The Berkeley Pit in Butte, Montana

By Jack Brummet, Travel Ed.

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President Obama's Presidential Library/outhouse appears in Montana

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

At least week's Republican convention in Montana, an outhouse labeled Obama Presidential Library was parked outside Missoula’s Hilton Garden Inn.  No one actually claimed responsibility for it, however it did appear in the  Memorial Day parade in Corvallis in Ravalli County.

The outhouse was painted to look as though it had bullet holes in it, and, inside, there was a fake birth certificate for Barack Hussein Obama that was stamped “Bulls**t.”   The outhouse also included the legend 

“For a Good Time call 800-Michelle, Hillary, Pelosi

Keep it classy Montana!

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Testy Fest: The Montana Testicle Festival

Several times while visiting Montana, I have passed by (but never actually attended) the Testy Fest (motto: "I had a ball at the Testicle Festival").

I think because it is on the way to Sturgis, the festival includes a lot of public nudity, motorcycles, beer, music, and, of course, fine dining. The crowd usually consumes something like two tons of bull cojones.



The party happens at the Rock Creek Lodge, 20 miles east of Missoula along I-90.

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On The Road again: roadburn

In about nine hours, we will be trying to get on the road, back to Seattle, and recover the roughly 750 miles we just traversed a week ago. Roadburn!

Random Photos From Montana, Wyoming, and Chico Hot Springs

a fishing shack? Or someone's cabin? I can't tell.


A very cool street sign in the mountains


The horses and ponies at Chico Hot Springs dining


The obligatory photo of a pissed off buffalo


The Boiling River

The Beartooth Mountains at dusk

Del and my niece Melanie prepare to tell the little kids

ghost stories accompanied by banjo and recorder

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In hot water: soaking in the Boiling River in Yellowstone

At Boiling River, at almost exactly the 45th parallel and straddling the borders of Wyoming and Montana, you can stand with one leg in the glacial Gardner River and the other in boiling (probably really about 130 degrees) water. This is probably the nicest hot springs I have ever soaked in. The Boiling River runs alongside the Gardner River, and down into rock pools where the hot water mixes with the icy river water. A series of soaking pools create a range of temperatures, from cool to extremely hot. The result is nature's own hot tub, with small pools carved water with a great view of the Gardner River canyon walls. We soaked here for two and a half hours after a hike.

Cousins Mackenzie, Del, and Melanie

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The truth about Grizzly Bears

"In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear encounters, the Montana Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, backpackers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears.

"We advise outdoorsmen to wear noisy little bells on their clothing so that the bears are not startled unexpectedly by a human's presence. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear.

"It is also a good idea to watch for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear poop and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop smells like pepper and has little bells in it. "

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Two permanent barflies at the 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar in Montana

click to enlarge

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