Missoula to Spokane and back again

Apparently traveling for six weeks for work isn't conducive to much other than work and exhaustion.

I spent two weeks in Missoula, Montana. Its a college town, home to U of Montana.  There are a few redeeming qualities, like the local breweries. I went to Draught Works and Tamarack Brewing.  I had Bayern, Big Sky and Kettlehouse beers as well as Whitefish brewing from Whitefish, MT.

Yummy Bayern

My first day in town.  There was snow on the ground all the time I was there.

Tamarack Brewing

There might be lovely things to do in Montana in the late Spring/Summer such as hiking, camping, whitewater kayaking, fishing, etc, etc. In winter, it was just dark and cold.  I walked to work in the dark and walked home in the dark.  I worked eleven of the twelve days I was there and I saw very little of the town as most of it closed up at 6pm on weeknights. My one day off was partially spent doing laundry, but I did get to see it in daylight. It's a quaint town that feels like it's behind the times and underpopulated.  I'm sure the area near the university had a different feel but I was in the old downtown area.

Missoula - My hotel was the big rectangular one on the right.

After Missoula, I spent four weeks in Spokane.  I could easily repeat most of the above about  Spokane. It's a college town, with several big universities around. It would have been great to go snowshoe on Mt. Spokane but that was not to be.  Aside from that, breweries, good food etc. I was there during Restaurant Week and enjoyed an amazing meal at Clinkerdagger. I had company come visit me the last weekend I was there instead of flying back home.  We got to enjoy some sunshine, a long walk around town and Boo Radley's novelty store.

Spokane, Riverside park.  My hotel was the opposite side of the river and north about two blocks.

While I did get to go home three weekends during the six weeks, it often felt it was barely worth the effort. I'd get home about 9:30pm on Friday night after catching a 6:30 or 7pm flight and picking up my car on arrival.  At least part of Saturday was spent doing laundry, repacking, doing errands.  Then on Sunday, I'd leave again for the airport about 4pm. 

All of that considered, it felt wonderful to not have to fly out again on Monday the fourth.  I've been home a week and a half now and have happily settled back in to my routines.  The pooch and cog (my cat who acts like a dog) are both very content that I am home, walking and spoiling, I mean feeding them again. I've been cooking up a storm.  Chili, cornbread, banana bread, chicken, banana bites. It's nice to be able to make what I want, when I want it and not be limited to only a microwave and tiny fridge.

There really is no place like home!