Missoula

We met Vickie and Ray several years ago at this very fishing outing that Karl and Maura host each year. Vickie and Ray had just relocated to Missoula from Ballard at that time. The four of us have formed a very warm and close friendship, and we try to make a visit with them whenever we are in the area. Our visit on Sunday involved watching the Seahawks come close to losing their game against Cincinnati. But, as Ray put it, they won “on paper” by one point.

The next day would be a drive out to Ekstroms Stagecoach Station where some of the fisher people had extended the weekend by adding a “small streams” outing. Susan and I had invited V & R for a lunch there at the Inn. But lo, the restaurant is closed on Monday and Tuesday. We took a walk around the grounds and down to the riverside and chatted with a couple of the fisher people. 

We could have possibly eaten until it ouched us, but not here on Monday or Tuesday. The grounds include camping for tents and RVs, and some flavor of the old west. As well, there are wild turkeys. Ray counted 23 of them crossing.

Rental cabins are cute...

Stage coaches and teepees show us how it used to be done.

Another example of a mining cart was on display.

Not surprisingly, our final stop was to peruse the fly shop ;’-)

What a creative mind to see this piece of driftwood jiust waiting to become carvings of fish...




Outing over, it was time to find an alternative place for lunch. It turns out that Monday is not the best day to go out for lunch as three places we tried were closed. Undaunted, Vickie and Ray found us a great lunch at the Unitverstiy of Montana’s Golf Course —- the Iron Griz (U of M being the Grizzlies).

A wonderful day spent with our friends in Missoula, and now time for R&R, and for Vickie to get to her woodcarving meeting.