Montana Aussie Adventures with Erin-Jay

Another exciting week in Sanders County! From meeting the Superintendent of Plains School to meeting out-of-towner’s that attended the Huckleberry Festival.

Each week I get more and more surprised at the hidden treasures that this county and surrounding counties provide.

Much like home (NQ Australia), there are places that only the locals know, and even better, there are foods, restaurants as well that I am still discovering.

This past week actually saw me head out of the county and headed up to Kalispell for an afternoon. The drive was amazing to say the least even with all the smoke around.

Much like home, where the Australian Outback meets the Tropical Rainforest, I have discovered that is a similar case for North West Montana. The drive that takes you up Hwy 28 past Hot Springs is a drive that I always look forward to.

I’ve always been a lover of the Australian Outback, and I also love the desert and plains countryside’s. It is something that I feel draws me in and takes me back to some of my roots.

To see the diverse cowboy countryside here in Montana; I am always asked back home about the county and the people. There is so much to say but can be hard to put into words as some words I believe just don’t do you or the state justice.

Hence why I am constantly trying to convince my family and friends to come and visit sooner rather than later.

I am also very much looking forward to the upcoming sports season that all High Schools kicked off last Friday.

I grew up in a sporting family, though my mum wasn’t the athlete, she was always there at my softball, basketball, gymnastics, horse events cheering me on from the sidelines.

My father, on the other hand, was an extremely talented baseball player. He was even inducted into his High School’s Hall of Fame in Westport Massachusetts.

That’s right, I am also a New Englander as well as an Aussie. I was extremely fortunate to have had my dad as my coach in every sport I played. He even learned what it takes to be a barrel racer, even before he learned to ride just to be able to coach me well.

This is something that I have seen so much of in the county. The parents that come together to support their kids, or even support a group of kids by coaching the High School teams or general sports teams.

This [sports season] is one thing that I am looking forward to getting out and watching. All the games that I can get to, and I will also be travelling the county seeing new things each time I drive down the road.

I have also been given the ‘inside’ scoop that there are some amazing junior athletes in the region. Something I cannot wait to discover as I attend games for volleyball, Football, and all the others that will be starting very soon.

I’m not sure about the rest of you in the county but just the fact that football season has started with some preseason games in the NFL, I am always amazed to see how those junior athletes get inspired and invigorated by their hero’s on the field.

From a fantastic week to an even better first experience at the Huckleberry Festival in Trout Creek I am super excited to see what else I can discover in Montana’s own ‘Outback’.

Until next week… HooRoo