Many of you know that during our Mediterranean cruise a couple years ago, we met a couple from Australia who shared our dinner table. We became good friends quickly and have stayed in touch since that time. This year, they made plans to visit the U.S. for the first time, and we offered to meet them for a portion of their trip and to tour part of our country with them, including out west, at our two homes, and a bit further east. Their names are Margaret and Murray, and this posting is the first installment of our time together.
Kathie and I left Iowa a few days ago. We traveled through northwest Nebraska, which we had never visited as well as parts of Wyoming and Montana that were new to us. Along the way we stayed in two different B&Bs, one in Broken Bow, NE and the other in Lewistown, MT.
There were numerous coal trains operating throughout this area. We saw and heard the ones in Nebraska all night long—as many as three per hour.
We also visited Carhenge, not to be confused with Stonehenge, of course.
Other "car art" was on the same grounds.
Shortly after entering Montana, we stopped to visit the Little Bighorn National Battlefield Mounument, where Custer met his demise after some seriously poor leadership and questionable governmental policies. This view looks down over the famed "last stand" site toward the visitor's center, which has a national cemetery nearby as well.
An informative and touching Native American monument has been added to the grounds and honors the tribes and individuals who were involved in the battle.
In Shelby, MT we awaited the Amtrak arrival, which was uncharacteristically right on time—a little early, even.
And here we are all happy and reunited.
After traveling to Livingston, MT, we stayed at the Murray Hotel. You have to do that when one of your guests is named Murray! It is a historic and very nicely kept lodging.
Kathie found a bar with a gorgeous backbar, so we had a few drinks to celebrate our getting back together. If you look close, you will see three of us in the mirror.
The town was very lively in the evening, with an arts fest going on, so we visited several galleries before retiring for the evening. There was some nonsense involved, which is only right when you are having such fun.
More later!! Onto Yellowstone National Park.
1 comment:
Ruth and I read with delight that you "discovered" our favorite Livingston hotel, The Murray. We stay there every April when we attend a local railroad collectors show. Just down the street a few doors is our favorite Mexican restaurant. Well worth a visit if you enjoy that type of cuisine. It's a neat Montana town. Dick Zinn
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