A Pain in The Butte

Howdy Folks,

Blasted off from Billings, Montana this AM (Thursday) and was presented with some of the finest scenery that a young man such as myself has witnessed so far. A beautiful sunny day as I rose up to the continental divide through Bozeman Pass - 6400 hundred feet at that point - meaning after that - everything flushed down the toilet goes to the Pacific - which means that everything before that goes to the Maritimes - no wonder Maritimers are so cynical - that still doesn't explain Ronchka ....

A lot of references to Lewis and Clark on the signage along the way - raising several important questions,

a) were Lewis & Clark the first super group,
b) were Dillard & Clark less or more important than a),
c) did Lewis & Clark know each others first names - did Lois & Clark,
d) did they have first names.

I have pondered their mission long and hard during my trip and have come to the following conclusions,
a) Lewis & Clark were in a state of becoming - they had no clue what they were looking for or doing but the government was paying for it,
b) the Indian scouts and their female companions were in a state of being - they were at peace with their surroundings and environment but the 'white man' felt there was more, and therefore the Indians thought there was more - giving the white man a lot more credit than they deserved,
c) the French 'coureurs des bois' were in state of being - they were being paid and there were Indian female companions - when do we commence???

Was this the vision that opened up the Canadian West and drove the Liberal Party under Jean Chertien .... ...

Rolling down the highway into Butte, Montana reminded me of two heros of mine - Joe & Dick Montana - Joe of the immaculate reception and Country Dick Montana - Dick of the Beat Farmers. Dick is no longer with us and Joe will never leave us - thanks to Dwight Clark.

Speaking of Butte - is it pronounced Beaute or But - for instance - if you had a real drug problem would you be a 'Butte Head' - or if there was a crack problem in Butte - would you be a Butte C---- - you get what I mean - these are issues that need to be dealt with ...

I ended up at the West Coast Ridpath Hotel in Spokane today - again thanks to Bill Howe and http://www.priceline.com/ . I took a stroll around the block and suddenly - an oasis - the Blue Spark - I went in and then a gentleman behind the bar said - you need a beer - I said YES - he said what - I said an IPA - he said try a Boundary Bay IPA - http://www.bbaybrewery.com/beer.php I said ........uh...... blam - there it was in front of me - I sipped it - THE BEST IPA I HAVE EVER HAD - 5 later I was asking where I could have supper - I was directed to The Steam Plant - http://www.steamplantgrill.com/ - I had their Amber Ale and IPA - dreadful stuff folks - and then I had a salad and two bowls - not one but two - of their onion soup - very good!!

The moral of the story - when you have found a good thing - milk it until it is dry - i.e., The Blue Spark - by the way do you know what Blue Angels are ..... Back at the hotel sampling an Alt Style Beer - http://www.alaskanbeer.com/ - if you can't be with the one you love - love the one you're with - IS THIS PLACE AT YOUR COMAND ... OLD ENOUGH NOW TO CHANGE YOUR NAME .....

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