Wilson's Death & Burial - Grizzly Times: Missoula, MT to Whitefish, MT
US 93 then US 54 (scenic route) to Whitefish - 2.5 hours.
Took my time this morning. Went to breakfast at Front & Market. Went back to motel, packed, and loaded up my bike in rain. Went to the BMW dealership that sold my brand of helmet (Schuberth). My visor had been fogging up for days now - and was getting worse. Gail at the dealership replaced the visor and "pin-lock" that fixed the fogging problem. Being able to see is a plus if riding a motorcycle.
Ever since before arriving in Leesberg, FL a bug had died in my visor (between the visor and pin-lock anti-fog film. How it got in there is open to conjecture. The bug was just below my right eye level. I called this bug "Wilson" after the the famous basketball in the movie Cast Away staring Tom Hanks. Wilson the Bug had been with me all the way to Missoula. When Gail replaced the visor and pin-lock, the bug was finally buried - my little dead friend was gone. I said a little eulogy and my sight got a little better.
I left the dealership in Missoula and headed on US 93 N toward Whitefish. The rain stopped and was a cool overcast. Pursuant to Ben's (bartender at Plonk in Missoula), I took a right at the south end of Flathead Lake (I am told, the largest body of water west of the Mississippi River). US 54 was a gorgeous ride. Stopped at Flathead Brewery & Pub overlooking the lake. Sat at the bar and struck up a conversation with Mike and Scott. Mike is a carpenter who inherited a 40 acre ranch right on the lake. He showed my pictures of his handiwork and dogs. From there it was a hop, skip, and jump to Whitefish.
Arrived at 3 pm, two hours before my dinner date with Scott Culp, his daughter Stephanie, and his son in law Ryan. Scott and Stephanie picked me up and took me into town where we wandered around the weekly farmers market. What an amazing market. They then gave me a driving tour of the area. Finally landed at the Stillwater Fish House for dinner where Ryan joined us. We had oyster shooters to start the night, then we had a great rib eye for dinner. Absolutely great company and conversation.
Ryan told a real life story that happened just the other day. He went out hunting black bear when a grizzly showed up. The grizzly started to charge Ryan but stopped about 25 yards away, dead in it tracks. Ryan was locked and loaded should he attack. The grizzly stopped and turned around and went after deer. He lucked out.
To kill a grizzly is a serious act: investigators are sent to evaluate whether the shooting was in self-defense. If the investigator found it was unnecessary to kill the grizzly, the shooter would go to jail. Ryan had to make a tough call - the right call.
Ryan was born and raised in the Whitefish area and had never traveled until he met his wife, Stephanie. He loved Whitefish, so why go anywhere else? However, now that he has done a little traveling (Florida and Las Vegas) he longs for more. Ryan and Stephanie go to Vegas frequently during the winter since Alliegiant Airlines flys out of Whitefish on Thursdays and has a return flight on Sundays.
What a great day and evening. Thanks to Scott, Stephanie, and Ryan.
Took my time this morning. Went to breakfast at Front & Market. Went back to motel, packed, and loaded up my bike in rain. Went to the BMW dealership that sold my brand of helmet (Schuberth). My visor had been fogging up for days now - and was getting worse. Gail at the dealership replaced the visor and "pin-lock" that fixed the fogging problem. Being able to see is a plus if riding a motorcycle.
Ever since before arriving in Leesberg, FL a bug had died in my visor (between the visor and pin-lock anti-fog film. How it got in there is open to conjecture. The bug was just below my right eye level. I called this bug "Wilson" after the the famous basketball in the movie Cast Away staring Tom Hanks. Wilson the Bug had been with me all the way to Missoula. When Gail replaced the visor and pin-lock, the bug was finally buried - my little dead friend was gone. I said a little eulogy and my sight got a little better.
I left the dealership in Missoula and headed on US 93 N toward Whitefish. The rain stopped and was a cool overcast. Pursuant to Ben's (bartender at Plonk in Missoula), I took a right at the south end of Flathead Lake (I am told, the largest body of water west of the Mississippi River). US 54 was a gorgeous ride. Stopped at Flathead Brewery & Pub overlooking the lake. Sat at the bar and struck up a conversation with Mike and Scott. Mike is a carpenter who inherited a 40 acre ranch right on the lake. He showed my pictures of his handiwork and dogs. From there it was a hop, skip, and jump to Whitefish.
Arrived at 3 pm, two hours before my dinner date with Scott Culp, his daughter Stephanie, and his son in law Ryan. Scott and Stephanie picked me up and took me into town where we wandered around the weekly farmers market. What an amazing market. They then gave me a driving tour of the area. Finally landed at the Stillwater Fish House for dinner where Ryan joined us. We had oyster shooters to start the night, then we had a great rib eye for dinner. Absolutely great company and conversation.
Ryan told a real life story that happened just the other day. He went out hunting black bear when a grizzly showed up. The grizzly started to charge Ryan but stopped about 25 yards away, dead in it tracks. Ryan was locked and loaded should he attack. The grizzly stopped and turned around and went after deer. He lucked out.
To kill a grizzly is a serious act: investigators are sent to evaluate whether the shooting was in self-defense. If the investigator found it was unnecessary to kill the grizzly, the shooter would go to jail. Ryan had to make a tough call - the right call.
Ryan was born and raised in the Whitefish area and had never traveled until he met his wife, Stephanie. He loved Whitefish, so why go anywhere else? However, now that he has done a little traveling (Florida and Las Vegas) he longs for more. Ryan and Stephanie go to Vegas frequently during the winter since Alliegiant Airlines flys out of Whitefish on Thursdays and has a return flight on Sundays.
What a great day and evening. Thanks to Scott, Stephanie, and Ryan.
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