View From The Bridge 11/20/13

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
By Muncie
11/20/13

CONGRATULATIONS
Congrats to Donna Arganbright for winning the Farm Bureau Speech Junior Division Contest on Sunday, November 10th in Billings. This is the kind of publicity that Fort Benton needs.  It was published in the Great Falls Tribune on Sunday the 17th in the Farm & Ranch section.  We, in Fort Benton, know that we have the smartest kids and now other Tribune readers will be aware of it.   Donna is an 8th grader, and was assigned a topic which was, “What more can be done to protect agriculture production and profitability from natural disasters.”     I know that she did a lot of research and the fact that she could get up in front of a group of judges and adults was awesome.   We are very proud of you Donna.  Keep up the good work.

Every little bit of notoriety helps and it pays to advertize.  Our “Oldest town in Montana” is an unknown treasure in the Treasure State.  Vehicles go by on Highway 87 and never know that we are down here next to the Missouri.  We find that out very often in the Information Center.  Visitors come in and say that they have passed by dozens of times but it is their first trip down the hill. 

The one I like best is the woman who said when they saw the trees in the distance; they knew there must be a golf course here.  I wonder if planes still land here for people to golf at one of the best golf courses around.  That has been stated many times by golf enthusiasts.   Signal Point is only 9 holes but you can go the opposite way and it is great 18 hole course.

LET’S TAKE A RIDE
I love the ride to anywhere going and coming because the view is different in both directions.  I even like going to Loma on the highway and return on the bench.  If you are not in a rush it is a great ride from Great Falls through Belt and Highwood.  There is also another route out from a road near Malstrom but because I was not driving I do not remember exactly where it was.

Every time we go to Helena I promise myself that we would take the Frontage Road the next trip.  It hasn’t happened yet but perhaps next year when summer rolls around again.

SNOW STORM
How many of you were in the white-out in Great Falls last Saturday afternoon?  One person said that it was the most intimidating snow storm they had ever experienced.  From Great Falls to the end of Black Horse Lake it was impossible to see.  Another individual said that they wished they could stop but that was impossible because there may be a vehicle behind them. 

That was the third snow storm this fall and winter came on so quickly that no one was ready for it.  Cheer up folks!  By the time you read this View there will be only 4 ½ weeks until the days start getting longer.  I know I said this last week but I am repeating because I love counting down.  One thing I do not enjoy is changing my clocks to fall back.  Sometimes I do not even change them and then it is the enjoyable time to spring ahead.  What a great sentence that is…to spring ahead. 

CCPA
What an enjoyable show Two on Tap was.  It was one of the best that CCPA has brought to Fort Benton.  Weren’t those young tap dancers just the greatest?  Wendy Bird, (their teacher,) must have the most fun of anyone in town with those young girls.  (Note:  no boys in the classes.  Why wouldn’t they want to learn to dance?  Co-ordination is everything and it is great exercise.  Who will be the first brave young man to join the classes before you would get too far behind the girls? 

Girls, you were wonderful.  I heard that you only had one hour of practice before the show began.  Take my word for it; it was New York, New York professional.  Other news is that I heard that the very little girls are going to perform at Chouteau County Country Christmas Day.  Check the schedule to see when they will perform.  You won’t want to miss it.

MONTANA TRIVIA
We are back in the book to Geography questions.  These questions are hard to find because I am sure that you all know everything about Montana geography.  I searched long and hard to finally come up with one I always wondered about.  Q.  Montana’s highest elevation of 12,797 ft. is found at what place?  A.  Below
GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS.

A.  Granite Peak in the Beartooth Mountains.