Montana Here We Come!

06-08 September 2023

We started our journey back home via Montana to see the town of Missoula and do some fishing on the Madison. Woke up in Jasper with no snow but much colder weather. Our first stop is a B&B in Fairmont Hot Springs, British Columbia. Yes we are still in Canada. The B&B is hosted by a retired couple who live in a suburban development bordering a golf course.

As it should be, at least half of our luggage is devoted to fishing.

Mountain Architecture

Motor lodges are large, typically one hundred rooms, and built densely along the main streets of Canmore, Banff, and Jasper.

Elk in Rut

We spotted the wildlife spotters—a clump of cars along the side of the road—so we knew there must be interesting animals to see. We were lucky to see a low-grade rutting battle between two bull elk. Or perhaps the two bulls were already exhausted after a long fight. What we saw looked more like wrestling with their heads.

En Route to Fairmont Hot Springs, British Columbia

The ride south from the town of Jasper through the park was spectacular. Snow had fallen the night before and turned, what had been gray rocks against a gray sky on our way in, into a mountain range worthy of a Canadian calendar.

Lodging

Our B&B in the little town of Fairmont Hot Springs

Nourishment

07 September 2023

On to Missoula, Montana

On the Road

This is the grand Columbia River near our B&B. Several towns in the vicinity claim to be the headwaters of the Columbia River, which first flows north and then south to reach Portland, Oregon.

The Wren—The Ace Hotel of Missoula

Wandering Missoula

This is a laid-back college town of 75,000. Not quite the vibe of Berkeley. More like a Midwest college town with an emphasis on the outdoors and sports. Bonnie thinks everyone does a terrific job of dressing well in simple outdoor clothing. Robert feels at home.

Eats

08 September 2023

Strolling

After Robert obtained our fishing licenses and some cash to tip our fishing guide at our next stop, we took a stroll to the University of Montana. Everything is labeled “Grizzly.” Then we stopped at a fly fishing shop to pick up a few items for Bonnie.

University of Montana

We hit the campus on a great day. The quad was lined with tables seeking students to join their clubs, teams, churches, or academic majors, and at noon hundreds of students were browsing the choices. We saw wide range of offerings from hunting and fishing to anthropology to Christian ministries, although sports dominated. Most elaborate: the Pacific Islanders booth. Most sparse: the history department.