It was at this point that the alleged grizzly rudely interrupted my reverie. I responded by lowering my head and pinning the throttle until I spotted a small sign on the roadside, "Town of Bynum." It wasn't until a mile or so later that three shabby buildings abruptly appeared out of the flatness, but apparently this was Bynum. And one of the forlorn buildings was JD's Wildlife Sanctuary-a one-stop restaurant, bar, gambling parlor and meeting place, it turns out. Fisher had highly recommended the place, so I pulled into the dirt lot, dismounted and took a seat on one of the weathered benches inside.
I ordered the prime rib special and settled back, admiring the old wooden bar with dozens of dollar bills tacked overhead and graffiti etched into its weathered planks. Local ranch hands sat along the rail nursing Moose Drool brews. The cook came out with a perfectly grilled steak the size of, well, a freight car, and the feeding frenzy was on. As I sat there happily chawing the local Angus, it occurred to me that for any self-respecting biker this place alone was worth the trip.
The cultural immersion continued later that evening, after I blasted another half-hour north on gravel roads to the Inn Dupuyer B&B. Dupuyer is only slightly bigger than Bynum, but at least it has a proper main street. Proprietors Joe and Rita Christiaens welcomed me with gallons of hot coffee while they told tales about the Hutterites that settled this area. Seems this religious sect is much like the Old Order Amish and lives on scattered colonies throughout North America. They stress separation from the outside world and, like the Amish, are identified by distinctive dress. The men wear black trousers, a black coat and, here, a black cowboy hat. The women opt for ankle-length skirts, an apron and a polka-dot headscarf.
"In fact," said Rita, "there's a bar a couple of blocks from here where they congregate. Be sure to watch out for the grizzlies on your way back," she added, again with all earnestness.
I couldn't pass up the chance to witness the local culture in action, so I hoofed it down to the saloon. Strict religious order or not, it seemed the Hutterites had no qualms about boozing it up-the black-hatted lads bellied up to the bar in Dupuyer were going at it hard. To make matters worse it was karaoke night, and whole families packed the place. If Bynum had seemed otherworldly, Dupuyer was an alien circus. But it was the kind of show you never forget.
The next day I rumbled back to Great Falls after my Hutterite holiday and near-grizzly experiences, thinking that none of this was at all what I'd expected here. Sure, it's Big Sky, but the characters and the subculture were equally outsized. Russell Country may be an overlooked piece of Montana real estate, but that can be a good thing. It means you can have the whole vista to yourself. Just be sure to keep your eyes open for the extraordinary locals.
Break Me Off A Piece Of That
The Eaglerider Adventure RanchThere's little excuse for sitting around bored in Montana. But should your adrenal glands need a bigger shot, there's always the EagleRider Adventure Ranch. Run by locally born and bred Mike Arnst, this is the kind of ranch that's custom-made for motorized steeds.
Arnst is a mechanical engineer who turned stints for Harley-Davidson at Buell, Kansas City and York. He returned to his childhood home to start the ranch and EagleRider franchise some years ago. Although the main office is in Fort Benton, the actual Adventure Ranch is located in a remote area outside of town. The killer 5000-acre spread is set right in the rugged Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, currently accessible via dirt road or the river.
The EagleRider franchise can outfit you with a Polaris ATV or KLR dual-sport, or set you up with hiking, motorcycle or auto tours. Add on canoeing or camping options and you can book your entire adventure in one place. Get details at eaglerider.com, mgmmontanaadventures.com or call 888.625.6618.
Trip Resources:
* Montana State Travel information: visitmt.com
* Montana motorcycle routes: ridemt.com
* Fort Benton: fortbenton.com
* The Grand Union Hotel: grandunionhotel.com
* EagleRider bike rentals: eaglerider.com; mgmmontanaadventures.com
* Inn Dupuyer: 406.472.3241;
3rivers.net/~inndupyr