I knew the guy looking up at the prominent figure was JFK but I wasn't sure who the figure actually was. A Texas style honky tonk band played and union made Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer flowed freely. A swishy young guy looking suspiciously like Dana Carvey practiced west coast swing with a hot young lady sporting great legs. Pool tables sat over my left shoulder and bench seating for food service hugged the wall over to my right. The bar was to my back and an obnoxious pillar blocked a full view of the band. My friend Annette fidgeted with cell phone wondering where everyone was. The place was half full.
Finally one of Annette’s friends showed up wearing boots, jeans, and a frilly sort of black top accenting a particular style of Montana beauty. She had been out branding cattle all day and really needed a gin and tonic. As we talked about her upcoming move to Alaska the bass player, Jett Duanne, all jacked up on red bull and beer, said hello before returning to a repertoire of Hank, Merle, and Willie. Meanwhile the place began to fill.
I'm not sure of the exact history but the Union Club is as the name states. A Union Club. The figure on the large photo poster print was Jimmy Hoffa with an apparent past Montana Senator. Original old decor, native to a space that's seen very little change, gives the club a good authentic feel. A classic neon sign greets all that enter but the adult shop next door provides an odd contrast. From what I can tell Montana is pretty much a straight shootin no bullshit kind of place and the Union Club seemed to confirm my suspicions.
By 11pm the club seemed pretty full. A crowd gathered around our table and I struck up a conversation with a man who left Missoula when his wife wanted to move back to Washington D.C.,. You could tell he was really missing Montana and made everyone fully aware of the distaste for the nations capitol. I personally think Washington is pretty cool and suggested he take more notice at what all there is. He thought my advice was good but responded by saying, “It's not Missoula”. People of Missoula really seem to like it here and from what I can tell not many have any interest in leaving.
Missoula is a University town offering a dressed down lifestyle appealing to outdoor enthusiasts and hippies. The old locals are salt of the earth ranchers and everyone seems to blend together just fine. Summers are very nice but the winters are hard, long and cold. They call the snow out here, “Cold Smoke”.
Since arriving in Missoula on Thursday my time has been packed. I've been staying with a friend I haven't seen since 1994. Her name is Annette and we worked together as Wilderness Rangers in the Aspen Ranger District 1990-91. Thanks to Facebook we reconnected and have had a really good time catching up. Starting Thursday evening I got the bike tour around town, followed by Friday hiking all day and partying all night at the Union Club. I must add the party/celebration kind of revolved around Annette just paying off her mortgage. Saturday was a inner tube float down the Bitteroot River and today, Sunday, a hike up to a mountain peak to a fire lookout tower.
At the beginning of the Summer the idea of driving to Alaska really appealed to me but I've decided its just a bit to far and a little too expensive to do on my own right now. Not to mention, it's a lot of driving. I'm doing well rolling around visiting people I haven't seen in a long time while getting in hikes along the way. All in all its turning out to be a pretty good summer. It's nice to take time to visit parts of the American West I've never seen and its reminding me of how much there is to do in the good 'ol USA.
From Missoula I'll venture a relatively short distance down to Idaho where I'll catch up with another friend I haven't seen in a long time, Captain Dan. More good times and hikes to come. Below are a few photos from a couple of hikes in the nearby Selway Bitteroot Wilderness. One is a view from inside the fire lookout on St Marys and the pack train that happened to be going up with supplies.
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