range Riders Museum and met Bob B. the curator, who has lived in Miles City his entire life, has been married for 69 years, or as he said, he has followed her around for that many years, and has been in charge of the museum since 1975. He gave me the lay of the land and sent me off on my own. I first went to see the gun exhibition, which I am sure would be very impressive to my friends Joseph and Todd Smith and also my boys. There were 12 gauge and 16 gauge shotguns from the late 1800s. And then there were all these pistols from the same time frame. Unfortunately the museum's lighting didn't lend itself to photography.

As I was making my way to another exhibit, I heard this music and thought what a life for Bob. He gets to sit all day, listen to classical music and spend his time in his own thoughts. When I walked by where he was sitting, I noticed a door opened and that is where I heard the music. At first I thought he was changing a CD, but as I got closer I saw he was playing the violin. He was so wrapped up in playing he didn't see me there. Later as I was leaving i mentioned I saw him, and he said that he took up playing when he was 65 and he taught himself. He practices for 2 hours every day. How inspirational is that?

Bob also shared that all of the memorabilia has been donated by the fine folks of Miles City. There were so many old photographs, saddles, chaps, guns, household items, branding items, etc.

I even found some pictures of "Johnston's" in the ranching photo gallery. They had pictures of the various ranch hands and ranchers and most had the branding symbol for the place they worked or owned. The branding symbols were quite interesting to me. Maybe because I am thinking of a logo if I decide to do the coaching business.

I had the place to myself for an hour and a half. There were several (miniature in scale but big in footspace) dioramas that Bob and his wife created and they were so intricate and detailed. There were also recreations of a town street and rooms in a house that had the period clothing, tools, and housewares that reflected how it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s. There was a large emphasis on the contributions the Native Americans made to the history of the region. All in all, I learned a few things as I explored.

After leaving the museum, I got a hotel room, got caught up on a blog post and then went to the local Montana products store, a Walmart (go figure) and then to dinner.

The woman at the Montana store reconfirmed my choice not to go to Glacier National Park. She said the best time of year was July and August. Right now there would be so much snow that I would not be able to get to certain parts of the park and the roads would be closed due to the snow. Since I had already had a bit of that experience at Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone, I was glad I didn't even try it.

I can always come back and go hiking if that is what turns out to be my interest. Right now I am wondering how I became such an outdoors girl for this trip and am wondering if this will last.

When I think about how I packed (2 dresses, scarves, skirt, ballerina flats, wedge sandals, flipflops and black shirts and bluejeans) I am not convinced that the great outdoors is my first love.

I am good with it being my second or third love - and if it turned out to be my first, I will be okay...we'll see what happens when I return to my normal life. (that assumes I have normal)