We woke up with something to prove today. A cushy bed in a warm cabin will do that to you, especially when your blood is equal parts kerosene, creosote, and gunpowder like ours is. A fog lay heavy on on the land, but no heavier than the stern hand of duty that burdened our own shoulders. Our eyes locked in purposeful stare, and we knew what had to be done. We had to reclaim our mantle. We had to dare where others feared to tread. In the immortal words of Sherrif Buford T. Pusser, we had to Walk Tall.

But first, we had to get some bananas for our cereal. So, we took care of that at the grocery store and headed out, nowhere near first light. Since Glacier's Going-To-The-Sun road was closed, we elected to skirt Glacier's southern perimeter and then head south somewhere near Whitefish, following the Triple-A map's vaunted Dots of Scenicness.

This is what we learned -- Montana sure could use to have back some of those federal highway funds they forfeited in the name of no speed limits on interstates. Signs like the one to the right dominated the day's driving. Folksy spirit of that sign aside, after the 25th mile of bumping along a potholed, sometimes asphalted 'highway,' you start to crave some smoothness in your ride.
	Nonetheless, the landscape was darn pretty, as you can see for yourself in Today's Scenic Shot. And, yes, we are heading straight for those dark clouds on the horizon. As for the towns we saw...well, if 'Calgary' was Blackfoot Indian for "City of Limitlessly Sprawling Subdivisions," then I'm pretty sure 'Montana' means 'State of Many Taxidermists.' We're suggesting a new state motto: "Montana -- When You Want It Stuffed." Whaddya think?
We decided to try and camp in this free campground we found in the rather intuitively-named book, "Guide to Free Campgrounds," provided to us by Extreme Fellow Traveler Linda (AKA, 'Mom'). The description of this campground promised that, 'Rock Creek is one of Montana's best trout streams.' Since it satisfied two of our more important criteria for a campground ('free' and 'good fishing'), we headed straight for it, like a Republican after NRA money. Unfortunately, as with most rivers emanating from the mountains, Rock Creek is running pretty high and dirty with snowmelt runoff. You can see just how high and dirty in that picture below. That's Kristanne, just being as extreme as she wants to be on a cable footbridge strung perilously over the roiling rapids of Rock Creek. Shortly after this photo was taken, Kristanne dove off the bridge, saved a faltering fawn that had fallen in the rapids, and returned to the van with three trout she had caught with her bare hands for dinner. Is it any wonder I love her so?

The campground was just great. We had to drive 23 miles in to the mountains on a potholed dirt road to get there at speeds sometimes approaching as much as 15 MPH, but it was all worth it. We had the whole place to ourselves, and it was beautiful. (For those of you wondering why we had to drive so slow, let me just tell you right now that Otto's principal drawback is a ground clearance of about 7 inches. You have to go slow or risk losing your propane gear. And we like our furnace too much to risk losing our propane gear.)

That other picture is the start of what we hope may become a recurring feature for you would-be Extreme Telecommuters out there -- the Camping Corner. You see, we know a lot of you are looking for tips to make your camping experience just a little bit better. We're only too happy to oblige. Today's Tip -- Remember to keep it clean. Sweeping is an important part of any camp-cleaning regimen, as evidenced by my technique in the picture at the left. Notice the full extension of the elbow, the flexion of the wrist that provides a strong stroke. Practice makes perfect, so don't despair if you don't get it right the first time!

So, where's the Extreme Shot of the Day, right? Don't fret -- it's coming. However, before you look at this, though, we must caution you that this is tiptoeing on the precipice of the Extreme, threatening to topple right on over into the Valley of the Absurd. We also urge you to talk with your children before showing them this picture. Explain to them that things are a little different in Montana, and that just because some people are doing it, doesn't make it right for everybody. With that, here you are.

Total Miles for 6\6 = 313

Next Stop -- Gallatin Wilderness or the Madison River

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