march 2014 montana best times

8/12/2019 March 2014 Montana Best Times

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Baseball super fan

Apsaalooke Nation newspaper

Montana songwriter

Railroad speeders

March 2014


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March 2014 2

Bookshelf .................................................Page 3

Opinion ....................................................Page 4

Savvy Senior ............................................Page 5

Big Sky Birding .......................................Page 17

On the Menu ............................................Page 19

Volunteering .............................................Page 20

Calendar ...................................................Page 21

Strange But True ......................................Page 22

INSIDE

News LiteHot for Frozen, Ohio reporters parody a hit

CINCINNATI (AP) A Cincinnati traffic reporter has gainednational attention for his dramatic on-air parody of a Disneymovie song.

WKRCs Bob Herzog changed Let it Go, sung by PrincessElsa in the animated movie Frozen, to Just Dont Go to refer-ence the winter weather.

As images of cars skidding on ice and traffic conditions play,Herzog dramatically sings lines like: I must share what dispatch-ers say, all the tractions gone. Schools closed or at least theyre

on a delay.A YouTube video of the performance has a half-million views,and media outlets nationwide have written about it.

The parody is part of Herzogs Dance Party Fridays.Hes changed Elton Johns Rocket Man to Traffic Man,

Tom Pettys Free Falling to Tree Falling and BarryManilows Copacabana to Drive Indiana.

Finns give reindeerfluorescent antler makeovers

HELSINKI (AP) Rudolph the reindeer is having a glitteringantler makeover the latest attempt to halt some of the thou-sands of road deaths of the roaming caribou in the wilds of Fin-land.

Anne Ollila of the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association saysthe antlers of 20 reindeer have been painted with various fluores-cent dyes to see how the animals react and whether the paints areresistant to the harsh Arctic climate.

If successful, animals with glittering antlers will be free toroam Lapland a vast, deserted area in northern Finland whereherders tend to some 200,000 reindeer.

Ollila says reflectors and reflective tape have proven unsuc-cessful as reindeer have torn them off and road signs warningdrivers of roaming reindeer often are stolen by tourists as souve-nirs.


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ByMontana Best Times Staff

Summer vacations are like weddings you cant begin planning too early.

And if youre thinking of heading to astupendous place like Glacier NationalPark, its best to start planning now so you

can pack the most into your summer visit.The Best of Glacier National Park was

written by former park ranger AlanLeftridge, who also took the photos for thisexcellent, easy-to-use guide.

Leftridge loves sharing his passion forthe outdoors with other people, accordingto Helena-based publisher FarcountryPress.

Seeing the excitement and enthusiasmon a visitors face is its own reward,Leftridge said in a news release on thebook. They come to a park asking, What

is there to see and do? and you can see theanticipation build as you describe the natu-ral wonders awaiting them. Its the best partof the job.

Leftridges own passion for the parks isinfectious his daughter has worked as aseasonal ranger in Glacier.

Glacier is a landscape of superlatives,he said. Theres amazing scenery, stunningwildflower displays, grizzly bears andwolves, and some of Americas best hikingtrails. Its easy to share my excitement forsuch a spectacular place.

From hishome in Mon-tanas SwanValley,Leftridge regu-larly venturesonto Glaciers

trails, photograph-ing wildflowers,watching wildlife,and easing into theserenity of themountains.

Over the years,Ive spent many hours exploring Glacier,Leftridge continues in the news release. Iwanted this book to read like an insidersguide, as though a trusted friend wasdivulging all the best things to see and do inthe park.

The book describes the best day hikes,nature trails, backpack trips, boat tours, flo-ra and fauna, historic sites, and more. Thereare sections on the best activities for kidsand the best ways to spend a rainy (orsnowy) day. Also included are the bestactivities in Waterton Lakes National Park,Glaciers sister park just across the borderin Alberta, Canada.

Alan Leftridge has served as a seasonalnaturalist in Yellowstone National Park anda wilderness ranger in the Mission Moun-tains Wilderness. He earned a bachelors

degree in biology at the University of Cen-tral Missouri, a secondary teaching creden-tial from the University of Montana, and aPh.D. in science education and culturalgeography at Kansas State University. Hiscareer has included teaching high schoolscience in West Yellowstone, science cours-es at Miami University, and environmental

studies at Humboldt State University. TheBest of Glacier National Park is his thirdbook with Farcountry Press; his other titlesare Glacier Day Hikes and Going toGlacier.

So, make the most of your visit to one ofAmericas most stunning parks with thehelp of a seasoned Glacier veteran.

The Best of Glacier National Park isavailable at local bookstores and gift shops,through online retailers, or from FarcountryPress at (800) 821-3874 or www.farcoun-trypress.com.

Bookshelf

March 2014 3

The Best of Glacier National Park

By Alan LeftridgeFarcountry Press 2013

Softcover 144 pages $19.95

ISBN 13: 978-1-56037-560-9

Start planning

now for GlacierPark visit


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March 2014 4

Opinion

Its been a long, cold, lonely winter

A Monthly Publication for Folks 50 and BetterMONTANA

Dwight Harriman, Editor Tom Parisella, Designer

P.O. Box 2000, 401 S. Main St., Livingston MT 59047

Tel. (406) 222-2000 or toll-free (800) 345-8412 Fax: (406) 222-8580

E-mail: [email protected] Subscription rate: $25/yr.

Published monthly by Yellowstone Newspapers, Livingston, Montana

Little darling, its been a long, cold, lonely winter

George Harrison was definitely not in Montana when he wrote

that line in the Beatles tune, Here Comes the Sun, but he might

as well have been.

The winter of 2013-14 has certainly been the winter of our dis-

content to quote another Britisher, good old Bill Shakespeare.

Its been an old-fashioned, bone-crunching, snow-dumping, car-

breaking, heat-bill-busting winter, the likes of which we havent

seen around Montana for a while.

As long as were in a waxing poetic here, I feel like Im living

in a stanza of John Greenleaf Whittiers 1866 epic poem, Snow-

Bound, where a family is isolated in their home for a solid week,but find solace and good company around their hearth. By the

way, should you find yourself similarly trapped this winter, check

out the heart-warming tale by one of Americas beloved fireside

poets a warm moniker that seems appropriate for this winter.

But I digress.

The fact is, weve all had enough of winter. Of this winter.

Were starting to get a little buggy cooped up every day. The

Associated Press recently even dedicated a feature to people get-

ting cabin fever across the country.

Were fed up with the bitter cold, and scraping ice off car win-

dows, and windshield wipers stuck as if with Gorilla Glue, and

dead car batteries, and tracking snow in the house, and getting up

in the cold and dark, and garage doors not opening or shutting

and shoveling the driveway over and over and over again, and if

youre traveling by car, the harrowing journeys, and if by plane

the cancelled flights and deicing of wings, over and over again

and most of all, the freezing, stinking cold.

Begone, Old Man Winter! Bring back the sun! Sing it, George!

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting

Little darling, It seems like years since its been clear

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

And I say its all right

Dwight Harriman

Montana Best Times Editor


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Dear Savvy Senior,

Is there anything that can be done to stop the annoying robocalls

my husband and I keep getting? It seems like we get two or three a

day offering lower credit card interest rates, medical alert devices,

home alarm systems and more. What can you recommend?

Frustrated SeniorsDear Frustrated,Theres been a huge spike in robocall scams in the U.S. over the

past few years. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) getsmore then 200,000 complaints every month about this widespreadproblem. Heres what you should know, along with some tips thatcan help you protect yourself.

Robocall scamsWhenever you answer the phone and hear a recorded message

instead of a live person, its a robocall.Youve probably gotten robocalls about candidates running for

office, or charities asking for donations. These robocalls are legaland allowed. But if the recording is a sales message and youhavent given your written permission to get calls from the compa-ny on the other end, the call is illegal. In addition to the phone calls

being illegal, their pitch most likely is a scam.Some common robocall scams that are making the rounds these

days are offering lower credit card interest rates, mortgage relief,free vacations, medical alert devices or home security systems, orthey falsely notify you about changes in your health benefits orbank account. But be aware that new scams are constantly evolv-ing, and they all have only one goal in mind to get your personaland financial information.

The reason for the spike in robocalls is technology. Fraudulentrobocallers are using autodialers that can send out thousands ofphone calls every minute for an incredibly low cost, and are verydifficult to trace. When these kinds of calls come in, your caller IDusually displays spoofed (fake) numbers, or just says

unknown.

Protect yourselfYour first step to limiting at least some unwanted calls is to make

sure your phone number is registered with the National Do NotCall Registry (see donotcall.gov or call 888-382-1222). This, how-ever, will not stop telemarketing scams or illegal robocalls.Another tip, if you have a caller ID, is to simply not answer the

phone unless you recognize the number. But if you do answer andits a robocall, you should just hang up the phone. Dont press 1 tospeak to a live operator and dont press any other number to com-plain about the call or get your number off the list. If you respond

by pressing any number, youre signaling that the autodialer hasreached a live number and will probably lead to more robocalls.You should also consider contacting your phone provider to ask

them to block the number, and whether they charge for that serviceBut keep in mind that telemarketers change caller ID informationeasily and often, so it might not be worth paying a fee to block anumber that will change. Another call blocking option you should check into is Nomoro-

bo. This is a free new service and works only for people who have

an Internet-based VoIP phone service. Anyone with phone servicefrom Comcast and Time Warner Cable can use it too. Nomorobouses a simultaneous ring service that detects and blocks robocallson a black list of known offender numbers. It isnt 100 percentfoolproof, but it is an extra layer of protection. To sign up, or see ifNomorobo works with your phone service provider, visit Nomoro-bo.com.Its also important that you report illegal robocalls you receive to

the FTC at ftccomplaintassistant.gov or call 888-382-1222.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Nor-

man, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.

Jim Miller, creator of the syndicated Savvy

Senior information column, is a longtime

advocate of senior issues. He has been featured in

Time magazine; is author of The Savvy Senior:

The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and

Finances for Senior Citizens; and is a regular

contributor to the NBC Today show.

March 2014 5

How to Guard Against Robocall Scams

Hi,Ima

phonescam...

Nicetomeet

you.


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March 2014 6

Railroad speedersDillon couple hits the rails in restored motorized cars

By M.P. Regan

Montana Best Times

DILLON Ann Reynolds spent a lot of time onthe road during her long career, though her workrarely took her far from Pony, Montana, where shegrew up on five acres of land her family has ownedfor over a century.

But since retiring at the end of 2013 after morethan two decades as the Dillon city bus driver andmore than a half century of hard work dating backto her early childhood, Reynolds has set off on abusy travel itinerary that has already taken hermore than 1,500 miles from Pony. And she plans tokeep traveling for much of the year, back and forthfrom home, as she dedicates more of her time tohobbies, family and friendship.

As long as youve got your health, youve gotto do these things, asserted Reynolds, who beganhelping out her father, a ranch hand, with herdingalong the Boulder River when she was just 6 yearsold, and in her teens prepared food for men stack-ing hay to earn money for school clothes and col-lege tuition.

Im not gonna be bored, I can tell you that,insisted Reynolds, by phone from Tuscon, Ariz.,,where she and her husband, Harvey, are currentlystaying while on a trip in their motor home throughthe American Southwest, where they will visitfriends they met while on speeder excursions.

What are speeders?Also known as railway motor cars, jiggers and

putt-putts, speeders are restored motorized rail carsformerly used by railroad inspectors and mainte-nance personnel.

Railroads quit using the speeders, as we callthem, in the late 1980s, when they moved to Hy-

Rail vehicles, which are standard road vehicles,like pickup trucks, equipped with retractable guidewheels that can operate on rail, said Bill Taylor, aretired high school English teacher from Missoulaand railroad historian.

So, the railroads began selling off their speed-ers. You could pick one up for a pretty reasonableprice, Taylor said.

But the people who bought them had to findplaces to use them. So, a group was formed calledthe North American Railcar Operators Associa-tion, added Taylor, a longtime speeder enthusiast

Photo by Sue Taulbee

Above and on the cover: Ann and Harvey Reynolds climb the grade fromSappington to Harrison along Antelope Creek on their way to Harrison dur-ing an excursion in their speeder car.


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who serves as NARCOAs Pacific North-west area director.

Out of that came a $10 million dollarinsurance policy that allowed us to talk torailroads and protect them from their liabil-ity concerns with speeders. And eventually,that evolved into the modern speeder hobbythat sees NARCOA with a membership ofover 2,000 people, with about a thousand ofthem having access to the insurance that

lets them travel on over 200 railroads in theUnited States, said Taylor, who estimatedhe has travelled on about 40 railroads in theU.S. on a speeder, though he prefers to stickmostly to railroads in Montana and theNorthern Rockies.

We are lucky to have quite a few rail-roads in this area we can travel on throughsome really beautiful country, he said.

Gotta have one!The Reynolds didnt buy their speeder

until 2004, but their $5,000 dollar purchase

came just a short time after they got theirfirst look at the vehicles.

We saw a group of speeders roll intoHarrison one day, recalled Reynolds, whoused to own and operate, along with herhusband, a Harrison grain elevator nowowned and operated by their son GaryDeFrance and his wife, Leanne.

Next thing we know, were sending Tra-vis to Bremerton, Washington, to pick oneup, said Reynolds of her youngest son,who owns a hay stacking and fertilizingbusiness in Harrison with his wife, Melinda.

That group of speeders was led into Har-rison by Taylor, who serves as an excursioncoordinator for speeder trips.

The Reynolds took one look at thespeeders and said, Hey, we gotta haveone! And they bought one the next yearand got it refurbished and started going ontrips with us, said Taylor, who recalledgetting hooked on speeders in 1980 aftertraveling just a few miles in one alongsome abandoned railroad track owned bythe Milwaukee Road railroad.

What its like togo on a speeder tourTaylor will lead a group of speeder own-

ers, including the Reynolds, on a Montanaexcursion in June that will travel 350 milesin five days along several segments of rail-road, starting in Whitehall, and continuingon a segment through the Bitterroot Valley,and then another segment through north-western Montana.

We usually travel about a hundredmiles per day, said Taylor, who noted

that most speeders can go no faster than30 to 35 mph.

They are not the easiest things in theworld to ride in, so after a hundred miles onthe railroad, you know youve been some-where, he said.

Taylor said that with speeders, you alsoknow youve been somewhere that you oth-erwise probably never would have gottento.

Railroads tend to follow rivers and gothrough the bottom of canyons instead ofover mountain passes, said Taylor, whohas co-authored, with his wife, Jan, fivebooks on railroad history.

In a speeder, you get to see the worldfrom a different point of view, he said.

Reynolds said the way you get to experi-ence those remote landscapes also lends tothe unique experience of riding in a speeder.

Its not like being in a car. Youre basi-cally riding in the back country where thereare no people, and you get to see so muchmore of whats around you, said Reynolds,

who lets her husband take care of thespeeder operating duties.

The operator has to pay attention tomake sure you dont get too close to the carin front of you, but for the most part youreable to just relax and enjoy the scenery,added Reynolds, who said she and Harveyplan to follow their Montana excursion inJune with a 10-day, 1,100-mile round trip topolar bear country in Canada as part of anexcursion featuring 30 speeders later in themonth.

Taylor said that while riding in speederscan be relaxing, trip preparations by excur-sion coordinators involve a lot of time andwork.

You have to find an agreeable time forthe railroad for you to operate over theirtracks, and make those arrangements, andthen you have to advertise it, and collect themoney for the run, and make sure you getthe fee deposited, and organize food andmotels, said Taylor, who coordinates six toeight speeder excursions per year.

So, yes, there is a bit to it not theleast of which is negotiating with the rail-roads, he said. They all have differentpersonalities and concerns.

But Taylor and Reynolds agree that get-ting to interact with new people in newways in new places may be the mostappealing part of the speeder hobby.

Theres a real social aspect to it youmeet a lot of people on speeder excursionsyou become friends with. They are usuallyretired, and very nice folks, said Taylor,

who estimated he has met and made friendswith about 200 people during his years rid-ing speeders.

Its getting to be more and more hus-band-and-wife teams, instead of like the olddays when it was just guys in greasy cover-alls, laughed Taylor, who embarked on thehobby almost 35 years ago in a speeder hebuilt.

The hobby now is well-regulated and

March 2014 7

Photo by M.P. Regan/courtesy of The Dillon Tribune

Ann Reynolds is pictured shortly before retiring at the end of last year after morethan two decades as the city bus driver for Dillon.

See Speeders,Page 10


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March 2014 8

Baseball super fanWhat Glendive man has done in 60 years of pursuing

his obsession is nothing short of remarkable Story and photos by Jason Stuart

Montana Best Times

GLENDIVE March marks the begin-

ning of a new Major League Baseball sea-

son, and as 30 teams gear up to chase a spot

in the 2014 Fall Classic, one die-hard base-

ball fan from Glendive is ready for one last

season in the sun.

To use the common shorthand fan for

Glendive resident Jim Waddell is probablya disservice. Waddell is a true baseball

fanatic.

Waddell is one of two fans known to

have achieved the feat of seeing every teamin each league play every other league team

both home and away (prior to the Houston

Astros switching to the American League

last season, anyway). And he got there first.

Waddell hit the mark on Sept. 17, 2008,

when he saw the Astros take on the Florida

Marlins in Miami. A host of friends andfamily joined him to mark the occasion.

According to Waddell, a reporter from

the Miami Herald got wind of what he wasabout to accomplish and helped arrange

VIP treatment for him, including a tour of

the stadium, getting taken down to the field

to meet the players and being recognized

on the stadiums jumbotron.

But he said all the special treatment

wasnt as meaningful to him as his friendsand family being there to witness it.

I thought (the VIP treatment) was pretty

neat, but the neatest part was that 27 of my

friends and family got to go with me,

Waddell said.

The only other person to match Wad-

dells feat is John Salvo, of Mount PleasantWisc. Salvo did it the next season, on Oct.

2, 2009.

Waddell met Salvo at an Astros game in

Jim Waddell shows off his personalized license plates from over the years that reflect his baseball passion. Each plate bears theteam name and uniform number that Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux played with during his illustrious career. Maddux isWaddells favorite all-time pitcher.


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Houston in 2001, and Waddell said the twobecame instant friends. Waddell was withSalvo at Citi Field in New York when Salvomatched his achievement. In a bit of sym-

metry, that game featured the Astros takingon the New York Mets.

Baseball love affair beginsWaddells lifelong love affair with base-

ball began back in 1951.Then 14 and growing up on the family

ranch east of Miles City, he asked his fatherto take him to a MLB game. Waddellsfather wasnt interested, but told him that ifhe would agree to take his younger brotheralong, he would buy them bus tickets toChicago, then the closest city to Montana

with a MLB team. The boy jumped at theopportunity.

That first game Waddell attended pittedthe Boston Red Sox against the ChicagoWhite Sox in Old Comiskey Park. But hedidnt pay for the privilege.

We basically snuck in the first day,Waddell said.

He and his brother arrived at the stadiumlate, and unsure where to go to buy tickets,snuck in through a fence. They wereaccosted by an usher, but the man took pityon them and let them go in anyway.

The White Sox game the next day wasagainst the Washington Senators (now theMinnesota Twins). Waddell and his brothergot to the park on time that day, but as theystood in line to get tickets, he caught anoth-er stroke of good fortune.

A policeman comes along and takes meby the arm and said, Come here son, Illtake you into the game for free, Waddellsaid.

He was asked to carry press photogra-phers camera equipment for them. Waddell

did so gladly, given that for the second dayin a row, he didnt have to pay to watch thegame. His efforts earned him an even great-er reward when he was taken down to the

field to get players autographs.That was his last free ride, however.The third day, we finally had to buy

tickets, Waddell said.

An idea strikesIt was another five years, in 1956, before

Waddell saw another MLB game. That wasthe year he married his wife, Dianna.

Naturally, on my honeymoon, I had togo again, he said.

Over the next couple of decades, Waddellattended MLB games sporadically, making

it to a few games some years and someyears not at all.

I didnt go to that many games early,because I had to work for a living, he said.

That changed when he retired from theBurlington Northern Railway in 1996. Bythat time, he had seen over 300 MLBgames, and Waddell said it was then theidea struck him that if he tried, he could seeevery team in both leagues play every otherleague team at home and away.

And so began a flurry of baseball atten-dance.

Chasing the dreamWaddell spent great chunks of each sum-

mer on the road, traveling from city to citychasing his dream. Sometimes he flew, butmostly he drove, putting untold thousandsof miles on his vehicles over the years. Thefact that the closest MLB stadium to Glen-dive is Coors Field in Denver, more than590 miles away, makes his devotion all themore remarkable.

The pinnacle of his baseball travels came

in 2002. Waddell saw 81 games that seasonI decided I wanted to see as many

games as an average season ticket holder,he said. Of course, my 81 games were

scattered across 25 different stadiums.Waddells pace has slowed in recent

years. He broke his back in 2011 and nowlimits his trips to driving excursions to theclosest MLB cities namely Denver, Minneapolis and Seattle. He has plans to attendseven games this season, and then intendsto hang em up.

Amazing featsWhat he has seen in his over 60 years of

pursuing his obsession is nothing short ofremarkable, however.

Waddell has attended 1,235 MLB gamesin his life. Those games include trips to fiveWorld Series and the 1985 MLB All-StarGame in Minnesota. He has been to everyMLB park used in the last 60 years at least21 times and some over 100, with theexception of the new Yankee Stadium andMarlins Park.

He has also seen four no-hitters. He wit-nessed the longest game, by time, in MLBhistory a 25-inning, 8-hour-and 6-min-ute marathon played between the WhiteSox and Milwaukee Brewers in 1984.

He saw Los Angeles Dodgers right field-er Shawn Green become one of the fewplayers in MLB history to hit four homeruns in one game. Waddell was also therewhen Red Sox third baseman Bill Muellerbecame the only player in MLB history tohit a grand slam from both sides of the platein a single game.

Waddell has also seen his favorite pitch-er, newly-elected Hall of Famer Greg Mad-dux, pitch 32 times. Waddell may havebeen something of a good luck charm for

March 2014 9

Waddell sits at his home withhis dog, Garcia, beside thethrow rug his family had spe-cially made to commemoratehis achieving the feat of seeingevery MLB team in eachleague play every other leagueteam both at home and away.

Waddells wife, children and ahost of friends and family

joined him at that game inMiami on Sept. 17, 2008,where he watched the HoustonAstros then in the NationalLeague take on the FloridaMarlins.


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March 2014 11

Apsaalooke Nation editor uses experienceto expand tribal newspaper

By Andrew Turck

Montana Best Times

CROW AGENCY Ben Cloud, former speaker of the Housefor the Crow Tribe, has been the driving force behind the cre-

ation, and now expansion, of the Apsaalooke Nation newspaper.Apsaalooke Nation is tribally owned and operated, and given

away monthly, predominantly on the Crow Reservation.Beneath the shadowed title of the paper reads Teepee Capitol

of the World (Baawaalaapuuchi), hearkening back to the Crowlanguage and culture.

Cloud has been involved in virtually every facet of ApsaalookeNation early into its conception. Although he started creating the

paper on a quarterly basis often by himself, he now has a newsteam that allows him to print an issue each month.

I wear many hats, Cloud said. Sometimes Im a little bit of aspiritual leader, sometimes Im an adviser.

The paper has included stories on multimillion-dollar coaldeals involving the reservation, tribal water rights negotiations

and effects of the 2013 federal government budget sequestrationon Native American tribes.

First on the sequestration effects, the Apsaalooke Nationfaces and feels that the United States are sidestepping theirtrust responsibility by not protecting the treaties, Cloud wrotein a January article on the White House Tribal Nations Confer-ence, and Native Nations shouldnt be forced into the cut-

backs.The article sports a full-length photo by Cloud of U.S. Presi-

dent Barack Obama speaking at the event, followed by a photo ofCrow Chairman Darrin Old Coyote in brightly-colored regaliaand a headdress sitting amid a sea of people in business suits.

I try to look at national news that will affect the Tribe, prettymuch all over Indian Country, Cloud said.

Along with national news, the paper also includes localevents, personal stories and a humorous column called awusuukokoon iikukkuk (I heard it in the sweat lodge). Cloud saidmore than 90 percent of the sweat lodge-related stories weretrue, though people are more careful of what they say around

MT Best Times photo by Andrew Turck

Apsaalooke Nation Editor Ben Cloud prepares the February edition of his newspaper. Cloud was placed in charge of the paperby former Crow Secretary Scott Russell in late 2007 and has operated it ever since.


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March 2014 13

into maybe, say, a bi-weekly. Lets see what we do.

During a recent interview, newspaper staffer Coe Half, gestur-ing with a riding crop used by jockeys in horse races (he waswriting a story on horse culture), said he was originally appointed

by Old Coyote to draw cartoons for Apsaalooke Nation. One ofhis drawings adorns the top of the aforementioned I heard it inthe sweat lodge column. He now takes pictures and writes arti-cles.

Half, who comes from a ranching background, currently alter-nates between journalism during the fall and winter, and servingwith Helitack firefighting crews during the summer.

I had to learn a lot really quickly, and I had to adapt reallyquickly, Half said. Its way different than anything Ive everdone.

Im very fortunate to have someone like Ben to guide mealong (in) baby steps through the entire thing.

Half said hed be starting a health column and wants to begincovering some of the smaller towns in Big Horn County.

Cloud said that although he doesnt plan on retiring anytimesoon, he eventually hopes to build a strong enough base thatApsaalooke Nation will be able to continue once he leaves.

Ive been very fortunate. I enjoy what I do and I hope to con-tinue as long as I can here, Cloud said. Weve set a foundationthat now, theyre still working, theyre growing on that. What weset back then, theyre growing and growing and getting better.

Copies of Apsaalooke Nation are currently archived at LittleBig Horn College going back to 2007.

Andrew Turck may be reached at news@bighorncountynews.

com or (406) 665-1008.

MT Best Times photo by Andrew Turck

Apsaalooke Nation employee Coe Half gestures toward someof his paintings. Half started working for the paper this yeardrawing cartoons and is looking to start a health column.

By Wina SturgeonAdventure Sports Weekly/MCT

We all slow down as we get older, but that certainly doesnt

mean we should let ourselves waste away. If youve hit the mid-century mark, theres a way you can keep, or even build, yourstrength and endurance without stepping outside your owndoor.

It involves a lot of walking; walking in place for endurance,against resistance for strength. Yes, it sounds simple. It issimple,but you have to put together a simple device to let you do it.

All you need is a sturdy belt and some rubber tubing. If youdont already have a strong and sturdy belt, get one from a thriftshop. Looks arent an issue with this device. The rubber tubingcan be found at outdoor shops and some hardware stores, or it canbe ordered online by the foot. Get the strongest kind, which isusually black in color.

Youll need about 30 feet of the stretchy tubing. Tie a tight tri-ple knot at each end. Drape it over the belt, and put the belt on.Fasten it loosely; you want the belt to be saggy, not tight. Put onsupportive shoes with flat heels.

Choose your most sturdy door for the next part. Place the knot-ted ends of the tubing on the other side of the door, just above thedoorknob. Shut the door firmly. Pull on the tubing to make sureits shut securely on the other side of the door. You should have adoubled length of the stuff, going through the belt and fastenedinside the restraining door. Next, pull it around to the back of thebelt, turn your back to the door and walk out until you can feelthe tubing pulling against the belt.

This is where you start walking. As you walk, the tubing willhold you in place. The time will pass more quickly if you listen tomusic or watch television while you do this workout for at least15 minutes every day.

Check the tubing every day to make sure its not developingany cracks or splits, especially the part thats being shut inside thedoor. If youre concerned about scuffing up the carpet, buy aninexpensive length of the runner carpet sold by home stores.Again, remember that how it looks doesnt matter; you can roll itup and stash it out of sight when your workout is done.

Heres the best part: Even if you walk slow and lazy, youlllose weight, get a bit stronger and build your endurance so youwont puff and pant just from walking up a flight of stairs. But ifyou walk out further, to make the resistance of the tubing moreintense, that will increase the build up of your strength and burneven more calories. If you pick up the pace so that youre actuallyjogging, youll get a great aerobic workout that will vastlyimprove your endurance.

Even if you alternate walking and jogging, and go from heavyto light resistance from the tubing, youll still burn more than ahundred calories with each 15-minute session. Youll burn offmore than a pound of fat each month. Youll be stronger and havemuch more energy as well.

Thats quite a good return for a small investment of some rub-ber tubing and 15 minutes a day.

Wina Sturgeon is an active boomer based in Salt Lake City who

offers news on the science of anti-aging and staying youthful at:

adventuresportsweekly.com.

Walk this way to extra strength and endurance


14/24

March 2014 14

Drewry sings An Old Dying Breed from his songbook at his apartment in Lewistown. The sticker on his guitar was designedby his late wife, Pam. Behind him you can see a picture of the two of them on their wedding day.

Montana songwriter Gale Drewerylooks back on a great ride

Story and photos by Charlie DenisonMontana Best Times

Im the last, dont you see, of an old dying breed

Cause old mustangs and old cowboys in these days they

dont need. Gale Drewery, An Old Dying Breed

LEWISTOWN Gale Drewery, 78, is the real deal: a Mon-tana cowboy, a western singer/songwriter and a part of his homestates history.

Originally from northwest of Circle, Drewery experienced aMontana that few remember, one he shares often through his pic-turesque country songs.

As a child, he attended a one-room schoolhouse and lived in ahome with no electricity or running water during the Dust Bowldays of the dirty 30s, Drewery said.

I grew up 100 years ago, you know, Drewery joked. The

toilet was out back.Drewery loved to play outside like the other children in town,

but he had another hobby that began early and has stayed withhim all his life: music.

As long as he can remember, Drewery was surrounded by

music. His father, Ray Drewery, played fiddle at dances all overeastern Montana, and hed play it most nights at home.My dad was the best fiddle player there was, Drewery said.

People would always gather at Drewerys house after supper.Wed get our instruments out and people would dance. My great-grandmother was a fiddle player, too. Its in our blood; its in ourgenes. Our family is that way.

This paved the way for Drewery, who literally took his showon the road.

Touring around the countryDrewery left Montana as a teenager and went to Texas to pur-

sue a career in country music.


15/24

In 1948, he joined the Saddle Tramps asa guitarist and vocalist, and started tour-

ing.I never stood still. I was traveling all

the time, Drewery said. I didnt evenknow who I was.

While playing with the Saddle Tramps,Drewery met legendary country musicsongwriter and performer T Texas Tyler,who was best known for his hit song,Deck of Cards, at the time.

Tyler offered me a job playing withhim, Drewery said. I got $15 a night,and that was the big times.

These were the 1950s, Drewery said,and he was everywhere, touring all aroundthe United States.

Life happened fast on the road, Drewerysaid, too fast, and trouble was everywhere.

Elvis wasnt the only person thosewomen were throwing their bras at,Drewery said. That happened to me, too.I remember one night a girl jumped at meand grabbed the back of my head andkissed me right on the lips. The bouncergrabbed her and threw her out. I was shell-shocked.

Touring with T Texas Tyler, Drewerysaid, was a little too rough around the edg-

es, and a little too dangerous.I couldnt play with him anymore. He

was an alcoholic. For a sagebrush Mon-tana kid, it was pretty hard to see all ofthat stuff, all the women. I just didnt wantto be around it.

Going back homeDrewery went back to Montana and

stopped touring all over the country; instead,he chose to play around his home state.

I moved to the Hi-Line and livedwhere I worked, hopping around from

Williston to Wolf Point to the Flathead toHavre, Drewery said. The more weplayed, the more people we picked up inthe band.

The next year, Drewery married his firstwife, and they had four children together two girls and two boys.

This made it difficult for Drewery tocontinue playing out all the time.

Ironically, however, it was T Texas Tylerwho convinced him to retire from livinglife playing in the clubs.

It was 1960 and Tyler had become apastor. He had totally changed his lifearound after a near-death experience, andhe came to Montana to speak, Drewerysaid. He told me, If I hear you are play-ing in those clubs, I am going to comeback here and wrap that guitar aroundyour neck.

Tyler never had to come back, Drewerysaid, since he never played a club again.

I was gettin tired of it, anyway,Drewery said. Kids and night clubs dontgo well together.

Drewery became a family man, devot-ing his life to his wife, his children and the

Lord. They moved to Lambert, where hefound a job working as a custodian at aschool. There he began raising his chil-dren, but after a few years he and his firstwife decided to get a divorce.

Love songsAlthough many of Drewerys songs are

about Montana and the West, Drewery hadanother muse: his second wife, Pam.

We got married on a ranch, Drewery

said. I wrote a song for her and played itfor her right there during the wedding. The

best man handed me the guitar and I start-ed playing. You could see tears runningdown her face. She really got shook up.

He was always writing songs about her,even when she became terminally ill in thelast year of their marriage.

Three days before she died, she inspiredthe song that was to become MontanaGirl, Drewery said.

The nurse came in. She was heavilysedated and would drift in and out, hesaid. I was standing there beside her bedholding her hand. The nurse said, Youknow, thats the toughest woman Ive evermet. She is in terrific pain but she doesntcomplain a bit. Never has since day one.The nurse thought she was sleeping, thenPam replied, Well Im a Montana girl,arent I? And I said, Pam, you just spunoff another one.

Drewery wrote the song and sang it toher the next day. He said it was the lastthing she remembered.

The nurses all gathered around but leftbefore the song was over, Drewery said.I asked them why they did, and they saidthey couldnt handle a guy singing to his

dying wife.It has been six years since Pam passed

and he still thinks of her every day, Drew-ery said. They were married 20 years.

A part of historyHeres to Montana, the state that I love

With the wide open spaces and the stars

up above

The moon casts its shadows it seems

with love

March 2014 15

Gale Drewery performs oneof his latest original countrysongs with fiddle playerKathryn Holman at a cowboychurch event in Lewistown, inJanuary. If you dont have afiddle, it aint country,Drewery said.


16/24

March 2014 16

The moon casts its shadows it seems with love

Yes, I love Montana, the big sky above.

- Gale Drewery, I Love Montana

In 1989, Drewerys song I Love Montana was chosen as thestate song for the Montana Centennial.

The song was sanctioned as a special tribute to Montanascentennial by Lt. Gov. Gordon McCumber, Drewery said.

Drewery traveled to Helena for the occasion. While there, offi-cials placed a cassette album titled From Heaven to You, which

contained I Love Montana, into a time capsule.When they open it ... it really will be from heaven to you. Ill

be dead and gone, Drewery commented.

Last of a dying breedThe song Drewery is perhaps the proudest of is An Old Dying

Breed, which he wrote about being one of the last of the cow-boys.

I was in town one day and this mechanic was working on mycar, Drewery recounted. The air-conditioner went out. I waswaiting for him and I was sitting on the corner, talking to a guy.The mechanic comes out and says, Hey, cowboy.

That angered Drewery.It wasnt that he called me a cowboy, because I am. There is

no question about that. It was just the way he said. Its not like Icall him a hippie. (I told him),You can call me sir like I calledyou sir a little while ago. I wont again. Then I went home andwhooped up one of my best songs. I wrote the sucker in nothinflat. And, its true. I am. I rode with those old-timers when I wasa kid.

An Old Dying Breed was recorded and produced by Rain-

bow Records and covered by country artists in Montana andNashville, Tenn. It is also Drewerys favorite song to sing.

This song has quite an impact on a lot of people, Drewerysaid. I have never sang that song in the Badlands or on a trailride where I didnt have people sittin there with tears runnindown their face.

All in the familyDrewerys children have followed in the family footsteps, pick-

ing up instruments and singing.They are all great singers, Drewery said, Plus Jay plays rock

n roll and Wade plays country and gospel.His daughters Jennifer and Cindie have even recorded his orig-

inal songs A Montanans Prayer and What About the Free?

Still at itDrewery moved to Lewistown a few months ago, where he

lives in an apartment in the Meadows and spends time withJennifer, who has spent much of her adult life in central Mon-tana.

He continues to write songs and get involved in the communityperforming at the Empire Caf, the Rising Trout open mic andcowboy poetry events such as cowboy church.

I dont know how many songs Ive written, Drewery said.Its been quite a ride for an old hillbilly, and I dont see anysigns of stoppin anytime soon.

As he proclaims in I Love Montana:Yes, I love Montana, and Ill die in this land.

Charlie Denison may be reached at reporter@lewistownnews.

com or (406) 535-3401.

MCT

Some people seem to survive cold and flu season with nary asniffle. And yet plenty others seem to catch cold after cold; side-lined with a perpetually stuffed-up nose and hacking cough thatlasts all winter. So whats different between these two groups?Research shows your cold and flu vulnerability may come downto a few important and unexpected habits, like how muchsugar you eat or how dry your nose is.

Assess your risk with these five signs of impaired immunity,and learn what you can do to stay healthy.1. You have a sweet tooth. Eating too much sugar doesnt just

pack on pounds. A study published in the American Journal ofClinical Nutrition found that eating 100 g of sugar (think threecans of soda) significantly hampered the ability of white bloodcells to kill bacteria for up to five hours afterward.

2. You dont drink enough. Theres a reason moms and doc-tors always push fluids on you when youre sick. Your bodyneeds plenty of water to flush out toxins and yes, coffee andtea are acceptable sources. How much fluid you should drink dai-ly varies from person to person. Youre drinking the right amountif your urine is pale yellow.

3. Youve got weight to lose.You know excess weight isunhealthy for your heart, brain, and other organs. But its also badfor your immune system. In fact, those who become the mostseriously ill with swine flu tend to share the same characteristic: abody mass index over 40, meaning they are morbidly obese.Excess weight can cause hormonal imbalances and inflammationthat impairs the immune systems ability to fight infection.

4. Your nose is dry.As uncomfortable as it may be, a runnynose is actually a good defense against colds and the flu. Sounds

gross, but mucus traps viruses and clears them from the body. Ifyour nasal passages are too dry, germ invaders have an easiertime. If the dryness is a temporary problem, irrigate your nasalpassages with a squeeze bottle or neti pot of saline solution. Ahumidifier can also help. If dryness is chronic, see your doctor todetermine the underlying cause.

5. Youre seriously stressed.Its no coincidence that you tend tocatch a cold after a big work deadline. According to a report by theAmerican Psychological Association, long-term stress weakens theresponses of your immune system. In addition, if you becomestressed while you have the flu, your symptoms can get worse.

For more great health tips, visit www.prevention.com.

Here are five surprising signs your immunity needs a boostHealth


17/24

EDITORS NOTE:

Montana Best Times

has been featuring

some of the fascinat-

ing adventures Terry

McEneaney had

when he was Yellow-

stone National Parksornithologist. Fol-

lowing is another

excerpt from a new book he is writing,

Lucky Feathers: Adventures and Experi-

ences of a Yellowstone Ornithologist.

Throughout the years as a Yellowstoneornithologist, I learned many lessons frommy field experience working with Com-mon Ravens (Corvus corax). But the mostimportant take-home message was a sim-ple slogan I developed: Dont mess withravens.

If every picture tells a story, then amemorable event still embedded in mymind today is what brought me to thisrather odd but convincing conclusion.

The story starts one summer day, when Idecided to break for lunch while in the OldFaithful area. I decided to have lunchsomewhere near Firehole Lake, located onthe Firehole Lake Drive six miles north ofOld Faithful, since I hadnt been there in awhile. It was unseasonably cold outsidethat day, so there were not many visitorsaround.

As I drove to the Firehole Lake parkinglot in my government vehicle, I noticed apeculiar scene of a dozen ravens hangingaround a parked maroon pickup truck witha low camper bed. I decided to eat lunchin my vehicle by backing into a parkingspace across the road to see what was upwith this maroon vehicle parked head first-rear facing. I was in my ranger uniformand watched with interest as a dozen or sobegging ravens entertained me through myfront windshield.

But something was rotten-smelling inYellowstone, and it wasnt the hot springs.It was the ravens. I have learned ravensare rotten rotten to the core. Theywreak with havoc.

As I took the first bite of my lunch sand-wich, I watched to my surprise many piec-es of bread fly out the window of themaroon pickup in front of me. In themaroon pickup was an older couple in

their late 80s. Before the man would throwout the bread, he would check in his sideview mirror to make sure the coast wasclear, and out flew the bread on theground. The begging ravens perched onthe pavement loved it, and the more theybegged, the more bread he threw out thewindow. The ravens formed a very inter-esting feeding frenzy semicircle aroundthe left side of the truck.

March 2014 17

Terry McEneaney is ornithologist emeritus for Yellowstone National Park, and is the author of three books: Birding Montana, Birds of

Yellowstone, and The Uncommon Loon. He has been watching birds for 50 years and is one of Montanas most experienced birders.

Dont Mess With Ravens

BirdingBigSky

Above:A raven inspects the fare at apicnic table in Yellowstone NationalPark.Left:A raven nuzzles a companion at avisitors stop in Yellowstone.

Photos by Terry McEneaney


18/24

March 2014 18

Feeding wildlife is illegal in Yellow-stone, and it was my duty to make surevisitors abided by the law. So I quicklyfinished my lunch, straightened my hatand uniform and walked to within 10 feetof the maroon pickup as pieces of breadflew out the window of the pickup.

I identified myself and approached thedriver, viewing him through the driversside mirror, only to find him whispering

and scurrying to hide what was left of theloaf of bread he used to feed the ravens.He handed the bread quickly over to hiswife and she hid it under her purse.

I said in an authoritative voice, Sir, Ihope you realize it is illegal to feed wild-life in Yellowstone.

Next I said, You are not feeding ravensare you? I elaborated, Do you realize itis a $25 fine for feeding wildlife in thepark? even though deep inside I had nointention of giving him a fine it was

just meant as a visitor contact warning.His response to my questions were of a

nervous nature while comical at the sametime, but I held a straight face as he said,No ranger, I wasnt feeding the ravens,they just showed up.

So I replied by saying, That is a goodthing, for if you were feeding ravens youwould regret it. And I elaborated by men-tioning how ravens can turn fun play into

destructive tendencies quite quickly. Iexplained how I recently watched a visitorfeeding ravens, and in a short period oftime the ravens jumped on the hood of thiscar and then the windshield, and stole thetwo windshield wipers and ripped the rub-ber gasket surrounding the windshield.

The man assured me, No sir, I was notfeeding ravens. I was just having lunch,minding my own business and theyshowed up.

I replied OK, great! Have a wonderful

day in Yellowstone.Then I walked back to my government

vehicle with a big smile on my face,knowing quite well what transpired. I gotinto my vehicle and arranged some thingsslowly before leaving, and immediatelythe ravens flew in and returned to themaroon vehicle in the parking lot. Onlythis time, the ravens were landing on thehood and roof of the pickup.

I watched and slowly pulled away as theravens began treating the mans pickuplike a playground. Two ravens were pull-ing out the pickups wiper blades, andthree others were ripping out his rubbergasket to the windshield. The man waswatching me through his side mirror as Idrove away.

I smiled as I left the Firehole Lake park-ing lot, and thought of the personal prov-erb I have always maintained: Dontmess with ravens.

More short stories from Lucky Feathers: Adventures and Experiences of a Yellowstone Ornithologist, will be featured in forthcoming issues

of Montana Best Times. In the meantime, enjoy Montana birds! And the Best of Big Sky Birding to you!

Bird watching questions may be sent to Terry McEneaney by writing to 1215 Lolo St., Missoula, MT 59802; emailing [email protected]; or visiting

www.yellowstonewildlifeguides.com or www.ravenidiot.com. If questions are mailed, include a phone number at which you can be reached.

Cat rescued in Ohio pipe gets adoptedFINDLAY, Ohio (AP) An orange cat that got a lot of atten-

tion when it was rescued after spending days in an Ohio drainpipeduring severely cold weather has recovered and been adopted.

The Hancock County Humane Societys animal control officertells The Courier in Findlay the new owners promised that themale cat, dubbed Piper, would be kept indoors.

The cat initially refused attempts to lure it out of the pipe withtuna, the classic call of here, kitty, kitty and even a cellphoneapp that meowed. Groundskeepers at a school in Findlay cutthrough the pipe Jan. 10 to free the cat, which was muddy, emaci-ated and hypothermic.

A veterinarian says Piper turned out to be a pleasant, happycreature despite the health problems.

Big, runaway snowball slams into dormPORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Two math majors at Reed College

lost control of a massive snowball that rolled into a dorm, knock-

ing in part of a bedroom wall.There were no injuries, but college spokesman Kevin Myers

said it will cost $2,000 to $3,000 to repair the building.The incident happened in mid-February following a rare trio of

snowstorms in Portland.Students started building the giant snowball on a campus quad

near the dorm. Urged by a crowd, the math majors tried to makethe snowball as big as possible by rolling it down the sidewalkthat goes past the dorm.

And the ball just got away from them, Myers said.After escaping their control, the boulder-sized snowball rolled

about 15 yards before slamming into Unit #7. Three students

heard the smack and discovered the fractured bedroom wall. Thestudent whose dorm was damaged has not had to move.

News Lite

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Evaluates patients with allergicnose and eye symptoms, asthma,sinus symptoms, eczema, hives,food allergy, and insect allergy

Testing and results in one day

Walk inAllergy Shot Clinic inBillings

Clinic appointments availablein Billings, Miles City,Lewistown & Powell,WY

Call for anAppointment Today

Billings: 406-237-5500Toll Free: 800-308-3719

Dr. Tom ScarboroughMontana Allergy & Asthma Specialists


19/24

The price of asparagus can be $4 per pound or even more in

the winter. But closer to spring, the spears can be had for lessthan half that much. Every home chef should grace the dining

table with asparagus when the price is that reasonable.The problem with the vegetable is the waste. When a spear is

bent until it breaks, the unpalatable stringy bottom portion is

separated from the tender upper part. Usually, a third or a half ofthe spear is discarded. That part is either put in the compost pail

or tossed in the trash bin. Thats too bad, because lots of great

flavor is wasted when that happens.The recipe below will provide you with a way to use those

tough bottom parts of the asparagus plant.

You should be warned, though. If you peruse the recipe below,the kitchen police will pay you a visit if you ever waste the

butts of asparagus again.If youre not familiar with the kitchen police, you may be in

for a rude awakening. To punish those who commit kitchen sins,

such as food waste, they may take yourfavorite spatula or even your favoritemeasuring cup. So proceed with caution.The soup recipe makes a very light and

tasty soup. But dont skimp on theseasoning.The bottom recipe was in Montana

Best Times about 10 years ago. Itsrepeated here because your Best Timesrecipe contributor received so manycompliments about it. One woman wasso excited about it, she almost kissed me

in the grocery store. It might seem that amethod of food preparation thats soeasy cant possibly result in anything worthwhile. But thesauce thats poured over the spears compliments the flavorsuperbly.

On The MenuWith Jim Durfey

March 2014 19

Creamed Asparagus Soup12 to 14 medium asparagus spear bottoms1/2 c. dinner quality white wine1 rib celery, diced1/2 medium onion, diced1 tbsp. olive oil2 tbsp. butter

1/4 c. flour3/4 c. milk2 to 3 shakes green Tabasco sauce6 asparagus tipsSalt and pepper to taste

Put asparagus in medium saucepan. Add water to just barelycover spears. Bring to boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Saute onionsand celery in olive oil over medium heat four to five minutes.Stir frequently. In small saucepan melt butter over low heat.Add flour to make a roux. Stir with whisk. Add milk andTabasco sauce. Whisk vigorously until no lumps appear. Heat toboiling. Reduce heat. Simmer for about four minutes. Add saltand pepper to taste. Add asparagus and water to food processor.Add onion mixture. Add white wine. Process for three minutes.

Transfer contents to saucepan. Simmer for several minutes.Strain with sieve. Push contents toward bottom of sievefrequently. When most of liquid has drained, discard asparagusmixture. Put soup in medium saucepan. Add asparagus tips.Bring to boil. Simmer until tips are crisp/tender. Readjustseasonings. Serve hot.

Baked AsparagusOne bunch asparagus, washed and trimmed so tough bottomparts are removed

2 tbsp. butter2 tbsp. soy sauce2 tbsp. balsamic vinegarCooking spray

Heat oven to 400. Spray cookie sheet with vegetable cookingspray. Place asparagus spears on sheet. Bake for 10 to 12minutes, depending on size of spears. Melt butter in small sautepan. Add soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Stir until wellcombined. Place spears in serving bowl. Pour sauce over spears.Serve warm.

Spring for some spears

Cleanup crew returnsdiscarded Ohio birthday cardMEDINA, Ohio (AP) A birthday card containing a $50 bill

is back with the intended recipient thanks to northern Ohio sani-tation workers who spotted the unopened purple envelope in thetrash and drove it to the home where it was mistakenly discard-ed.Lucy Hamer tells The Medina County Gazette she was stunned

and impressed when the workers showed up at her home with thecard her sister-in-law had sent her.Worker Josh Kerns remembered noticing the card in the trash can

and says he held onto it and eventually opened it to make sure itwasnt something important. He said $50 is a lot, and it needed tobe returned.Hamer jokes that she may have been spared an awkward

encounter with her sister-in-law if she never thanked her for thegift.

News Lite


20/24

March 2014 20

Gallatin County- American Red Cross Blood Drive: Two

volunteer opportunities available: anambassador needed to welcome, greet,thank and provide overview for blooddonors; and phone team volunteers needed

to remind, recruit or thank blood donors.Excellent customer service skills needed,training will be provided, flexible sched-ule.- Befrienders: Befriend a senior; visit on a

regular weekly basis.- Belgrade Senior Center: Meals on

Wheels needs regular and substitute driv-ers, Monday-Friday, to deliver meals toseniors.- Big Brothers Big Sisters: Be a positive

role model for only a few hours each week.- Bozeman and Belgrade Sacks Thrift

Stores: Need volunteers 2-3 hour shifts on

any day, Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-6p.m.- Bozeman Deaconess Hospital: Volun-

teers needed for the information desk in theatrium, variety of other positions needfilled as well.- Bozeman Senior Center Foot Clinic:

Retired or nearly retired nurses are urgent-ly needed, 2 days a month, either 4 or 8hour shifts.- Childrens Museum of Bozeman - Wel-

come desk volunteer(s) needed for 2-hourshifts, Mondays-Saturdays.- The Emerson Cultural Center: Volun-

teers needed for front office, greeter/recep-

tion, Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.- Galavan: Volunteer drivers needed Mon-

day-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. CDL requiredand Galavan will assist you in obtainingone.- Gallatin Valley Food Bank: Volunteers

needed to deliver commodities to seniorsin their homes once a month. Deliveries inBelgrade are especially needed.- Governors Conference on Aging: Will

need volunteers on May 8-9 at the HolidayInn.- HRDE VITA: Providing free tax service,

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 1-4 p.m.,

Community Cafe on No. 7th Ave.- HRDC Senior Programs: Seniors look-ing for help with meal planning, mealpreparation and companionship call RSVP.- Heart of The Valley: Compassionate

volunteers especially needed to love, playwith and cuddle cats, do carpentry work,be an animal bank collector (asking localbusinesses to display an animal bank fordonation collection) or birthday party lead-er.- Help Center Telecare: Volunteers needed

3-4 mornings a week 8:30-11 a.m. to makecalls to homebound seniors, providing

reassurance, check on safety and well-being, and access to up-to-date referralinformation to vulnerable individuals.- Hyalite Elementarys Reading with

Friends: Needs volunteers Monday-Friday,8-8:30 a.m., to listen to a child read.

- MSU Foundation: Individuals needed toshow projects that can be completed athome.- Museum of the Rockies: Variety of

opportunities available.- RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to quilt,

knit, crochet and embroider hats for chemopatients, baby blankets and other hand-made goods once a week (can work fromhome). Handcrafters are in need of 3-plysports yarn, and baby yarn.- Senior Nutrition Volunteers: Volunteers

needed to help seniors with grocery shop-ping, meal and menu planning, and com-panionship, 1-2 hours a week, days and

times are flexible.- Thrive Child Advancement Project

(CAP): Seeking mentors to students ingrades K-12, one hour commitment aweek.- Warming Center: Needs a volunteer dur-

ing the week to help with laundry.- Your unique skills and interests are

needed, without making a long-term com-mitment, in a variety of ongoing, special,one-time events.Contact: Deb Downs, RSVP Program

Coordinator, 807 N. Tracy, Bozeman, MT59715; phone (406) 587-5444; fax (406)

582-8499; email: [email protected].

Park County- Loaves and Fishes, and Food Pantry:

Need volunteers for new projects.- Mainstreeter and Community Closet:

Need volunteers to help sort and put donat-ed items on the shelves.- Park County Senior Center: Volunteers

needed in a variety of ways in new activi-ties and services.- RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to help

with knitting or crocheting, or share yourspecial talent, Thursdays at 1 p.m. at thePark County Senior Center. Share ideasand projects, laugh and socialize.- Stafford Animal Shelter: Always in need

of loving volunteers to care for animalswaiting for adoption, pet and play with thecats and play and walk with the dogs.- Yellowstone Gateway Museum: Volun-

teers needed with ongoing projects explor-ing local history on Fridays, help at thefront desk, join those working with geneal-ogy, flexible times.- Various agencies are in need of your

unique skills and interests in a variety ofongoing and one-time special events,

including several mailings coming up.Help your community and enjoy and after-noon with friends.Contact: Shannon Burke, RSVP Program

Coordinator, 206 So. Main St., Livingston,MT 59047; phone (406) 222-2281; email:

[email protected].

Fergus & Judith Basin counties- America Reads Program: Needs volun-

teers, especially in the rural schools, tohelp student improve their reading skills.- Community Cupboard: Needs volun-

teers to help any week mornings as well aswith deliveries.- Council on Aging: Needs volunteers to

help at the Community Center with GrubSteaks and other various programs.- Head Start and grade schools: Volun-

teers needed to assist students.

- Library and Art Center: Volunteer helpalways appreciated.- ROWL (Recycle Our Waste Lewis-

town): Recruiting volunteers for the 3rdSaturday of the month to help with greet-ing, traffic directing, sorting, baling andloading recyclables working to keep plasticwastes from our landfills.- Treasure Depot: Needs volunteers at

their thrift stores.- Always have various needs for your

skills and volunteer services in our com-munity.Contact: Dianne Rous, RSVP Volunteer

Coordinator, 404 W. Broadway, Wells Far-

go Bank building, (upstairs), Lewistown,MT 59457; phone (406) 535-0077; email:[email protected].

Musselshell, Golden Valley &Petroleum counties- Food Bank: Distribute food commodi-

ties to seniors and others in the communi-ty; help unload the truck as needed.- Meals on Wheels Program: Deliver

meals to the housebound in the communityjust one day a week, an hour and a half,meal provided.- Nursing Home: Assist with activities for

residents to enrich supported lifestyle.- Roundup School Lunches: Help clean

tables and serve the kids during lunch.- Senior Center: Volunteers are needed to

provide meals, clean up in the dining roomand/or keep records; meal provided.- RSVP offers maximum flexibility and

choice to its volunteers as it matches thepersonal interests and skills of older Amer-icans with opportunities to serve their com-munities. You choose how and where toserve. Volunteering is an opportunity to

See RSVP,Page 21

Below is a list of volunteer openings available through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) incommunities across southern Montana. To learn more about RSVP, call (800) 424-8867 or TTY (800) 833-3722;or log on to www. seniorcorps.org.

RSVP


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Monday, March 3

Federation of Fly Fishers Museum, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5p.m., Livingston

Thursday, March 6

Yellowstone Gateway Museum, Thursdays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5p.m., Livingston MSU Spring Rodeo, through March 9, Brick Breeden Fieldhouse,Bozeman

Friday, March 7

Billings Home Improvement Show, through March 9, ExpoCenter and Montana Pavilion, Metra Park, Billings

Saturday, March 8

Annual St. Patricks Race, 10:30 a.m., begins at Locker Room Bar,Anaconda

Sunday, March 9

Warren Miller Performing Arts Center: David Mason and TamiHaaland, 6:30 p.m., Ophir School, Gallatin Gateway Glide and Gorge Cross Country Ski or Snowshoe, LoneMountain Ranch, Big Sky

Thursday, March 13

Montana Early Music Festival, 7:30 p.m. through March 14, St.Peters Episcopal Cathedral, Helena

Friday, March 14

Montana Early Music Festival, 4 p.m. , St. Marys CatholicCommunity, Helena

Montana Snowmobile Expo, through March 16, West Yellowstone

Saturday, March 15 Quick Draw and Art Auction, Absarokee High School gymnasium,Absarokee Dirtbag Day, parade and ball, Cinnamon Lodge, Big Sky Billings Symphony: Russion Days and Arabian Nights, 7:30p.m., Alberta Bair Theater, Billings

Montana Early Music Festival, 7:30 p.m.Immaculate Conception,Butte

Sunday, March 16

St. Patricks Day events, through March 17, Butte Spring Fling Trade and Craft Show, Fergus County Fairgrounds,

Lewistown Wednesday, March 19

Western Heritage Artists Association Art Show, through March23, Holiday Inn, Great Falls

Thursday, March 20

March in Montana dealer show and auction, through March 22,TownHouse Inn, Great Falls

C.M. Russell Museum exhibition and sale, through March 23,Great Falls

Friday, March 21

Made in Montana Trade Show, thorugh March 22, Lewis andClark Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall, Helena

Saturday, March 22

Easter Extravaganzoo Egg Hunt, ZooMontana, Billings Southwest Montana Building Industry Association Home Expo,through March 23, Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, Bozeman

Livingston Dance Club, country western dancing, 7-11 p.m.,American Legion, 112 N. B St., Livingston,

Monday, March 24

Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival, through March 29, UniversityTheater, Missoula

Friday, March 28 Great Rockies Sportshow, through March 30, Brick BreedanFieldhouse, Campus of Montana State University, Bozeman.

Friday, April 4

PBR Nile Invitational, through April 6, MetraPark Arena, Billings

March 2014 21

March 2014 Calendar

RSVP,from Page 20

learn new skills, make friends and connect with your community.Contact: Volunteer Coordinator, South Central MT RSVP, 315

1/2 Main St., Ste. #1, Roundup, MT 59072; phone (406) 323-1403;

fax (406) 323-4403; email: [email protected]; Facebook:

South Central MT RSVP.

Custer & Rosebud counties- Clinic Ambassador: New volunteer position starting soon.- Custer County Food Bank: Volunteers needed for food distribu-

tion Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.- Historic Miles City Academy: Volunteers needed to assist in

thrift store with sorting and cleaning donated merchandise.- Holy Rosary Health Care: Volunteers needed Mondays and

Thursdays in the gift shop.- Kircher School: Volunteer needed for lunch delivery from

Miles City to the school. Free lunch and mileage is reimbursed.- Spirit Riders: Volunteer to assist with traffic control at funerals.

- St. Vincent DePaul: Volunteers to assist in thrift store with sort-

ing, pricing, cashier and stocking.

- WaterWorks Art Museum: Volunteer receptionists needed, 2

hour shifts Tuesdays-Sundays.

If you are interested in these or other volunteer opportunities

please contact: Betty Vail, RSVP Director; 210 Winchester Ave.

#225, MT 59301; phone (406) 234-0505; email: rsvp05@midriv-

ers.com

Dawson County- Senior shut-ins: Volunteers needed to deliver monthly commod-

ities, once a month, to elderly, flexible schedule.

- If you have a need for or a special interest or desire to volun-

teer somewhere in the community, please contact: Patty Atwell,

RSVP Director, P.O. Box 1324, Glendive, MT 59330; phone (406)

377-4716; email: [email protected].


22/24

Q. Is it cheaper to fly west or east?

A. A flight east from Boston to Londonwill use less fuel than the return trip becausethe jet stream blows roughly toward the east,says Mark Levi in Why Cats Land on TheirFeet and 76 Other Physical Paradoxes andPuzzles. But even in the absence of anywinds, an eastern trip from Point A to PointB along the equator will take less fuelbecause of the Earths rotation. Travelingeast, the plane goes WITH the rotation of theEarth, thus enhancing its orbiting speedaround Earths center. The increasedcentrifugal force makes the plane a littlelighter. And a lighter plane uses less fuel.

Specifically, for the travel speed of 250meters per second, the weight difference isabout 2/3 of 1 percent. For a loaded Boeing747, which can easily weigh about 300 tons,the difference going east vs. west can beabout 2 tons lighter or the weight of about30 passengers. Thats an equatorial nicetythough, Levi says, since the jet stream has amuch greater economic impact than doescentrifugal force.

Q. How do you open a wine bottle witha book? Please be sure youre soberbefore trying this one.

A.This method actually works, insistsMark Levi in Why Cats Land on Their Feetand 76 Other Physical Paradoxes andPuzzles. I tried this myself, having beenstimulated by a combination of scientificcuriosity and the lack of a corkscrew, notnecessarily in that order.

Start by pressing a book against a wall,then strike the bottom of the bottle against

the book while holding the bottle with atowel and wearing protective glasses in caseof breakage. With repeated strikes, the corkwill inch out bit by bit to the point that youcan pull it out by hand.

What drives the cork out of the bottle,Levi explains, is wine hammer, similar towater hammer in plumbing, or hydraulicshock. The bottle accelerating into the wallcauses compression of air inside the bottlethat acts as a spring to slow the wine anddrive it back into the cork. In effect, we are

hitting the cork from the inside, using wineas the hammer.

Q. Truth be told, isnt it more work toconcoct a lie than to tell the honest truth?

A. As the term concoct might suggest,the business of deception is hard work forthe human brain, says Adam Hadhazy inDiscover magazine. Brain imaging studiesshow that lying takes greater mental effort,and that childrens ability to fib has to waitfor their overall cognitive development. As

Northwestern University psychologydoctoral candidate Xiaoqing Hu put it,Honesty is our default mode. When tellinga lie, you have to inhibit the honest responseand activate a dishonest one.

Yet when people rehearse how to tellbetter fibs, they get better at it. When testsubjects were told to answer personalquestions such as their birth date, they wereslower to respond when they were lying. Butafter they were told the purpose of theexperiment, they learned how to lie fasterand to fake their identity quite well. Soon,

they were as quick to lie as to tell the truth.Q. Even if your Mom didnt go in much

for profanity, on what occasion might shehave dropped her guard and let er rip?

A.When she was giving birth to you, sayspsychologist Richard Stephens of KeeleUniversity, UK, as reported by TiffanyOCallaghan in New Scientist magazine.The brain processes swear words differentlyfrom more genteel vocabulary, and when anexpletive is fired at us, it can feel like a slapto the face. Its almost like a physical act,adds psychologist Timothy Jay at the

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts inNorth Adams, and that visceral feeling mightexplain why we swear when were in pain.

This insight came to Stephens in thematernity ward where his wife was givingbirth to their child: She was in agony, andshe was swearing her head off. Yet eachtime the contractions eased, she apologizedto the doctors and nurses, Stephens recalls.But she neednt have. Swearing is acompletely normal part of giving birth, thehospital staff told them.

Intrigued, Stephens asked someundergraduates to take part in an ice watertest, where they had to hold one hand infreezing cold water while reciting eitherpolite descriptive words or rude obscenities.Those shouting obscenities held their handsin the icy water longer and reportedexperiencing less pain, suggesting that swearwords trigger the bodys fight-or-flightresponse and its accompanying paintolerance.

Q. Hundreds of animal species including apes and monkeys, birds, eveninsects are known to use naturallyavailable materials as tools to aid theirsurvival. However, reptiles have beenexcluded from this savvy group untilvery recently, that is. Whats in a gatorstoolbox and where is it likely to be used?

A.Occasionally a partially submergedAmerican alligator will sit perfectly still forlong periods with a stick balanced across itssnout, report zoologist Vladimir Dinets andcolleagues in the journal Ethology Ecology

& Evolution. They eventually realized thatsuch behavior occurs only near birdrookeries and during nesting season, whennest builders, desperate for scarce materials,now and then mistake the stick for a windfaland end up as the gators meal.

Using objects as hunting lures is veryrare in nature, having been observed in just ahandful of species. As the authors note,many water birds actually prefer nestingnear gators, apparently using thecrocodilians as protection against tree-climbing nest predators such as snakes,monkeys and raccoons. The protectioncomes at a cost, however.

Q. Whats the baby illusion and howdoes it make things even tougher for someyoungest family members to avoid beingovershadowed by their siblings?

A.When Jordy Kaufman of SwinburneUniversity in Melbourne, Australia, asked 77mothers to mark on a wall how tall theirchildren were, the mums underestimated theheight of their youngest child by 7.5centimeters (3 inches) on average but were

March 2014 22

Does flying east or west use less fuel?

By Bill Sones and Rich Sones, Ph.D.

SendSTRANGEquestions to brothers Bill and Rich at [email protected]


23/24

almost spot on for the height of any olderchildren defining the baby illusion,from Current Biology as reported in NewScience magazine.

If mothers and perhaps fathers tend to seetheir youngest as shorter than they really are,they may treat them differently than eldersiblings, which may help explain the exis-tence of birth order effects. Birth order differ-

ence is one of the great mysteries of childdevelopment, adds Andrew Whitehouse ofthe University of Western Australia in Perth.Perhaps we tend to see our youngest childas the baby and that never changes, justanother example of how our perception ofthe world is different from the way the worldreally is.

Q. If you suffer a serious health problemwhile on a commercial flight, how mighttelephone booth syncope enter into playhere?

A. Lets say you wind up passing out onthe plane, but the narrow seats keep you fromfalling, so you are without sufficient bloodflow to the brain, a situation that can lead tocardiac arrest, says Dena Rifkin, M.D., in

Discover magazine. This potentially lethalcombination was known as telephone boothsyncope, where passing out in an old-styletelephone booth kept the body upright andcaused the central nervous system to shutdown especially breathing controlled bythe brain stem. Falling over is the bodysway of protecting itself from low blood pres-

sure because it allows whatever blood pres-sure remains to work with gravity in gettingblood to the brain.

Confronting just such a medical emergen-cy, Dr. Rifkin realized it was vital to get asmuch blood as possible to the mans brainapplying chest compressions and lifting hislegs up to help restore central circulationDespite this low-tech intervention, he began

to move weakly.The survival rate for cardiac arrests in anairplane is remarkably low 1 in 7. But, asDr. Rifkin explains, long-term survivaldepends on the cause of the event. If theproblem described here was in fact telephonebooth syncope, chances are good that thepassenger survived.

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9Musical deficiency10Tenor Bocelli11Sound of distress12Response to a knock13Amer. citizen, e.g.14Education innovator21__ Accords: 1993agreement

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folk music into his work27Singing syllables28Caspian Sea republic29Haute coutureshopping area

30Hexagram on theIsraeli flag32River player35Harrisons successor

36Toledo title

40I Wonder Why lead

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45St. George residents

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53Capital on the

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56Mr. Mom actress

58Personnel list

59Start of an

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60Yielding

62Winding path

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65Aurora, to the Greeks

Crossword

March 2014 23


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march 2014 montana best times

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