Cut Bank Montana 1st Sept

The town of Cut Bank is as boring as it's name. It is named for the cutting the river has made in the high plain and is essentially a railway and mining industry hub. When Bob was chatting to the nice volunteer woman at the Conrad Visitor Centre she asked "why are you staying in Cut Bank"?  He didn't tell her that the fact that it is 48 miles from Glacier Park and it's motel prices weren't inflated by Park proximity was the reason. We understood the sentiment when we arrived. We understood it even more when we went looking for dinner last night. Bob researched Google to check the reputation of the local restaurants to find that there was only one functioning which fortunately had good reviews. As the motel is typically on the outskirts of town we set off for our usual mile walk to the centre only to discover a notice advising that the restaurant was closed for the whole of the Labor Day weekend holiday. Mumbling horribly we walked back through a pleasantly cool evening to consult with the motel proprietor. He directed us to the supermarket on the other side of town. This time we drove and managed to purchase very tasty chicken teriaki and salads which we ate in our room.
To  back track the drive to Cut Bank was interesting even though it was once again across undulating plain country. There were a few lakes which we took to be fed by snow melt from mountains that were a hazy blur through the smoke on the horizon. The huge paddocks we drove through were alternating bright golden and dull beige stubble. There were small collections of deer making the most of the stubble and occasional Black Angus herds. When we arrived at Fairfield enroute we were able to identify the stubble because the town proudly announced it was the malting barley capital of the world. During a walk around town I noticed an ad which stated that Coors Beer is made from barley grown here.
The next town Conrad seemed to be suffering from the diminishing small town syndrome but it had a delightful rest stop area where the historic old town was preserved and and contained some functioning shops. Sadly the icecram parlour was not open till later in the day but I bought myself two pretty but functional pot holders at the craft shop. I then met the woman  who had made them when we had further conversation with the Visitor Centre volunteer and her friend in the car park. Friend was very chuffed that I admired and had bought something that she had made. They also informed us that the dinosaur "field" that Conrad promoted was actually near the next tiny town we would drive through. They claim the largest dinosaur skeleton ever assembled and the only baby dinosaur skeletons discovered. However Bob had obviously had enough of stopping by then and we drove straight past.  We also noticed some operating oil wells as we approached the town. This is something that is sprinkled throughout the mountain  foothills where ever we have been driving. Our early arrival at Cut Bank allowed some routine supermarket shopping and a "nanna  nap" which in my case means a chance to relax and read my book.

Conrad Village.

Blackfoot house - not called a teepe as that is a Souix name but something else unpronouncable. Built in collaboration with the school which is what the sign board that I couldn't avoid says. We have read historic sign boards along the way which explain that the plains we are driving across were the terrain  of the huge herds of bison which sustained the Blackfoot tribe and many other of the nomadic Indian tribes.