Montana 2011 - let's make plans!!

 
All who are going to Montana to see Elizabeth this summer, PLEASE contact me so we can synchronize plans (flights, car rental, etc....)!!  

I am soooooo excited!!  

Wanting to make my plane reservations (before the prices go up!) - but need to know when others plan on arriving.  We can meet at the airport, rent a car (split the cost!) and head out together!!  

Also need to get hotel reservations.  July will be here before we know it!!  Yea!!

Elizabeth - thank you so much for doing this again!!!  Can't wait to meet you!!!  

Julie

Y'all are welcome any time in the week of July 21-28! Welcome to spend the whole week or any portion thereof. If someone comes in later, we'll work out meetup options.

Please plan to fly into Bozeman, or if you can get a better price to Butte or Helena, which I would find shocking. (Bozeman, Billings and Great Falls are usually the best prices, but the latter two would add hundreds of miles of commuting just to get to and from the airport.) 

So let's hear about people's arrival and departure dates so we can work more on itinerary!

My first suggestion is that we spend our first night right around Bozeman. I'll meet whomever at the airport, we'll check in at motel of choice (there are zillions around Bozeman, as it's a major tourist place, mini-city and university center), drop luggage, get some groceries into our room/s etc. and then head out to FUN.

Bozeman Hot Springs is high on my list of fun places :-). http://www.bozemanhotsprings.biz/home.html ONLY the hot springs part of this site is accurate, as it's their old site before their fire a year ago last winter. They have rebuilt and reopened the gym, but it's somewhat different, I'm told.

There are always places to eat, drink and be merry around there, so bring dance worthy footwear!

From there I'd say we could go in one of three directions: Big Sky, Three Forks/Missouri Headwaters/Lewis and Clark Caverns, or the big loop around the Madison/Ruby Valleys to include Virginia City/Nevada City.

Big Sky: http://www.bigskyresort.com/  (look at base camp activities to see what's up for summer)

I was astonished to discover there's such a thing as a three queen bed room for under $150/night! Two bed rooms are close in price. Guess it depends on how many of us want to share beds and bathroom :-p.

I am only mildly physical, so don't expect me to want to hike and carry on there. But if someone wants to do those kinds of activities for a day or even two, I'm game to hang out in the sun, drink beer with mh and shmooze with whoever's around :-).

Three Forks etc.:   Lovely and interesting countryside (and HISTORY--beware, I am a history and geography buff and will tell you more than you EVER wanted to know about the area) at Missouri Headwaters State Park http://fwp.mt.gov/parks/visit/missouriHeadwaters/ ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Headwaters_State_Park .

If you're feeling up to a significant hike at altitude (don't do this if you are not absolutely certain of your heart health, please), Lewis and Clark Caverns is worth the effort: http://www.visitmt.com/categories/moreinfo.asp?IDRRecordID=3 088&siteid=1 Even if you don't do the caverns tour, it's a very pretty ride up the mountain and a bit of walking around to enjoy scenery. I will tell you all about this unique confluence of geographic formations and show you where some of your Certified Angus Beef comes from :-D.

Town of Three Forks is a pleasant little unblemished cow town. Those are getting harder to find in that part of the state. Cowboy scenery should abound if we time things right. (Otherwise said cowboys are working their asses off to bring in the hay, so we'd have to go on a fields tour to find 'em.) 

Madison/Ruby Valleys loop: Would take us through the Beartrap Canyon http://goldwest.visitmt.com/listings/897.HTM to Norris (another hot springs!), Ennis and Virginia City. http://www.virginiacity.com/, http://www.virginiacitymt.com/ . I'd suggest spending the night in VC.

Okay, give me feedback on that much and I'll work on further itinerary from there :-).

 
I'll start doing my homework!  Thanks for all the links!!  :-)

Wish we could go and do everything.....but, there is only so much time.  Oh well - whatever we do will be FUN!!

Julie

When is everyone planning on going?  I'll be near Helena ,MT the first part of July and would love to meet up!

 
The dates are July 21st - 28th.  Will you still be around then??

I'd LOVE to see you!!!

Julie

Then there are younger cowboys. Here's another favorite of mine, Buck Brannaman:



Read about him on his website, www.buckbrannaman.com . What an amazing human being. A documentary is being released about him in a few weeks, "Buck." He has two lovely little books, "The Faraway Horses" and "Believe," which I highly recommend for an inspiring read.

 No, we're leaving on the 12th of July to head home.

 
Boo Hoo!  So close.....

Sorry I'll miss seeing you!!!  

Julie

Then there are bona fide locals like this fella, who was just a little bit pleased to have all this attention from those gals from Back East after his morning coffee:



And a resident rodeo cowboy: (Darma was fascinated by the trophy belt buckle; that's her story and she will stick to it....)

How old are the cowboys supposed to be again?

One of my cowboy heros, Johnny France:



Read his book "Incident at Big Sky" or see the A&E show "The Fugitive Chronicles."