Early Travel Experiences - Clark Canyon Reservoir, MT

When I started boondocking, I remained mostly in the Inland Northwest. Trekking southward through Montana, I crossed over the Misssouri River frequently amid spectacular rock formations, often with improbable trees precariously holding on atop tiny ledges. I ended up at Clark Canyon Reservoir south of Dillon where I remained for a while. The reservoir has been created by the Bureau of Reclamation and is renowned for trout fishing. There are 6 or 7 campgrounds and I chose the Horse Prairie one where there were already three men campers-fishermen. Doug was one of them, a tall lanky man whose buddy was the luckiest (or most skilled?) fisherman. Doug had retired from his profession as a biologist for the State and had been rv'ing full-time for the past 10 years. Quite a character with long white hair and beard to match, he had a big cat as a traveling companion. I shamelessly picked his brain for pointers, which he generously shared, on boondocking places he'd enjoyed and some others to avoid.

Doug and his two life-long friends, whose names I should have noted but did not, offered me freshly caught trout after a potluck supper at which I was introduced to Armadillo Eggs (cheese stuffed jalapeno peppers wrapped in bacon and barbecued, truly delicious). After the guys left, an older couple, Len and Verna, arrived and again, an invitation for supper followed. I ended up savoring another new dish, absolutely scrumptious moose burgers, courtesy of Len who was a hunter. Everything was better uniquely delectable and I eventually learned that Verna had been a restaurateur for years! We became fast friends and they invited to visit them in Hamilton, Montana. I gladly accepted.

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Posted By Stargazer to Boondocking Blogger at 3/28/2009 10:32:00