Yearn to Wander

Texas Longhorn Bull

Remember Compton's stories of the nineteenth century trail drives north from Texas to Montana? The fact and fiction of the Texas Longhorn has long fascinated me, so seeing them as we drove by the Missoula County Fair was an automatic come-on. It'd been a long time since I'd been to a good fair, and this was one.

Larinus Weevil and Project Brochure

Tom awakened me this morning because the I-90 Biological Weed Control Project team was in the parking lot sorting insects. Insects? Yes, Todd, Mike, and Bryant were preparing to distribute insects that eradicate the Spotted Knapweed.

We played tourist and drove through the refuge. It was a nice opportunity to photograph some big animals in their grassland habitats. Pronghorns, Mule Deer, and Bison were all happy to pose, especially since we were the last guests of the day.

The Power Block -- Note Number of Windows on the Corner as the Floors Increase

Helena was a lucky stop. We came because it's the only major Montana city we hadn't seen. A pleasant room at a reasonable price, gave us reason to stay a week. Now we're on our second week of exploring in and around this lovely small city.

Montana Pasture

Eastern Montana's vistas were similar to North Dakota, except as elevation continued to rise slowly, the crops changed, and pine forests began to appear here and there.