Travel journals

Thursday, April 20th.
Missoula, Montana

 University of Montana

'M' trail overlooking University of Montana

Itinerary:
 
Left Bozeman, MT heading toward Seattle, WA. Stopped over in Missoula, MT.

I passed by Butte, MT. I kept pronouncing it 'butt' in my head and giggling stupidly. It's correctly pronounced 'bewt', like 'beautiful'. For example, you can say, "That Butte is a beaut!"

Shaved my head in a rest area bathroom off the I-90 highway and washed my bust. Felt so good afterwards.

Impromptu hike

View of Missoula
from the summit of Mount Sentinel.
Such straight and planned streets!

Parked my car at UM, headed off to the library per usual. I looked up, there's a big mountainous hill buttressing the campus with skittles-clothed joggers and hikers ant-marching up a snaking trail.

'I'm so running up that thing,' I decided aloud. Re-boarded my vehicle, tossed all my clothes and bags in the back and changed equipment for a hike!


This hike brought to you by the letter 'M'

There's the letter 'M' painted on concrete in the mountain. I assume it stands for Missoula and Montana. The trail to the 'M' extends further to the summit of Mount Sentinel.

But on the mountain across the river there's a big letter 'L'. Is there a 'N' on the next mountain? I dungettit.

Minor spelunking

Found a cave near the top. A quartet of local boys had discovered it first and told me how cool it was.

Bumped my head as I came out. There goes my career aspirations. Single event induced CTE. Would be funny if that fixed my brain chemistry, cured depression and then gave me Alzheimer's.

view from inside

view from outside

Someone left a love note at the entrance. Not the best thing to see before entering a damp cave.

'March 26, 2016
I love you!
GRANT
WANTS TO
FUCK
SILVIE'

Venting some spleen

The way down the mountain was very steep and slippery. Loose pebbles and dust yielded to dangerous slides. My toes squeezed painfully against the front of my running shoes and my knees were shaking by the time I made it back down.

The man behind the curtain:

my shadow

me

'my eyes and
my shaved head
are mirror images
of my happy smile'

- National Poetry Month
rejected submission

I did stuff.

For some reason I felt like wearing a 'COLLEGE' shirt around campus. I never even got that joke... yes it's a reference from Animal House, but what does the shirt itself mean?? That instead of putting the actual name of a college, like everyone else wears around, you just put the nondescript generic noun to show everyone that you're... a slacker? ... an ironic nonconformist? ... someone who doesn't give a toot? Someone who is an authority on these matters please explain it to me.

It happened.

This is the kind of campus I envisioned college would be. Man, attending Boston University was like studying in an alley behind a street.

Boston University

all my classes, math and physics,
were in a basement 
behind this Warren Towers (dormitory)
that's the Metro train in front.
#NoCampus

There's pictures.

Cherry blossoms presented in Smell-O-Vision. Apologies to the allergy sufferers.

You know the deal.

Some words that pander to my ambition.

"Never doubt that a small group of
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

But then I realized I need a small group, and that requires a social connection... so my current situation is a No-Go.

Now, story time is over.

I felt good walking into a room with park benches and plant life. This student union reminds me of the Gaylord National Convention Center in National Harbor, Washington D.C.

Plants and greens
in the Student Union

Gaylord Convention Center

Next year, no pancakes.

Some smattering of curios left from Bozeman, MT.

Christ, Scientist

Batman's a scientist too...

Triple-bunk hammock

: )

Tolerance and unity

'A blonde and a brunette
swinging on a hammock
is world peace
naught but one step away?'

- National Poetry Month
rejected submission