Everyone travels. Travel comes in all forms, whether by foot, wheel, air, or water. Humans have been moving from one place to another since the beginning of time.
What BJ and I have discovered from our lives spent moving from place to place is that the quality of the experience comes primarily from the attitude and purpose of the travel involved.
BJ and I, separately and together, have lived all over the country. We’ve learned all sorts of things about the places we’ve inhabited. We’ve even done major explorations. The common denominator for pleasure during exploration has been expectation.
We expect to find something interesting and worth our time to get there. It doesn’t have to be large, spectacular, or earth-shaking. It only needs to be itself.
During trips around Northwestern and Western Montana, we’ve learned and witnessed many sights. Along Hwy. 2 from Kalispell to Libby, we saw and enjoyed the ranches, lakes, and hillsides. Conversation wound its way through the history of this area, the pioneers who pushed into the mountains and carved out both homes and livelihoods.
We’ve watched small herds of horses grazing or at play, their slick coats shining in the sun and manes and tails flowing outward in the breeze. Youngsters kicked up heels and made rushing sprints to and fro for the sheer fun of it. At the same time, in other pastures were herds of cattle, beefing up for the cold and snow of winter.
We’ve spotted hawks perched on fence posts or telephone poles, watching for their lunch to run by down below. Occasionally we’ve thrilled to see osprey or eagles stoop on their prey in a plummet to the ground. In the fields and pastures, we’ve counted deer, placid and unafraid, willing to share in the land’s bounty.
We’ve been surprised and delighted by a cow moose that paused by the side of the highway. She looked as if she were waiting for the next bus out-of-town. Considering that Libby was celebrating its annual NordicFest at the time, she might simply have wanted to escape the tourists. Photos cannot do justice to these magnificent creatures. The viewer won’t feel the power and strength behind all that homely façade.
BJ carries her camera close to her vest when we’re moving around in the world. It’s never far from her hand, regardless of the circumstances. The ‘shot’ might not come out the way she would wish it, but she expects to have something to work with when she gets home.
For the next several posts, I’ll be sharing some of these Western Montana explorations with you. I’ll describe the places we’ve seen, things we’ve done, and BJ will share her photos of those places and doings.
From there I’ll move on to places outside of Montana. BJ and I will share those adventures we experienced during the past winter when we hit the road and found that exploration could be more than daunting. We went expecting to experience something akin to how our pioneer forebears did so long ago. We’ll share the highs and the lows, the delights and the downers, the surprises and the shocks.
The first installment of the Montana series of posts is waiting for your enjoyment. It’s titled ”A Giant Offering.”
A different tale will be posted each Monday and Thursday. Watch for our recommendations of places to see. Alternate days may find a new post in ‘Tips and Tricks’ or one of the other pages. Be sure to check those pages often, too.
Come by and share in the sights, sounds, and smells of the places we’ve been and learn why we enjoy traveling so much.
So travel on over to our “Adventure” page to read about one of our explorations.
Until our next adventure together, take note of your purpose for traveling and the expectations you have for the trip, whether to the grocery store, the diner, or the park. I hope you find something surprising along the way that you never noticed before.
TTFN,
Claudsy
Trailing Inspirations 