FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES

This pilot lady (mistakenly) thought she owed me a favor.

So she flew her plane several hundred miles

To this lovely little town--Thompson Falls, Montana.

To join me at the airport where I'd settled in

And take me off on a grand adventure up this beautiful valley.

Out to the middle of that lake---(Flathead Lake--largest west of the Mississippi)---then up and over those mountains--

To this little known pilot hideaway in the wilderness--a landingstrip maintained by the forestry service for fire fighting purposes.

Feels delicious to be in the middle of nowhere.

A weather front prompted us to make camp for the night---she astonished me with the emergency equipment she pulled from her plane---all the comforts of good living--including food.

So we settled in for the day and night

And explored our area--Named Spotted Bear---splashed about in this river. Oh sweet people--it comforts my mind to know that places like this--free and wild--still exist--and are carefully protected by the citizens of Montana. I detected a benevolent conspiracy by everyone in this state to preserve its wilderness areas.

Ah, but I have only begun to share this experience with you--tomorrow I will dazzle you with a lovely surprise---did you notice the cage on the picnic table?