May 1, 2016 – Hungry Horse, Montana

The landscape of this state is nothing short of magnificent.

I’m on my way to host number six. Heading west out of Helena, I-90 takes me through Missoula (with a pit stop in the ghost town of Garnet). There, I am surrounded by the Bitterroot Mountains to the west, Sapphire range to the south, Garnet range to the southeast, Rattlesnake range to the east, and the Reservation Divide to the northeast. Unreal. Continuing north via highway 93, I pass through St. Ignatius while fighting the urge to stare at the Mission mountains on my right. Further on, Flathead Lake proves equally worthy of my attention. Finally, I pass through Bar Rock Canyon and find my hosts in Hungry Horse, a small town nestled between Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park.

What will I do with my free time?

My hosts appear kind and very welcoming. Meg is the head chef at a local rafting company and also owns a catering company. Tom is an ex-military man currently working for a lumber company. They seem to make a good team with their diverse skill sets. I should be able to learn a lot here.

For dinner, Meg serves halibut cheeks and scallops, steamed asparagus, cabbage, and an orange peel/kiwi/grapefruit salad. Dessert is a banana chocolate cake topped with fresh blueberries and strawberries. Sweet lord. Before bed, Tom shows me a 3-D map of Glacier, pointing out some of his favorite spots.

Tomorrow can’t come fast enough.

“I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana it is love.” – John Steinbeck