2023 CDT - Day 39 - St. Mary, MT

Chill Day at the KOA

Photo from the trail. Glacier NP, MT - Runningbird.

It was a typical Zero day for us. No rush to get up and get going. Coffee, walk the dog, casual breakfast. Runningbird enjoyed a walk on the KOA Nature Trail with Beau and went down to St. Mary Lake to let him take a swim. The biggest problem of the day was that Peggy had finished her book and it's always difficult for her to just sit still without a good book. We drove the mile and a half to the busier part of St. Mary, which really isn't all that big or busy, and searched the gift shops for a book. Nothing except for coffee table books on Glacier. We searched the laundry mats at the KOA and the hotel and found nothing. Most of the laundry mats we've visited had at least some used paperbacks to trade out but not here. Finally she settled for one of the Patrick O'Brien books I had already finished about Captain Jack Aubrey and 18th century English sailing ships. I'm a really slow book reader and I'm sure it wasn't really her kinda book but she plowed through it in no time.

In the afternoon Peggy took advantage of a soak in the pool and hot tub again. She loves the hot water despite the outside temperature in the 80's and 90's. Imagine carrying that backpack for long hours and days at a time, only removing it in the evenings to pitch your tent, eat, and then sleep only to get up in the morning and put it on again. Then, to be able to get in a pool without it, being semi-bouyant in warm water to boot! Probably a pretty awesome feeling.

In the late afternoon, after some deliberation, we decided to drive the short distance to Babb, MT to visit the Two Sisters Cafe for dinner. They opened at 4:00 PM and we got there about 4:30 and they were already nearly packed. We were seated almost immediately though and enjoyed the funky decor while we waited only briefly for the waiter to take our order. Runningbird had a small glass of red wine to celebrate reaching the border and I enjoyed an excellent, locally brewed ginger beer, which seems to be my go-to beverage these days. They had a great sheet of specials for dinner and I went right for the chicken pot pie. While they had salads and a Beyond Burger, the Bird had the Banh Mi - pickled vegetables and grilled tofu on a French roll and she thoroughly enjoyed it. For dessert she ordered a Huckleberry Cheesecake for me and "two" slices of Hucklebberry pie (for me) to go. You'd think I was the one who just finished hiking the 700 plus miles! The reviews on Google for Two Sisters were very mixed. People either really liked it or really didn't. It seemed like the biggest complaint was the price. In St. Mary's, as well as Babb where Two Sisters is, things are expensive. First, there aren't really a lot of choices out here and they are relatively isolated. Also, they are right at the entrance to Glacier National Park, a tourist destination, and that's how it goes - what the market will bare. It is a bit remote here, supplies, fresh foods, fuel, most everything has to come quite a ways to get here. Lastly, it is a relatively seasonal destination for most so the revenue/income isn't there year round. I get it. I know I'm ranting but these are things to be considered when writing or reading online reviews. It was a good meal. I would recommend the place if you're in the area.

Photos from the trail - Glacier NP, MT. - Runningbird.