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Missoula, Montana

August 18, 2010

The best laid plans often go astray especially when it comes to jeeping forest service roads on  national forest lands.  We struck out three times today on the back roads.  Early this morning we attempted to drive to the Montana Snowbowl (a ski area) but the road was completely closed for construction.  The other road up the mountain was gated a short way up and only open to hikers.  As my new forest service map shows, many of the roads in the Rattlesnake National Forest and Lolo National Forest are only open to hikers.   Our final strike was Harper Bridge which appeared on my Montana atlas, Garmin GPS and the National Forest Service map.  As you can see from the pic this bridge has been history for awhile.  We did see a jeep on the other side but did not feel the jeep Gods where smiling on us today and did not attempt the water crossing.

We are enjoying Missoula’s many restaurants and shopping areas.  Brad has tasted his favorite Moose Drool brewed here in Missoula and a thin crispy crust pizza so life is good.