I never thought I could fall so fast in love. Usually love starts with some sort of infatuation doesn't it? Already having a feeling you'd like that something.
Well this love caught me off guard, and I've fallen hard.
Oh Montana how I've fallen in love with thee!
We were meant to arrive in Great Falls Montana shortly after 4pm on May 12th, on our 3rd day of the journey from California to Alaska. Fifteen miles after crossing the boarder from Idaho, we stopped in a little town of 200 people called Lima Montana.
That is where my aunt and I had one of the best breakfasts of our lives! We pulled up to the only cafe in this little town, calls Jan's Cafe. We walked in to a homelike atmosphere, three locals sitting at the counter, and a brunette lady with a welcoming smile immediately greeted us like we had been there a million times.
Janet, as in Jan, of Jan's Restaurant was our server and host! We both were hungry from our travels and excited to eat a home style meal. I ordered a #7 stack of 3 hot cakes with a side of sausage. My aunt ordered a #2, scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, and sourdough toast.
As we waited for our fresh meal, one of the locals at the counter approached us holding two photos, "which dog is the most adorable?" He asked us with a grin on his face. My aunt and I chose different, and him and the girl at the counter laughed because they were still at a tie as to who's dog was cuter haha.
Janet brought our meal out and we couldn't believe our eyes, I knew I had ordered too much as soon as I saw it haha. The food was incredible! Janet informed be that the sausage is specially made for them. I could definitely taste that, it was by far the best sausage I've ever had.
Ambers hash browns were fluffy and golden brown on the outside, you knew immediately these were from freshly shredded potatoes. I ate everything except for half of my hot cakes, as much as I tried.
Once again we got back on the road!
Great Falls Montana is where we were headed. We arrived right on time, 4:15pm. Winnie & Josie were the two lovely ladies that escorted us to our cabin at the KOA Campground. We were happy to have upgraded to a cabin, because a storm was rolling in for the evening. I had the best time at the KOA Campground, I got to feed baby goats in the evening and the morning, sit on the porch of my cabin on a swing, and listen to live music played by a local banjo and fiddle player.
Montana swept me off my feet. Between it's rolling lush green hills and endless plains, the swirling rivers, and on going blue skies, I felt so free. The wilderness, nature, life, just seemed to go on forever, never ending beauty at every corner.
It was so hard to leave the place I fell so in love with.
Right now it is 9:30pm and we're in a hotel in the heart of downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. What a change this is compared to the pure wild we have been in the last 3 nights. The sounds of sirens echo between the sky scrapers, and we hear car engines wooshing by in the distance. Tomorrow we have a 8+ hour day headed to Dawson Creek. Cheers to more adventures in the morning!
Or as they say, North to the future!
Xoxo, Alexis