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Hi. I’m Ben Benton from Flagstaff, Arizona. I believe that you will enjoy my daily journal from Yellowstone National Park during the summer of 1999. I left downtown Flagstaff with my saddle and duffel in early July and lighted in the horse corral at Mammoth Hot Springs. My journal will continue through September 20th, unless the weather shuts us down earlier. You’ll read about adventures on the back country trails, Yellowstone history, people I meet, and anything else I can think of to write about. I’m the author of “National Park Employment Data,” a guide to working in national parks, which is available for purchase on my web site at www.gorp.com/nped/. I’ve been working in national parks and ski areas off and on for over twenty years. Because I want the data in my book to always be fresh, I continually test the concepts, employers, and tips that I provide. Right now, I’m working for Amfac Parks and Resorts. They are a top notch concession company because they place employee training, morale, and amenities first. |
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Previous 7/16 |
Monday, 9-6-99“Montana’s Biggest Weekend” By 7:30 A.M. the whole Dillon, Montana downtown was clean and ready for the rodeo parade. Tom was still sawing logs in his sleeping bag in the city park, so I looked for some breakfast. In small Montana towns, the saloons usually serve breakfast, and Dillon is no exception. I entered the Longhorn Saloon on Montana Street, site of the street party last night, and ordered two over medium, pan fried potatoes, toast, and coffee. The rodeo parade started at 10:00 A.M. Nine fire vehicles came first — pumpers, ladder trucks, tankers, “Learn not to burn” puppet show van, etc. — and I was getting worried that this was going to be just another small town parade. Was I ever wrong! The parade lasted slightly over an hour and must have included every vintage auto in Beaverhead County, every locally-owned tractor trailer flatbed rig (with every football team, basketball team, baseball team . . .), and every antique hay bailer. An old rancher was driving a Model T with signs from the Beef Producers Council reading “Beef - It’s What’s for Dinner.” Next to those were his own hand lettered signs on each side of the car: “Red Meat Survivor - 101 Years Young.” He could have bought that Model T new. At 1:30 the Jaycee PRCA Rodeo got under way with a salute to the U.S. Armed Forces. It was world-class. The livestock provider is one of the best in the country and supplies the finals in Las Vegas. The rodeo clown was a PRCA national champion. And the cowboys competing were on their way to big money in the finals. If you ever find yourself in western Montana on Labor Day,
take in “Montana’s Biggest Weekend” at Dillon.
You won’t be disappointed.  |
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