Helena, MT

Days 63-65
The next morning I made a couple sandwiches for the road and tried some raspberries from Nancy's garden that were delicious.  Thank you guys for letting me stay for a night, I wish I could have stayed longer in Portland since there is a lot to see.  Anyway, I headed out to Helena, which is about a ten hour drive.  I passed up a lot of juicy water that must have held fish, but I just wanted to be back in Montana.  Along the drive, I broke 250,000 miles!!  I cannot give my vehicle enough praise, it is the most reliable, has perfect clearance, it is the perfect size, and has proven to be matched engineeringly.  Thats why although most vehicles and boats are shes, I have called my 4Runner Yoda (also because its green).  Wow!

And counting.. 

My uncle Randy 

I got to Helena after dark and caught up with Bug showing her more pictures and videos from the trip.  Honestly, I have had a lot of adventure, but what has made the trip special has been the people I have met.  Being able to chill with Bug and Randy after a long time on the road was more than necessary!  The next day, I met Randy on the Missouri after he had a very interesting hearing in Great Falls regarding the constitutionality of having an insurance cap of money that victims of medical mal-practice are allowed to be compensated!  I told Randy that I would row for the first half and then we switched later on.  The day was gorgeous although strange for the middle of October: 75 degrees, sunny and full of fall colors.  We chilled and fished until we had a beer and a snack at a bar in Craig.  When we got home, Bug cooked up a HUGE and delicious steak dinner which made me remember how great family is.  We caught the rest of the Phillies game and went to bed.

Yesterday, we woke up and took care of some chores in Helena.  I got to see Randy's office, had breakfast, and went to their place in Whitehall.  We chilled by the porch and talked fishing for a couple hours, which was unforgettable.  Then we fished a piece of water that "I cannot remember the name" or "where it was" type of place.  Stunned by the beauty, I realized that given the exposure to mountains and glaciers along my trip, that Montana was still very very legitimate, beautiful and in its own, another haven.

We came back to their home, ordered pizza, and had beers in the man cave upstairs and watched the Phillies pull off a must win-game.