COOKE CITY, MONTANA, U.S.A.

JULY 21, 2012

TODAY'S EPISODE: A CITY ON A DECLINE.

My like of a town or village skyrockets if the main street happens to be on a noticeable grade. You pick. Uphill or downhill. A place where the town planner seemed to be a prospector that decided the bank should be at the bottom of the hill, his mine at the top. I can picture his carts laden with gold ore flying "downtown". Him pushing the empties back "Uptown". Place a salon and a general store somewhere in between and you have Cooke City one hundred years ago.

Kate and I spent a night here after putting our intentioned tenting on hold. We had been told that there had been significant bear "activity" locally. And when those mentioned bears are Grizzlies, that's fine. Some camps had been closed or restricted to hard sided trailers.

Any town where your address is Canyon Street, and I mean canyon, I like.

This town seemed to have it's share of rebirths, and maybe a couple stillbirths. I don't have a problem with the Vail Corps and the Intrawests bringing back the dead or dying, but here you get a sense that the locals are in charge.

For some of us, please remember, it'"Espresso"

Any town where the five second drop rule is pushed to fifteen, I like. In case I lose grip of my corndog and it starts rolling down main street, I've got time to chase and still have a nice dinner..

We had a little outdoor Hi-Def John Wayne with our dinner.
“Out here a man settles his own problems.” 

What adds to C.C. is that it's tough place to get to. You don't see
any tour bus parking lots here. Here I think the rating of the
restaurants is how many pick up trucks are parked out front.
Oh, this place must be good, five Chevys and two  Fords.

Since we were in a historic town, we thought best to check into the "Super 8". Like in the old days, it had neither elevator or air conditioning. Being in the high country as we where, we did see a lot of wildlife. A specific breed, clad in leather and producing a rather distinctive growl.


COMING SOON: CAMPING AND SURVIVING IN BEAR COUNTRY. I AM WRITING THIS. WITH BOTH HANDS.