"...The reason we love it so much is that it takes us back to winter, our
bikes somehow feel like we’re riding lightest and deepest snow, only at
75 degrees and in short sleeves. Riding through fields exploding in the
white, softball size blooms of the bear grass, many at perfect handlebar
height, can be just as much fun as skiing the best run of the winter...."
-Phil Grove, from Ben's Beargrass, 21 May 2018 essay at Eskapee
Other-worldly beargrass, blooming late in the season, beckons to come further up the mountain path at the top of the Continental Divide at Rogers Pass (elevation 5610 ft)
(Alas, we did not heed the call, partly because we are more akin now to City Mouse and are dreadfully afraid of bears...)
Clouds are forming up tonight in similar fashion as preceded yesterday evening's late-night light show...here's hoping for another good storm (minus the brief onslaught of hail, and please no forest or other fire-inducing lightning strikes, of course).
The isolated Sweet Grass Hills appeared slightly closer once Sis #3 & I crossed over into the Montana side of the Sweetgrass-Coutts border point.
During our rural road trip, we encountered multiple abandoned homestead settlements which led us to ponder the stories behind the homes and barns in various stages of caving in and what specifics led people to invest their back-breaking effort in that very location out in the middle of nowwhere. Did they consider how near to a creek they could safely build, or evaluate the rise of a hill as shelter from prevailing winds? Perhaps they wanted to be within a couple hour's ride from their nearest neighbor? Or were they just plumb tired and that little dip in the broad expanse of land seemed as good a stopping point as any other?
If we were motivated to look, I'm sure we'd find a book detailing the history of obscure Western settlement communities, or a Backroads of Montana episode highlighting Toole and Pondera counties.
But my best-retained history lessons come from historical novels. Any of Ivan Doig's books will drop you deep into a compelling story of Montana people and places back when. But the hazy Sweet Grass Hills specifically led me to dig up Deidre McNamer's "Red Rover" from the public library for Sis #3 to read while she's here.
Once she's done, I'll give it another whirl, because it's the kind of book worth visiting again - AND it features the Sweet Grass Hills up-close-&-personal, as a refresher to my imagination before our next northward adventure.
Even though this is pure southern Alberta sky, the hazy Sweetgrass Hills on the distant horizon are all Montana - which qualifies this pic to be posted here, according to my expert panel (of me, myself, & I, with outside consulting by Sis #3).
"Clouds are round about You...shadows veil Your eyes...."
