Rocky Mountain High!!!!

Ok, who just started singing John Denver? Don't lie, I know you were doing it.
So another week, a few more gray hairs, and nothing to show for it except some unexplained bruises on my feet. Let's see I'll do a quick run down of this week's events.
The week started out slowly, Monday and Tuesday were fairly uneventful, but Wednesday's class decided to come on Thursday, so Debby and I took a little trip to the east side. We began the morning with a couple strong cups of Joe, and headed out in the faithful Ford Aerostar van, affectionately referred to as "Babe" (as in Paul Bunyon's ox). Heading down Montana highway 2 we stopped for a moment as Maria's pass to sing a little ditty from "Paint Your Wagons". If you're unfamiliar with this fine cinematic masterpiece, I first suggest you watch it (it stars a very young Clint Eastwood, and Lee Marvin both singing), and then you will know the song "Maria's Wind". After that we went to the Goat Lick. I think this is especially interesting because it a perfet place to view cognitive learning and teaching skills of Mountain Goats. The parents teach the young to come to this place and lick the rocks for natural salts. Cool.
So, then we went to East Glacier where the wind was blowing, oh at about mach 3. So hard that it was picking up ice particals and slashing them against my face. OUCH! So I braved the winds to try and ski to a place to see these really cool falls, but we got like 2 miles in and I was like, SCREW THIS!!! And turned around. At least on the way back, I had a strong tail wind to help push me up the hill.
Onwards down the road, we encountered the small town of Browning, Montana. I don't know if any of you have heard of Browning, but it's the last stronghold of the Blackfeet Indians. It's pretty much the capital of the Res. And it's a little on the scary side. So, we roll into Browning looking for some eats, and I'm driving. Now, remember, we've got government plates on this bad boy. As we're driving around town looking for a reputable dining establishment, I apparently turn the wrong way down a one way street. Someone honks at me, I'm tempted to give them the bird, but then I remember the plates. Turns out, there was no sign, I'm just supposed to know that it's a one-way from the parked cars. Right....
So, we decide to get some stuff at the grocery store. The doors of the grocery store are flanked with two very mangey looking dogs, and a very drunk native man. We are the only gringos in the store, and somehow, we get the feeling that we're not so much in welcome territory. So we picked up a hodge-podge of food, in no way a balanced diet, and got the hell outta there. Shudder. Not a place Mel ever needs to go again.
Well, to make a long story a little shorter, we had a strange run-in with the secretary from St. Mary who didn't really talk to us, but rather communicated in a series of emphatic "Hmmm's", with inflection going up or down depending on the response. Cooky. I made another attempt at getting the car stuck, but alas, was unsuccessful. God I love driving cars that aren't mine through 5 foot snow banks. The key is the running start.
Well, that's pretty much it. Oh! We also went to the Bulldog Saloon in Whitefish for dinner last night, and ladies if you're looking for a cheap thrill, I suggest using the stall on the left. Let's just say there's a parental warning on it for a reason. Woo hoo!
Other stats:
Miles skiied: About 35
New Birds to Add to the List: Clark's Nutcracker, Pine siskin, Great Gray Owl
Funny first grader quote for the week: Snowshoe hares can be any color, but pink!