Great Falls, MT was an amazing surprise. Weary travellers from Yellowstone and Bear-anoia, we drove through rugged, stark mountains which gave way to rolling treeless plains. Montana's "Big Sky" was everywhere and fields of "grellow," a near-fluourescent green-yellow and magenta laden patches welcomed us. Great Falls was the home of the Bartas for 3 years while Eric was stationed at Malmstrom AFB. We stopped at the welcome sign and continued through the quaint bungalowed streets to see the Montessori School JJ and Alexander had attended 13 years ago.
We practically fell into the house of the Erpenbachs, who had only arrived 45 min before us from a long weekend family reunion camping experience they had hosted. Their ease and hospitality had us all laughing and feeling at home in minutes. Rachel - so talented! From cooking and quilting to canning and scrapbooking - all pale in comparison to her wonderful sense of humor and hilarious apetite for fun! Curtis - an amazing historian and host - provided a fabulous tour of Great Falls, Great Spring and the Roe River (shortest known in the US - joins the longest - The Missouri) and fish hatchery and amply supplied us with some delicious wild turkey and elk salami. Jake - their gracious, smart and talented 19yo son. His stories entertained us and we enjoyed his "war stories" from football from winning the AA State Championship in HS in 2010, playing at Montana Tech and studying for Civil Engineering. Alex - their delightful 18yo daughter who, having just graduated from HS and playing soccer, will head to Montana Tech as well. Her portraits of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and her easy going wonderful nature had us all enthralled. We all agreed it was the best fireworks any of us have ever seen, overlooking Great Falls with ongoing hours of brilliance and even shooting off some of our own. Dinner at McKenzie River Pizza, where Alex works, was phenomenal - treated by the Erpenbachs - following a lost wrestling match for the check! :) Montana hospitality is something none of us will ever forget! Thank you Erpenbachs!!
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