Jewish Hikes and Wildflowers

First, a very Happy Birthday to my Dad.  I woke to Facebook memories of our birthday trip to Jupiter last year and am very much missing being there with him to celebrate his 76th today.

Yesterday we were going to stay close to home, checking out some hikes, doing laundry, enjoying our last hours in Big Sky before we head off to Missoula today.  For the most part, things worked out at as we expected.  The strange weather that started the day before was back, so our pre-lunch hike plans were delayed.  Instead we went on what was never intended to be an extensive search for a lunch spot to let the weather clear before we hoped to do the hike our guide Bea told us about the other day.  The search took us on some roads we hadn't explored before, including one called "Summit Peak," so you can imagine how gorgeous those views are.  We spotted one dramatic house built up on a ledge with ceiling to floor windows facing Lone Mountain.  We've determined it is Justin Timberlake's house, as he apparently has one here, proposed to and married his wife in Big Sky, and wrote a song called "Montana."  We have yet to find a better contender, so we're pretty convinced it's the one.

The pic doesn't do it justice, but, trust me, it's impressive

You (and JT) can see that storm rolling in.

By the time we had gotten to the 4th restaurant that was either a members only affair (but what a view those members had!), inexplicably closed for lunch on Saturdays, or had a menu with only a handful of options, Dana declared that we could officially feel accomplished for having completed a "Jewish hike" - running all over town in the search of a good place to eat. :)

I finally remembered from my research back home that there was a place that was supposed to have great burgers and sandwiches but was only open Wednesday - Sunday.  We found it, had lunch, and the first rain storm of the day passed.

Next up, the Hummocks hike.  This is a relatively new trail that was installed by the Big Sky Community park, so it doesn't show up on any of the various hiking guides.  Typically, unless the ascent is over 2,000 feet, these overviews classify them all as easy.   Well, perhaps they're easy if you live in Montana and are fit as a fiddle, but we've found the "easy" ones to be moderate.  As gorgeous as I'm sure the hikes classified "difficult" must be, I'd need to do some training before taking on one of those ascents.

and now the sky is as clear as can be...

The trail was lovely and blissfully quiet, though the combination of wild flowers very much in bloom and the rain storm having passed had quite a lot of insects buzzing about.  At one point, Dana played Tom Petty's "Wildflowers," the song each of us had been singing or humming throughout the hike, and it was a poignant moment to reflect on one of our favorite artists in such beautiful surroundings.  On many of these hikes, you come across a bench or picnic table that has been inscribed with a dedication to a loved one.  I hope there's such an inscription to Tom Petty in a field of wildflowers somewhere.

When we arrived back home in hopes of some hot tub time, storm #2 began rolling through, and it was a doozie.  Maddie had intended to join us in the hot tub, but when she took a look at the deep grey sky that was overhead and the lightning strikes that were nearing, she urged us to get out and head inside.  So glad to have raised a sensible daughter.

We again watched hail, though not nearly as much of it, pelt the grass in front of our condo.  When we ventured out to dinner during a break in the storm a couple of hours later, we were hopeful the skies would remain clear long enough for us to get inside.  No such luck.  Since it was our last night in Big Sky, I foolishly wore heels, while the rest of the family gussied up to their beautiful and handsome selves.  Of course, the uncooperative weather, long walk from the parking lot, and a broken brick that led me to fall just outside of the restaurant conspired to keep me from taking any photos of our lovely selves, so you'll have to take my word for it.

Luckily the fall bruised my ego more than my body.  The hostess brought me some ice, and, after I complained about the first table they tried to seat us at in some Game of Thrones looking dungeon next to a loud and large party, they relocated us to a beautiful room with huge windows where we could watch the storm end and the night sky reveal itself.  With this room to ourselves, we engaged in a spirited debate about representation in Hollywood, based on Scar Jo's recent comments in an interview, the Little Mermaid casting and so on.  When our waiter, who was originally from Florida, came by to check on us, he always made quick work of it. :)

We completed the night with Aunt Lydia (likely my least favorite episode of The Handmaid's Tale) and a very funny episode of Holey Moley, the show that Maddie's good friend Drew will eventually be on, though only for an episode.  Still, after the hilarious commentary by Rob Riggle, I'm going to be in for all ten episodes.  I suggest you check it out for a very different sort of comedy/game show.

Time to wake the children and pack up our things.    A week ago, I wasn't sure if there would be enough things to keep us busy in Big Sky.  Now I'm trying not to dwell on all the things we missed.  This is a wonderful part of the state, rich with adventures big and small.  I hope we'll be back.