Billings to Cut Bank, Montana.
A completely uneventful day, comprised pretty much of the drive from Billings to Cut Bank, Montana (after I picked up my prescription), a journey of about 330 miles, taking up much of the day. The landscape was pleasant enough, but mostly uninteresting.
On a day like this, where driving is the only activity, I think of Bev all day long, especially as I hear those sad love songs, where the words often fit my situation, as corny and maudlin as they often are. Even this song, by Bread, of all groups. Talk about corny, and yet so true.
“You gave my life to me, the finest years I ever knew were all the years I had with you. And I would give anything I own, I’d give up my life, my heart, my home, I would give everything I own, just to have you back again.”
I also can’t help but think of all the times I didn’t do things right, or was impatient, or missed the opportunity to be more helpful, or didn’t relish the moments we had together as much as I wish I had in hindsight. No self-blame or self-recrimination here, but definite regrets that I wasn’t more of what Bev needed at important moments along the way.
By the time I got to my hotel, it was too late to head to Glacier National Park for a visit, which is about 50 minutes from here, and not much to do or see in this small town, with a population of about 3,000.
After checking in to the hotel, I took a drive around, and found the town to be a little bigger than I imagined from my drive in. The town is named for the gorge (the cut bank) that lies just outside of town, through which the Cut Bank Creek runs, and is the county seat of Glacier county. It lies just east of the Blackfeet Indian reservation.
I went looking for somewhere to take a walk, and found the West Coulee trail, one of the Cut Bank Trails. Upon entering, I saw this sign which gave me pause…. and I definitely stayed on the narrow trail.
The trail is a narrow dirt trail that runs up and down hills, and is mildly rugged at times, partly running along the Cut Bank Creek gorge. It’s mostly easy to walk, though, and I took a 2 mile hike before heading back to the hotel, just as darkness was falling.
