Missoula Montana

I hate to advertise this place because more people is not something western Montana has any great NEED for but I just gotta brag on Missoula. In the first place, there is a great trout river running right through the center of it and a whitewater park for kayakers was completed last spring. Over on Orange Street there is now a great new skateboard park and ball fields, all linked with a paved trail system clear to Mill Town. There are more bicyclists here than anywhere i have lived.

There is also a symphony, theatre and and lots of great bars and clubs, and as a for instance, this week we went in for an Alvin Ailey Dance performance (incredible mostly-black ensemble from NY,if you have never seen The Hunt or Revelations, check it out) went to a documentary film festival(100 films) and went out salsa dancing.

It is also the progressive hub of a pretty conservative region with lots of environmental and social justice (really, Brad) non-profits, a university and a Free School. So with your fishing , skiing, rock climbing and elk hunting you get reggae and punk, ska and jazz. On a bumper sticker I saw today in town : Be Nice To America or We Might Bring Democracy To Your Country!