The last weeks in Bozeman

THE LAST STANZA

This is the final posting of our 2024 winter trip to Montana. The family record.

We have a lifetime of new memories and have many new friends, as have Teri and Katie.

It has been absolutely awesome.

Craig and Diana we can't thank you enough.

Bruce & Joanne

The last jottings.

EMMERSON THEATRE

GRIZZLY 399

Attended a documentary film of the female Grizzly 399 (Grand Queen of the Tetons) with her four cubs born 2020, a mother now aged 28. Complementary hamburgers and nibbles at the curtain raiser. Renowned photographer Mangelsen presented the prolog.

Local interest has been high this spring. Had 399 survived another winter? She was recently sighted with her yearling cub in tow.

Cubs remain with their mother for two to three years. During this time she protects them against male bears. Females come on heat when no cubs are present so the cubs are fair game for the males. A classic love hate relationship.

BUTTE

Butte Town Historic Underground Tour

This hallway had a floor on pulleys. It could be raised and lowered. This led to stairs which accessed the underground shops, speakeasys and storage.

Butte was a rough and tumble mining town mixed with prohibition, brothels and money. The mine produced just over 23 billion pounds of copper. Approximately a trillion USD$ (plus other base metals like gold). The site has 10,000 miles of tunnels going to depths of 5500 feet. Today there is still evidence of open-cut surface mining.

At the time, subterfuge between the copper barons, the law and the general population was legendary. Federal law was ignored or circumvented. Prohibition was a non-event with underground speakeasys. Every now and then federal raids would produce a couple of bartenders. In less than one square mile there was 240 bars/ speakeasys and 2400 ladies on the game. One speakeasy was less than five metres from the police station. It was well patronised by these neighbours.

Law was metered out with beatings or a week or so in jail. Some poor souls, spent time chained in cage like stocks.

Speakeasy, meaning to talk quietly, gamble, booze and womanise. Most premises were converted underground basements.

The bar

Gambling

Peep hole, under the picture in the woman's coat room, was a two way mirror. It was used to spy on those wishing to enter.

Exit from this speakeasy was through a hidden door in the toilet. Story has it, when the sheriff was imbibing the Feds turned up. He ducked into the bathroom, locked the door and ran around to the front and joined the raid. By locking the door nobody else could get out!

The dungeon. You can see where the term comes from "doing bird".

I think this KKK decree was by the sheriff, who did the runner from the speakeasy.

At the time, the KKK clan was fair game as far as the Irish miners were concerned.

Butte Overview.

In its day it was staffed by 14,000 miners supporting a population of 100,000. There was over 2500 fatalities in the underground in a ninety year period, from 1880 to 1970.

The last major disaster was in 1917 where 168 miners lost there lives in a fire at The Granite Mountain Speculator Mine.

The underground mine is now flooded. This water provides hydraulic pressure which prevents sink holes in the town. Butte town is built directly on top of the mine.

Minehead of Mountain Con Mine "a mile high a mile deep".

Population of Butte today 35,000.

Front Market

Front Market is an old store purveying exotic foods and wares. An interesting place where we had seafood chowder and purchased a magnetic can opener.

It reminded me of the TV program, Arkwrights (England) with Ronnie Barker.

Joe's Pasty - (Pastie)

Pasties, known as Tiddly Oggies, were preferred by the English and Irish. The term is still used around the world. Cornish in origin, they were a staple of the miners.

It was a Cornish football team's favourite nibble. The "oggie oggie oi oi" was the teams chant at the after-match function. Of course, it was pinched by Australians, "aussie aussie oi oi"!

OFF-ROADING with Tom

Flathead Pass to Bridger Canyon traversing the Bridger Mountain Range west to east. The outing was nearly cancelled due to weather. An epic day in steep country and snow, using winches and chains!

Bogged, winched out

BLUE BIRDs

All three species are endangered in North America. Volunteers in Bozeman monitor the nesting boxes. Joanne and Diana went out for the day to help.

A Red-tailed Hawk chick.

Bald Eagles and Gold Eagles everywhere.

LIVINGSTON

Due east of Bozeman, 30 minutes drive, is the quaint old western town of Livingston. It is the staging place for access to North Yellowstone.

Downtown

The Murray Hotel and Bar.

This famous hotel known for its guests and structure. There was an old electric lift similar to the ones used in the Farmers building in Auckland, circa 1950 -1960, (Albert St). A staff operated lift. It had the classic concertina doors.

The manager, Vickie, on hearing our accents and our interest, gave us a guided tour around the building. Timeless beauty. Shoulder rates for only USD$115.

I wonder what this really means?

The woman may have come from the Crazy Mountain Range just east.

Celebrities, such as Robert Redford, Nicholas Cage and Sam Peckinpah, Director, stayed here.

Peckinpah was famous for producing spaghetti movies like "The Wild Bunch" and "Pat Garret and Billy the Kid".

Even in the 1950s the hotel was shot up quite frequently. Wild West stuff, booze and loose women.

Lift

Blue Slipper Theatre

Not open. Looked more like a medieval castle, with bars on the windows, than a cultural centre. Originally built in 1901 as the Post Office.

Notice on a local Bank door.

The Fainting Goat Pub.

The Flying Mullet may have met its match!

Chico Springs - Mexican Restaurant

After a soak in the Chico Pools had a fantastic mexican feed on the way home at Livingston.

Great colour and atmosphere. Huge plates with margaritas and beer. Doggie bags required.

Trapped in the car, gastro was a problem on the drive home. It was a bit like the movie Blazing Saddles! There was a case of overnight diarrhea too. Beans! Even so it was one of the best mexican meals I have ever had.

SOLD BIG RED

Sorry to see the old Dodge go. We had owned it for nine years. Encountered the usual regimarol transferring ownership on an out of State sale. This required notarisation by a guy at the Wells Fargo Bank. He worked under a goose! Two systems in play for the DMVs in Montana and California.

The goose! Poor guy. Who would want that hanging over your head.

LITTLE WALLY RV

New awning installed on Craig and Diana's trailer. This is technically complex due to the huge range of models.

Job was completed with only one hitch. Re-wound the right hand spring the wrong way. Resolved.

It was a good team effort with no swearing!

FAREWELL NIGHT

Butterflied lamb on the barbie. Thanks to Craig's cooking and Tom's carving.

Grill on low temperature 130-150°c. For 45 minutes turing every 20 minutes. Watched for flames with dripping fat.

Craig

Rob above, and again below performing a the Bozeman Pow Wow. Retired Dreamliner Pilot.

The guys, Craig, Rex, Martin, Rob and Steve.

The girls Emmy and Diana standing, Teri, Jane, Mel, Kathy and Joanne seated.

Steve and Martin

Rex

Diana, Alexis and Tom

Alexis the Vampire!

Great night, loads of mayhem.

Also, had a quick goodbye coffee with Trish and Brad. Energizers. Skiing, fishing, hiking, guiding, rafting, non-stop active "ants in their pants" types. Fun people.