Day 7: Montana, It Really Is Big Sky Country

Well, we have made it a week on the road. Only 30 days left! In honor of George Carlin--a major influence on me as a child (many of you have heard me recite his bits word for word), I'll just do what he called "brain droppings" today:

--Idaho is the place to be for cheap gas. $3.79.

--Motel 6 is interesting. People drag their cheap room chairs outside and chat with others. I used to joke that I my idea of camping was "Motel 6"--and it's true. It's just like camping--everyone is outside chatting.

--Glacier National Park is nice, but (and maybe we're just not seeing the best parts) it's not our favorite park. Going-to-the-Sun Road is still closed at the pass for a few more days and, we learned kinda late in the game, that we're too wide to go all the way on it anyway. Yosemite and Crater Lake are still favorites. Can't wait to see Yellowstone and Grand Tetons in a few days.....




--The notion about limits (see Day 6) keeps unfolding and getting deeper. Both of us are facing a life right now without too very many limits; we're actually looking for what kinds of limits to choose. It is very clear that the whole conversation around "limits" is what makes them empowering or disempowering. That is, if we say that limits are "restrictive" or that they restrict our "freedom" or some such, then that's what we get. But if we embrace the limits, then they are fun challenges--sort of like how doing a crossword puzzle with its limits is fun. So limits can be a burden or a game; it's simply a choice.

--Usually, I want to live everywhere I visit. I am just a sucker for the grass being greener, and I get all enthusiastic about places--what if I lived HERE? How cool would that be? etc., etc. Well, I have to say that it's pretty clear that Idaho and Montana are not places we would want to live. (Walla Walla was a contender, though ;-) These states are beautiful, but are just full of different kinds of conversations. We have seen more Ron Paul for President posters than anywhere else (and no ads for any other candidates). Gunsmithing and taxidermy--very big occupations out here. Libertarian (which does appeal to me sometimes) and macho (which does not appeal--we passed on the opportunity to have "swinging steak" (i.e., bull testicles) the other day....) So, it's good to know that I don't have to want to live here!

--There's the law and then there's the letter of the law. We needed to find a place to exercise Nick today and we just kept getting thwarted. So, we turned off a state road to a marked fishing spot. What a great find. Public restroom, nice parking lot, along the water, and no one around. We put Nick on his long line leash and then ran him ragged chasing balls. Of course, no one was actually HOLDING the leash, but he was "on leash"....



--I forgot to note the other day that my new favorite sign (and I couldn't pull over to get a photo of it) is this, from Crater Lake:
WARNING:
Falling will cause injury or death. Stay away from cliff edges!
(Nice, obvious lesson in cause and effect.)