Montana: The Loveliness of Libby

I headed northwest toward Canada after a day in Kalispell. The BLM land was about an hour outside the town and filled with noisy-generating RVs, barking dogs, and screaming kids. It was more like a free RV park than BLM land with privacy. I've noticed it's the quality of the campsite that colors my perspective of the area. Kalispell health food stores are all closed on Sundays and Mondays. It's a rather religious community with many Jesus signs all over. So I left...heading toward Canada. Next town is Libby.

What a beautiful area! The town is small, but filled with all the necessary amenities plus as a bonus a really awesome health food store. First day I used the laundromat with the top loading washers and washed not only all my dirty clothes, but all my bedding. I want to start fresh for Canada. $15 for five loads with drying took two hours. There was a sign on the door "Dogs on Premises". I didn't think anything of it and imagined a couple yappy rat dogs. When I first got out of the van, I was rushed by GIANT HORSE-SIZED MONSTERS! Great danes. Very friendly, but a bit of a shock as they rushed my van. It seems they eat 90lbs of food a week. Good god!

I visited the grocery store several times. They had a limited selection of organic produce and a Primo refill water machine. Each time the employees were incredibly friendly, customers chatting together in the aisles and people kept talking to me. It was quite possibly the friendliest place I've been so far! The Heaven's Peak Market was equally as friendly with lots of gluten-free and organic products.

I found a glorious campsite at the Dunn Creek Flats Recreational Area just east of the town. Beautiful park-like area right on the Kootenai River. I chose site number 3 that was right next to the dock...I planned to go for a dip! I even had a campfire each night and cooked food over a fire! This is the life! Only draw-back...no internet! Heck, no cell phone reception! I kept thinking, how bad is it to turn off each night and not be a slave to technology? 

I'd like to say I would get used to it, but I just wanted to use internet to plan the trip, check the weather, look at maps. Instead, I went to McDonald's everyday to work and be online. Libby has a library, but like so many others, the computer lab-table area with outlets is in the basement. I tried the first day and within a half hour I could hardly breathe. Thank god for McDonald's! There is no Starbucks in Libby.

Next I checked with the auto mechanic locals highly recommended: RMV Auto. I was told they would be expensive and difficult to get an appointment, but I had nothing to lose. Big Blue feels like she's working too hard and I can hear and feel a grinding noise. They squeezed me in within two days. In the end, they said nothing wrong! Everything working fine! The brakes are about 1/2 used and at that point may start adding noise, but they are fine. THEY DIDN'T CHARGE ME ANYTHING!!! I was shocked and extremely thankful. Peace of mind is priceless. I would have paid anything they wanted! 

I stayed three nights and everyday I went down to the dock, stared at the cold, freezing river water too long and then instead of jumping in the deep end, walked in and dipped to my neck. One day I did dive under, but not brave enough to jump. Freezing numbing cold. I vowed I'd jump in by the last day, but the last day was 88 degrees until it wasn't and wind, clouds and sprinkles started. I never got a chance to see if I had the courage to jump in! Call me paranoid, but a woman traveling alone, diving into freezing water...if I drowned no one would know until my 14 day stay was up and they wondered why my van was still sitting there! I left a note each time I dipped just in case I did drown!

I visited the Libby Dam. The Kootenai River is not only cold, but so clean and gorgeous with a turquoise cast. Beautiful!

I thought for a moment I could live here with such nice people and a glorious health food store, but these were all over:

ALL OVER! I can't live in a place that thinks a sexist, racist, sex offender is an adequate president.