Miles City, Montana

(This was written on June 19th)

We have a long time family friend who recently moved from Cheyenne, WY to Miles City Montana. So when my father and I left Everett WA at 6:15 PM on Sunday we planned on driving straight through to Miles City Montana to see him and his family.

We arrived in Miles City around 11:30 in the morning. We did think a head a little and called them from Billings MT to tell them we were coming, instead of just dropping by.

When arriving in Miles City we found that our friend had moved to Mayberry. This was a great little town. Old buildings, old trees, old people with lots of history and character. My kind of place! We went to lunch at the 600 Café, a little greasy spoon down town that was owned and run by the ex-mayor. The Cashier called everyone, sweetheart or darling. The special of the day was a meatloaf sandwich which easily met the 3Gs of good food – grease, gristle and gravy. It was delicious. The prices were cheap by California standards. This looked like the kind of place that everyone in town would pass through at least one a week.

Our friend’s new house was a dream. Over 100 years old, two story on a quiet tree lined street. It had been converted into three apartments at one time and they are working on un-converting it. I was just the kind of house I think my dear wife and I would have bought for ourselves if we didn’t live in a town that was barely 50 years old. This house had the most beautiful wood trim on all the doors and around all the rooms. The hardwood floors that are under the carpet are going to need some work, but promise to look great one day.

Our friend’s daughter by far has the best room in the house. Her room is upstairs looking out the front of the house with a huge old cottonwood in front to cast the best shadows on the walls if the shades are left open. Of course being only eleven years old she doesn’t appreciate that yet, but she will.

We had a wonderful if short visit. It was good to see our old friend again. But I want to find a way to steal his house and move it to Ridgecrest. If I can’t have his, I would settle for anyone of about 50 others we drove past while driving through town.

So if you are looking to move to Mayberry then I would recommend Miles City MT. Seems like a great little town. But then, I’ve never been there in January yet.