A Voyage of Discovery: Betsy and Bubba on the Road

May 7, 2006
Bubba and I spent two days enjoying Andra and Dan Spurr’s hospitality in the little cabin in the field behind their garden. I awoke each morning to see the sky lightening behind the Bridger Mountains to the east. Bubba was thrilled to have an opportunity to check out the many prairie dog holes in the back field.

Andra is working as Development Director for the Big Sky Youth Empowerment Program, an organization she has been involved with since moving to Bozeman, first as a volunteer, then as a Board member, and now as part-time staff. Of course, it’s not in her nature to be part-time anything, and, during my stay, she was getting ready for a major fundraising event next week, but still had the time to be a great host, to chauffeur me to car repairs, run my errands, and, with Dan, to entertain me. I volunteered to help her with her tasks for the event and she devised an errand for me that had me driving out into an absolutely beautiful area outside of Bozeman I’d otherwise not have seen. I also went with Dan to attend the Responsible Alcohol Server training, and will come up from the park to bartend for the event on the 12th.

On Wednesday, I drove out to Clyde Park, to visit with George and Patricia Leffingwell at the G Bar M Ranch. Sarah, Benjamin and I have enjoyed three wonderful weeks at the ranch over the years, and I returned for an equally wonderful one last year with Carol Beekman and Sandy Carney. Their gracious welcome to guests is no different for someone dropping in for a cup of tea. Patricia showed me the wonderful greenhouse she has got going this summer, and the vegetable garden all dug up and ready to go. Given that it was snowing lightly as she toured me around the garden, it made her accomplishments to date all the more impressive. I left their house and went up to the lodge, where I had coffee with Mike, Pete and George, and their only guest for the week, a young woman from London who’d never ridden a horse before and was having the time of her life- I was jealous, and waiting for Mike to invite me to ride out with them—in vain. Mike told me he knew and had used the trucker I’ve spoken with about transporting Ms. Maybelline; he had high praise for him, so I will complete her transport arrangements and hope to see her soon.

I spent my last night in Bozeman in the van, ready for an early departure, but Andra was tapping on my door at 5:45 to say goodbye, and had coffee ready for me. I drove to Gardiner and checked in with the folks at Xanterra Human Resources, a welcoming and relentlessly upbeat bunch. There were only about thirty of us checking in on the 5th, and most will be working at the front desk at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel. After picking up my uniform, I drove back up the road to see the place where I will be boarding May. I didn’t meet the owner, but spent a good bit of time walking around with a woman who works for her, lives and boards there. An elderly gentleman, an artist, who lives next door, has horses, stopped by to see who had the foreign van and had coffee with us. He gave me a lot of history of the area. Right down the hill are the remains of coke ovens, used to prepare the coke for sending to Butte for use in the Anaconda smelting process. He gave me lots of information about the trails in the area, but was quick to note that most of the ones in the immediate area are very steep, and that May probably won’t be up to it this summer. I’m certainly noticing the effects of the altitude, and am sure that she will as well. Clearly I’ll have to find a truck and trailer to use to get her someplace where she and I can get out on a little more level ground. The neighborhood is an interesting one.

I returned to Gardiner and drove on into the park, got my sticker pass for the season, and went to an orientation, then on to Lake Yellowstone, about 50 miles south of Mammoth, the northern area of the park. Travel is slow, winding roads, folks stopping to see wildlife even at this time of year. It’s about 1 ½ hours now to get to the northern entrance of the park, will take considerably longer once summer comes. Finally, my first glimpse of Lake Yellowstone through the trees.

Bubba and I checked in with the personnel office at the hotel, then went on to the employee rv park, which we’d driven by without noticing it. We met Hal and Al, two older gentlemen who manage the campground, and Hal took me for a long tour, touting the disadvantages of each site. He particularly focused on the young guy who will be hosting a Cinco de Mayo party Friday. I sensed that much of his displeasure was occasioned by the fact that us old folks aren’t invited! Bubba and I settled on a site next to Pat and Al; Pat will be working with me at the hotel. So welcome to our summer home!