A Quick Transit of Montana and a Short Stay in Spokane.

I noted in the previous post that we moved quickly through Wyoming and Montana, with one night stays in Billings and Butte. We enjoyed our time in both cities, especially when we found a great local pub in Butte. We had dinner at the bar, chatting with the owners and a couple of local customers. Connecting with strangers in their local places is a wonderful way to learn about a place and to understand life as others chose to live it. We did also reconnect with a friend in Missoula, eating dinner with her at MacKenzie River Pizza Company. We tried the latest Cool Earth oat milk (Chocolate!), and I bought more at the local natural food store to take with us. So many of our friends are doing amazing things and have such passion for the things they do.

Vinyl Barstools are the mark of a great pub.

A place worth looking for off the main drag.

Back to the mountains!

Green and white landscapes.

Leaving our campground in Butte, MT.

Wreathed in mist. I90 has very light traffic.

Roadside trash can (some states have roadside tables instead).

Montana gave us more "wintery mix" with some hail.

Jim & Mary's RV Park in Missoula. We keep returning here.

Ominous.

Watching the distant rain on the hills.

At MacKenzie River Pizza.

Lovely sunset from the parking lot.

Spokane, Washington is the second city of our state. We've only passed by, but never stayed until now. It was a wonderful place to stay a few days and discover some of the things that will make me glad to return. We hiked a small part of the 40 mile Centennial Trail (in two different places), visited the John A. Finch Arboretum, ate all the good food, and understand the reason so many people are moving to Spokane. The spring flowers were blooming, and some of the trees, as well. The clear, cool weather was a lucky break, too. We did get a few sprinkles of rain on our last day at Spokane Falls, but it wasn't enough to stop us from having a great day.

Spring flowers bloom.

Welcome. Follow the rules.

The arboretum has a wild quality.

I love the blooming trees, but my allergies don't.

Minimalist bench.

This tree.

So many blossoms.

Peace on earth and in nature.

The entire trail is paved. It follows the river and goes right through downtown.

Painted rocks along the trail.

Nine mile boat launch and reservoir.

Mile 39 of 40 total. We found trail's end.

These small sunflowers were everywhere!

Sushi at East in Northern Quest Casino (Kalispel tribe)

Pan fried noodles.

Spokane Falls. So much falls.

The cascades just kept cascading!

The "new" Monroe Bridge completed in 1911.

I enjoyed it. The city was celebrating the 1974 World's Fair anniversary.

This was a different bridge.

The sentiment for the entire trip.

Upstream.

No kidding.

More rapids.

The footbridge.

An amazing find right next to our parking spot.

Pie to go.

Lunch at No-Li.

Beer to go.

Nachos sin carne para mi.

A busy day at the bier hall.

Decor doubles as processing equipment.

Take out pie back at the R-Pod.

Cedar gets crazy after a few days in the trailer.

I hope we make it back to Spokane sooner rather than later. There is so much more to explore. If nothing else, I'd like to hike a few more miles of the Centennial Trail. It also feels good to be back in Washington again. I'm starting to miss home and the routines that make up my daily life. I imagine my days are boring to others, but I appreciate the quiet, deliberate pace of our boring days.