I have quite the refreshing view only 30 minutes from my front door.
Got the drive to the west of town, Flesher Pass (Elev. 6,000) in the Helena National Forest, in the books today before winter sets in. Snow already covering the north facing slopes up to the shoulder of the road. It’s one of those drives where the guardrails look well-used.
I would have stopped at the peak of the pass for a good photo of the landmark, but there were a few trailers there where hunters were loading their packhorses. I noticed one house where a guy was standing next to his driveway and a dozen deer were out grazing in his yard. Both the guy and the deer were just taking it easy.
Made it to the small town of Lincoln, Pop. 1,100. Hunters abound in that town. And I turned around and came back. Took some time to stop along the way back over the pass just to soak it all in. Those drives always look different coming the other direction. Partly why I don’t mind making the same path on the way back to the house.
Am I a little over-excited to be driving over a mountain pass? Probably. But better get used to it. There’s just something exciting about the solitude and expansiveness of taking a few moments in a place like that to collect your thoughts.
Enthusiasm might not be strong enough to express my approach to getting out and exploring the sights, scenes, atmosphere, and landscapes of Montana. Blogging about the trips is just a way to share it with someone.
You can see all of my Montana photos collected on Flickr. Looking forward to a few more, longer drives across the state soon!
