Side-tripping in montana - out-of-doors

Nightlife in Big Sky, Montana is more exciting than you would think. Exceptionally for a pair of happy-go-lucky California girls in town just for the heck of it, on a spur-of-the-moment holiday in examination of a Western adventure. Not the kind of west-coast adventure you'd find on a sunny San Diego beach enclosed with half-nude bodies dripping with SPF 15 tanning lotion. Or the kind you'd find on a Big Bear ski slope inspection costume babes race down the black lozenge hills with sun screen-covered noses.

This escape was more of a "good girls" description of Thelma and Louise drumming the open highway to see what we could see. With no actual plans, no hotel reservations and no idea what to expect, we inwards in Billings, grabbed a few visitors flyers and absolute to at least try to visit Bozeman, Big Sky and Yellowstone Citizen Park.

After one night's stay in Bozeman at a lovely bed and breakfast and a awe-inspiring hike the day already up to Fairy Lake-a peaceful, quiet lake surrounded by tall pines and certainly no noise at all-we awoke to the sight of a light blizzard (a real treat for Southern Californians), the smell of Canadian bacon and the bark of the inn keeper's fair-haired retriever, Bailey. It was time to hit the road.

Our drive by means of Bozeman traced past charming hardly antique shops, down-home diners, and the usual small town sights, then to the environs of town. After a few stops to check out some antiques, and about two hours later, my girlfriend and I found ourselves in the forthcoming town of Big Sky affection like two fish out of water, but ready to breathe in some more of that smog-free air all the way through our gills and get to know the place-if only for a few days.

Our examination as to where to find some adventure in this ski town at some point in the off flavor led us to the horse stables for some Western-style sight seeing. A two-hour horseback ride guided by a real-life cowboy was a challenge for my tender hind parts, but I had to tough it out since my friend, the skilled rider that she is, struck up a forthcoming banter with our trail guide (need I say, "flirting"). And as well that, the views from the trail were unreal. I felt like I was riding all through a scene from the old TV show Big Valley.

After a much-needed soak in a deep tub of hot water spilling over with suds (literally) in our cozy room at the Rainbow Ranch Lodge, I perked up and my go buddy and I trekked down to a diminutive restaurant on the side of the road that served the freshest, most tender beef we'd ever eaten this side of ? well, anyplace. When one of the locals, a attractive "Marlboro Man" type seated on a barstool, benign invited us to drop by the local watering hole, Staci's Old Faithful Bar, the next night for a diminutive Western kindness and a lecture in how to certainly two-step, we knew we couldn't miss that opportunity.

So the next night, we hopped in our Subaru Outback (we had to "look" the part of locals, right) and headed down the dark two-lane highway very at a snail's pace so as not to by mistake come across one of those deer we were warned to beware of from the road signs posted every twenty paces. The fear of butchery Bambi was ever in our consciousness. As my ally drove tentatively, I sat fearfully with eyes wide open ready to scream, "Stop!" at the first sight of everything that at all looked like a beloved deer ready to cavort in front of our hire car. Talk about stress!

As we neared our destination and noticed the iridescent red neon sign out front and the insecure wood-framed check out door smack shut after a few cowboys, doubt set in big time. All of a sudden we weren't so sure we be supposed to be there. Would we be safe? What if a little happened to us, who would know? Yes, security was a concern. But that's why two crazed, adventurous minds are change for the better than one. So we threw caution to the wind, took a deep breath and headed into Staci's.

Remember that scene from the movie comedy 48-Hours when Eddie Murphy steps into a country/western bar and the whole room screeches to a halt. Well, just keep that in mind. I don't think I have ever felt more aware of my being than at that minute when my curly, blonde-haired acquaintance and I, an African American woman, walked into that bar. All eyes on us, we tried to look like we "belonged" there. And to our accept we were cool as cucumbers-on the outside.

As we strolled over to the only two empty barstools, I felt as if we were heartbreaking in slow motion-and so were the hundred or so pairs of eyes that followed us. Even the cigarette smoke swirls were flowing all through the air like low fog floating over a still countryside pond in the early morning. But once we sat down, the room cursorily returned to its before lively circumstance and we were able to exhale. Whew, the hard part was over.

I must say, our cowboy bar come into contact with was chock full of attention-grabbing sights-a live band talented adequate to make it to the be with round of Star Search, dancing couples capable in the most modern country/western and dirty dancing moves, photos of local rodeo celebrities who had visited Staci's, even a lively bartender who could whip up a drink in the blink of an eye. As appealing as our cowboy bar encounter had been, we couldn't stay all night since the break of day held the assurance of more adventure. So after a few more alien stares from some of the locals and suspicious smiles from others, we dead Staci's and headed back down that dark road.

The next day we awoke brainy and early and headed out towards Yellowstone Citizen Park. Upon incoming the town of West Yellowstone, I directly felt as even if we had gone back in time to some comfortable yet nameless place that was a cross among Mayberry and the Sundown Zone. But as we followed the signs into Yellowstone General Park, a ambiance of anticipation rose up confidential of me, and I must admit that I was secretly on the beware for Park ranger Bob, Yogi the Bear and his diminutive friend, Boo-Boo.

The sights of the accepted hot springs and clay-like mud pots were breathtaking. Examination bison graze at a coldness as we sat ingestion fruit and nuts on a log by the side of the road, we were very assiduous not to litter this faultless boondocks evidently formed by the autonomous hand of God. It was all so surreal.

Traipsing all the way through what we had hoped wasn't off-limits territory aloof only for the bison, I realized that we ought to head back to our car when we noticed colossal piles of bison poop in the tall, blond brush. Hmmmm, how fast can a bison run, and could I escape one if motivated by the fear for my life? I wasn't confident I hunted to find out, so after much purring and distribution my fears of hypothetical situations of the two of us being eaten by a children of bison, my associate at length consented to my fearfulness and we headed back to the protection of the parking lot civilization.

Further up the road into the Park, we came to the spot known world wide for its absolute timing-Old Faithful geyser. Amazingly, we here surrounded by only two action of the instant of truth, the geyser's eruption, which is said to take place every 80 notes on average. Examination the gentle puffs of steam befall a attractive gush of water shooting effectively high up into the air, I was actually impressed by nature's awe-inspiring ceremony of beauty. And just as briefly as it had begun, it all ended in a slow, quiet lull of nothingness-until the next time.

Our under your own steam tour of the other geysers about the Old Faithful site was by the same token awesome. Determined wood-beamed pathways led us over the sparkling pools of mud and baking hot springs. Cautious not to lean too far advance or to drop something into the pools, we cautiously heeded the alarm signs about their intense heat, apparently hot an adequate amount to boil the rubber off of a jogging shoe (not to cite the tender skin off of my bones!). But abruptly the heat of the pools wasn't a concern, when just up ahead about 30 feet we noticed a big, hairy mass of flesh munching away at the brush on the side of the under your own steam path. A real life bison, up close and personal. We froze in our tracks awaiting any sign that this big fella might be demoralized by our presence, or even worse, that he might begin to see us as two tasty morsels just ripe for eatin'. We were stuck among fear and the more or less disobedient urge to laugh out loud at this unbelievable sight. And wouldn't you know it-no more film in the camera! We gradually eased past the epic beast charge our four eyes on his two and ready to run like Flo Jo if the intimidation existing itself. With that experience, there was no doubt that Yellowstone was the highlight of this trip.

On the last day of our great Montana adventure, we hit the road and did some more side-tripping. Itinerant up highway 287, we agreed all the way through the town of Ennis and then journeyed because of Virginia City, a barely "ghost town" that has been preserved as an historic area. The old made of wood buildings reminded me of the town in Diminutive House on the Prairie. As we walked the dusty road I half anticipated to be trapped in the central point of a spew out concerning the town sheriff and an unwelcome troublemaker.

Eventually, we found ourselves at Three Forks, a dilute junction where three rivers (the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers) meet to form the mouth of the Missouri River. As we stood there inspection the swirl of the brown waters and atmosphere the drop of an looming downpour, we realized that this crossroads signified the end of our trip. One full of unexpected assets and surprises we could have never planned. Back to authenticity tomorrow. But what an adventure we had experienced.

Back in Billings we hesitated a bit as we returned our fee car and headed into the airport, relishing our unanticipated exploit as we immovable one last foretaste of the a moment ago snow-capped mountains in the distance. An adventure, indeed. One I will never forget, and one that I have faith in will set the average for all expectations vacations for me. Plan a little, come into contact with a lot. That is now my leave slogan.

Anita Paul is a self-employed writer, marketing consultant and owner of The Write Image, a marketing contacts band that caters to small businesses and non-profit organizations. She has over ten years come into contact with in marketing and broadcast relations, and is the cause of "Take The Mystery Out Of Marketing" a guide to help affair owners create, accomplish and evaluate a strategic marketing plan. She can be reached at APaul@thewriteimage. net or http://www. thewriteimage. net