western MT

Left Georgetown Lake in southwestern MT this am. This fella stopped by my campsite, & then I headed down a colorful canyon. 

 

                                        

                                                                               

Spent several hours in Philipsburg, a lovely little western town. Everything about it spoke to me - the flowers, the artwork, the architecture - so I got completely carried away photographing everything; I've put those photos below to make it easy to skip through them. 

After wandering around Philipsburg, I headed north to Mission Reservoir on the Salish-Kootenai Reservation. As I approached the area, it looked like this to the southwest...

...and this to the northeast, the direction I was heading. This is the southern end of the Flathead Valley where the worst of the MT wildfires are blazing. 

And this is where I was to camp for the next 3 nights, right there on the edge of the reservoir. But the smoke was too much, so I retreated 30 miles south to the Missoula area. Will reroute the next week of the trip, & see if the smoke clears here by the time I can circle back in a week. 

My obsession: Philipsburg, MT.

This display tells the story of a famous local story of an Indian attacking a miner.

This "flower" is made of hubcaps, & the little courtyard on the right is a private garden. 

 

I had breakfast at this table in a wonderful little bakery, then passed by a "soda saloon". 

 

There were flowers along the 3 main blocks. 

 

Gotta love a bar with white brick front named "White Front Bar" & advertising an annual horseshoe tournament. 

Gold was discovered here in the 1860's, & the town boomed in the 1880's, hence the old buildings. The road is full of potholes, & the sidewalk is broken in many spots, but oh, the storefronts!

 

This theater is tucked away on a side street, but it's still fun. 

Even the more modest buildings are done with flair. 

On the left is the library, & on the right is the high school. 

 

If I go missing, look form me in Philipsburg!