A shout out to my friends in Deer Lodge, Montana

[Tobin S.]

Now that I'm home all the time and rarely leave the city limits of Richmond, Indiana, there are a few things that I miss about being on the road. One of them is a little truck stop in Deer Lodge, Montana. Deer Lodge is a very small town in central Montana. I-90 runs right through there. I would run out to Seattle from Cincinnati frequently with a hot load with multiple deliveries. I'd get out there as quickly as I legally could then spend a day running around the city making deliveries. The next day I'd pick up a load headed back toward Cincinnati with a more casual delivery schedule.

Deer Lodge is about 560 miles from Seattle, a decent day's work for a trucker. I'd get up before sunrise and head east and be at that little truck stop in the afternoon. The truck stop had showers and a convenience store and...a bar with video poker and keno. :D

There was a regular crowd there. They'd come in not long after I had my first Kokanee in me. They'd sometimes bring food with them and offer some to me. I'd talk to them sometimes and tell them who I was and what I was doing. I would be there a couple of times a month and they began recognizing me. I'd socialize a little, play some video poker, and get a good beer buzz going. I'd then call it a night, sleep off the beer there, and head out in the morning.

Montana is a beautiful state. When I was at the truck stop and had about 4 or 5 in me, I'd step out for a smoke and take in the natural beauty that surrounded Deer Lodge. I'll always remember that place. It may not seem like much, but it was the closest feeling I could get to love. I had been searching and now I have finally found what I was looking for, but Deer Lodge will always be special to me.

[Ptah]

1. And a shout out to my cousins in Deer Lodge!

Deer Lodge is a nice city.

A must see attraction is the old state prison.



Thanks for your reminisces, Tobin.

thumbsup:

[Ptah]

2. P.S. The Big Sky Draft Horse Expo is fun too

[jme0318]

3. maybe we can go there sometime...

together... in a car...

I love you - Jen

[Tobin S.]

4. Yep, maybe so

I love you, too. I hope all is going well at work. Do you want to have dinner and go bowling later?

[jme0318]

5. Sure...

It's a date... I thought you wanted to go to SilverTowne to look at coins though...

[Tobin S.]

6. We can do that, too

:)

[Tobin S.]

7. kick

:dem:

[lizerdbits]

8. I love Montana

I have relatives in Helena and Missoula. I've been out there for family reunions (and a few funerals) and we usually take the train from DC, get off in Havre and drive to Helena. Big Sky Country is right, and something you can never truly describe or capture in a picture.

[Tobin S.]

9. Yep, it's beautiful out there

It's something you just have to see in person to appreciate. I'm going back there some day. Jen is a big fan of New York City and she wants to take me there for a vacation. I've been out there many times for my work and it's not exactly my favorite place, but I have yet to see it up close and spend some time there. I told Jen we could go there if she agreed to go somewhere I wanted to go. Montana might be it.

[jme0318]

10. I'll go anywhere with you...

But I think you will like seeing NYC close up - with me...