7/4/2019

Fourth of July is always a very busy time at campgrounds, so we were fortunate to have a private place to stay. Beth’s childhood neighbor in Michigan now lives in Montana and invited us to visit over the holiday weekend. Doug and Janet have a beautiful place in the valley south of Missoula.

After coffee, the four of us and two dogs went for a pretty walk along the Bitterroot river.

Driftboats carry people along the river so they can fish and enjoy the scenery. 

After a tour of the area we returned to Doug and Janet’s where we met Finn, their son’s rescue dog from Alaska. 

Doug treated us to perfectly prepared steaks as part of a holiday feast.

All three of the dogs are a big part of the family. When they weren’t eyeing the steaks, they watched the backyard for trespassers.

I wonder if these elk knew that three dogs were tracking their every move.

We learned that we share a warped sense of humor and that someone in their family can solve equations. 

Fireworks flashed as the sun set behind the western mountains bringing a beautiful end to Independence Day.

7/5/2019

Helped build a new fence for their gate. With four of us, and good pre-planning, it really went together quickly.

Finn supervised the work crew.

Janet and Beth were dangerous together as they shared craft ideas. Beth fell in love with Janet’s garden shed.

We all liked this sentiment hanging on the wall.

Dinner was at Bitterroot Brewing in the nearby town of Hamilton. Nobody needed to cook and we enjoyed fresh drafts complementing really good fish tacos!

7/6/2029

Our last day with Janet and Doug was a full one. They treated us to a canoeing adventure on the Clark Fork River.

Going downstream only required steering around rocks and snags. It was quite different from our past experiences of ocean sailing or paddling on lakes.

The weather was perfect for the floating downstream. We stopped on a  bar for lunch and Doug even had a chance to do a little fishing.

The five hour float ended at their son’s home where Finn greeted Beth. A light rain began just after we pulled out the canoes.

Finn gave Beth a farewell kiss and hug. We’ll always have fond memories of this wonderful long weekend thanks to Doug and Janet.

Heading off again, we originally thought we would spend the night at Big Sky Brewing. Apparently we weren’t the only ones with that idea so they didn’t have room for us. Calling Wildwood Brewing, another Harvest Host, they said “come on down.”

There were plenty of patrons enjoying Wildwood Brewing in Stevensville, but we were the only campers. Their Mystical Stout was very good and we found room for a few extra in our fridge. Patrons were friendly and we met a couple who recommended reading

Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig. 

* If you are interested in joining Harvest Hosts, please click on this referral link to save 15% on your membership. We receive a small incentive.