3 Days - Keeping Options Open in Montana.

I canceled my hotel reservation for the night in Havre - I might still spend the night there, but I want to see what my options look like once I arrive.

Downtown looks like many downtown areas around here - imagine Brattleboro Vermont, for instance. Nice brick buildings line the streets, and are preserved to look appealing to the eye. Upon closer inspection, you might find that some of them are vacant.

I spot a sporting goods supply, a hunters shop, and more than a few sports bars. Northern Montana University is located in Havre, although the campus is on the other side of town, so I don't know what impact it will have on downtown. It is mostly a railroad and agricultural town. It is located in the 'badlands' area of Montana - north of the Missouri River, so it wont look like Vermont in that aspect, I am sure.

There are several motels and hotels in downtown Havre. All of them are cheap. As I stroll around and look for a decent place to get a steak (hey, it's Montana) I will try to ignore the casino options that seem to come with every dining choice. I don't know if I can deal with cigarette smoke, and video slots while I eat.

The hotels you can find are The El Toro Inn, Siesta Motel & The Park Hotel - all located within a few blocks of the train station. Off the path by a block or two is also the Hi Line Motel and the Rails Inn. Further up the road are the bigger hotels including the Best Western Great Northern. For twice as much money, you can get a sauna, hot tub and heated indoor pool, along with an on-site restaurant.

If I am so sore and tired from riding on a train for 2 days - I may just want to walk the blocks and fall into bed, after taking a hot shower.

We will see how that goes first.

The Laptop

Got my first laptop late last year... but I only started using it recently, as I start to get ready for my trip out West in March.


I found a used iBook on the web, and it cost me $190.00

Back in 2001, it went for about $1,700


But times move fast, and technology wont slow down for the people with a limited income. For anybody clever enough to know how to upgrade systems on their own, you can get by using older toys and still perform the needed tasks.

I also got an Airport card, so that I can do WIFI (when available, in Central Montana). I can upload my digital pics (on iPhoto) and record, using Audacity.

I could use a little more memory, but when you are on a train for 2 days, I can wait!

The Banjo