I head west a short distance on I-90 and then south on route 15 to route 43 west. I am again traveling through the Big Hole along the Bid Hole River passing through Wisdom and the Big Hole Battlefield to the Chief Joseph Pass on the continental divide. I stopped at the Big Hole Battlefield again in hopes that the visitors center would be open, it was closed on my previous visit. Surprisingly, it was open and I checked out the exhibits.
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| Our peace someday may be shattered as well ? |
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| War is hell |
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| Chief Joseph's words |
I then continue on route 93 north along the Bitterroot River stopping at Sula for a lunch break where Lewis and Clark had stopped in 1805. Sula was originally known as Ross Hole for Alexander Ross of the Hudson Bay Company who lead a group of trappers here and was holed in during winter conditions.
The Lewis and Clark expedition had a fortunate encounter here with the friendly Salish Indian's who supplied them with well needed food, horses and information about the upcoming terrain. Communication was difficult, involving several translators to get the point across. A Shoshone who lived with the Salish tribe translated to Sacajawea who passed the message to her husband Charbonneau in the Hidasta language, who translated it to Labiche in French who translated it to the captains in English. I wonder about the accuracy of the final message to the captains, but it worked ?
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| The creek at Sula |
I then stop at the town of Darby, walk the main street and find a few interesting sights.
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| Quick skull bleaching is important ! |
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| Seems to be a good career path in this area |
I eventually stop for the night at Hamilton, Montana. It’s a hot day close to 90 degrees and I feel it as I walk around the downtown.. As it’s Sunday, not much is open, but I see a few stores and restaurants that I might be interested in on Monday. I do find the Bitterroot Brewery open and stop in for refreshment and a light meal.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton,_Montana
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| Bitter Root Brewing logo |
I do some research on National Forest camping sites and come up with one campground, the Blodgett Campground within a few miles of Hamilton. It is a developed forest service campground, not my preferred type and it only has five camp sites. As expected I find them all filled, but the parking lot is roomy and there are no signs prohibiting overnight use, so this will be my campsite. It is in the Bitteroot National Forest under impressive towering rock formations, looking like the entrance to a mini Grand Canyon.
In the morning, I take a short walk on a trail to get a better view of the mountain, it is a nice trail, but a bear area, near water, I have no bear spray, no bell, nothing for protection and I’m feeling vulnerable.
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| The Bitterroot's are a rugged mountain range |
I go back into Hamilton, get a coffee, it’s not easy to get a plain “real” coffee in a cafe these days, even in Hamilton, Montana. I walk around Main Street, go in a couple of stores, it’s a very pleasant nice town. I then visit the Library which is another authentic Carnegie Library, I have hit a string of them lately.
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| Good advise in cowboy country |
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| More good advise |
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| I don't understand these restaurants that close for Sunday and Monday ? |
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| Don't understand these types either |
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| Hamilton Main Street is very nice |
I get back on the road at noon time continuing on route 93 north towards Missoula, Montana. I make a couple of stops along the route, in Stevensville and Lolo.
Stevensville is thought to be one of the oldest towns in Montana with the St. Mary’s Mission. This is a interesting story, how the a Salish Indian tribe delegation traveled St. Louis to request the Jesuit Missionaries known as the “black robes” to come to Montana to teach them about agriculture, medicine and religion. Dr. Pierre-Jean DeSmet arrived in 1841 starting a settlement and building St. Mary's church. He actually did wonderful things, he was a real renaissance man. Of course, it didn’t end end well, eventually the pioneer settlers desired this land, our government decided they should have, the "savages" weren’t doing anything with it and so the military rounded the tribe up and marched them to a far away area. Today the St. Mary's Mission is a treasured local attraction that has been restored.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevensville,_Montana
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Jean_De_Smet
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| Many Montana firsts occurred here at St. Mary's Mission |
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| The original St. Mary's Mission |
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| Stevensville Library |
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| Nice downtown mural |
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| A strange combination |
Arriving in Missoula in mid afternoon, I had been there back in 2015, but I didn’t remember how large and congested a city it was. The only area I wanted to see was the original downtown and it took me a while to find my way there. I walk around a few blocks, look in a book store, an antique store and buy a Montana tee shirt. I spend considerable time at the very modern well utilized beautiful Library, not inside, but outside on a bench where the WiFi is great. Many others were doing the same thing. I have hope for the future having spent time there, there were dozens of family types and young children, the library grounds are beautiful, everyone was nice, polite and wearing masks.
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| The Missoula Club is way more exciting on the exterior |
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| A prime Missoula corner view |
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| Stockman's Cafe and Bar is a popular sports hangout |
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| A great Miles Davis quote |
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| A great 4th of July mural |
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| Many old ghost signs remain visible |
Feeling righteous after that, I treated myself to a burger at Bitter Root Brewing after which I returned to the slums of Walmart for the night.
In the morning I notice a horrible smell in the air, but it isn’t from Walmart, it’s the entire general area. I search the internet and find that this is a hot issue here, there is an ongoing investigation as to the cause, various potential causes are suspected, but seems to be something to do with a rendering company when there is an atmospheric inversion condition.
Tomorrow, I move on heading north towards Polson, Montana.
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