Montana
The time a stranger gave me her jacket in Montana
After (almost) getting owned by black ice, Derik and I got into Butte, MT in one piece at midnight. For the countless times I have been asked if I am ever scared of traveling alone, here is my answer: there is nothing more powerful than the experience of kindness from strangers. Justin, who hosted from the night before had contacted a friend of his on our behalf and BAM! Just like that, we had a place to stay in Butte, Montana. From one
Re reached Alicia’s house, Justin’s friend, at midnight. She ushered Derik and me in, got us situated for the night, and promptly gave (note that I said “gave”, not “lent”) me her jacket when I mentioned that the sweatshirt I had on was the warmest thing I had packed. May that wonderful girl receive all the karma points in the world.
Butte itself is another little gem of a find. It is exactly what I would expect of a quiet mining city with a glorious, rugged past. It was one of the biggest copper boomtowns west of the Mississippi in the 20’s and its history is full of Copper Kings, criminal outlaws, saloons, and a notorious red light district (now turned museum). You can still feel the rawness of the city with places like the Mai Wah Museum and The Peking, a general store and noodle house (it’s still in operation) that served the first Chinese Americans of Butte and other mining cities in the Rocky Mountains. Now that’s history.
Local Recommendations for Butte, Montana:
Pork Chop John’s or Wop Chop for a classic Butte creation: the fried pork cutlet sandwich, $5; milk shakes for $1.75.
Joe’s Pasty Shop for pasties, a traditional miner’s food. It’s a meat-filled pastry with gravy on top.
Copper King Mansion, a 34-room mansion built in 1884 by one of Montana’s three Copper Kings.
