Finally, I set off for Wyoming.
I had been in Spokane once before, on a summer trip with my family. We rented an RV and drove across the West. My two most vivid memories of Spokane both involve my older sister. First, she spent most of the trip in the back of the RV memorizing the the words to REM's "End of the World" song. And then, when we arrived in Spokane, she got out to walk the dog. We had all gotten so used to her being holed up in the back of the RV that we didn't realize she was gone, and we left her somewhere in the middle of Spokane. She wasn't very happy when we found her again. When I first got to Spokane on this trip, and parked the car to go find some lunch, I thought I was parking in the exact spot where we left my sister years ago. I thought it was the same spot because I was under one of those covered walkways that arch over the street, connecting two buildings. But then, as I walked around Spokane, I realized the city is full of those walkways.
Western Montana is really incredible, although I got lost about fifty times driving around Missoula.
I stayed in Missoula for the night.
Then I stopped to check out Butte, which is the quietest town I've ever seen.
Next month Butte will host the National Folk Fest. They'll host it for the next three years.
It was like a ghost town, but full of incredible, intact historical architecture.
There were a lot of tough looking trucks parked around town.
Part of the Wim Wenders film "Don't Come Knocking" was shot in Butte. This cafe was a very important setting. When I went by there was one person in there, and the smell of fried food wafted out the open door. (The other half of "Don't Come Knocking" was filmed in Elko, NV).
If I were running from the law, I'd run to Butte.
I was so entranced by this silent town that I got behind schedule and was late picking up Georgia and Sonja, two artists who flew into Billings. But I finally got there, and we loaded up their luggage, and piled into the car for the last couple hours of the drive.
But I ran into Georgia at the end of the driveway, and there was such incredible lightning in the north that I had to stop and just watch for a while.
The same horizon, twice.
Georgia, Lauren and I decided to check out the Buffalo Community Garage Sale.
Those Buffaloans (Buffaloites?) had some good stuff!
Maybe the thing I like best here is the light.
Or the space?
Or the time? My schedule so far goes something like this: wake up. Drink coffee and read outdoors. Go for a run/walk/or bike ride. Read and write. Eat lunch. Read and Write. Go for a run, walk or bike ride. Eat dinner. Read and talk. Go to sleep. Wake up in the middle of the night and listen to the rain/hail. Watch the lightning. Go to sleep again.
Half of this little cabin is my writing studio.
Finally, I set off for Wyoming.
I had been in Spokane once before, on a summer trip with my family. We rented an RV and drove across the West. My two most vivid memories of Spokane both involve my older sister. First, she spent most of the trip in the back of the RV memorizing the the words to REM's "End of the World" song. And then, when we arrived in Spokane, she got out to walk the dog. We had all gotten so used to her being holed up in the back of the RV that we didn't realize she was gone, and we left her somewhere in the middle of Spokane. She wasn't very happy when we found her again. When I first got to Spokane on this trip, and parked the car to go find some lunch, I thought I was parking in the exact spot where we left my sister years ago. I thought it was the same spot because I was under one of those covered walkways that arch over the street, connecting two buildings. But then, as I walked around Spokane, I realized the city is full of those walkways.
Western Montana is really incredible, although I got lost about fifty times driving around Missoula.
I stayed in Missoula for the night.
Then I stopped to check out Butte, which is the quietest town I've ever seen.
Next month Butte will host the National Folk Fest. They'll host it for the next three years.
It was like a ghost town, but full of incredible, intact historical architecture.
There were a lot of tough looking trucks parked around town.
Part of the Wim Wenders film "Don't Come Knocking" was shot in Butte. This cafe was a very important setting. When I went by there was one person in there, and the smell of fried food wafted out the open door. (The other half of "Don't Come Knocking" was filmed in Elko, NV).
If I were running from the law, I'd run to Butte.
I was so entranced by this silent town that I got behind schedule and was late picking up Georgia and Sonja, two artists who flew into Billings. But I finally got there, and we loaded up their luggage, and piled into the car for the last couple hours of the drive.
