Chicken and a Biscuit

Moonlight Basin, The Mint and A Move

2010-03-10T08:44:00.008-07:00

After careful consideration, Steve and I decided to cut our stay in Bozeman short and make our way back to Chicago a bit earlier than planned. But not before we enjoyed a few more of Montana’s splendors.

Last week, we spent a full day at Moonlight Basin, a quaint ski resort located on the North side of Lone Peak in Big Sky. It was a beautiful day, perfect for skiing. We were impressed with ourselves for we managed to master the blues of the mountain, with minor spills. Check out some of the views:

Before we left, we wanted to enjoy some of Montana’s finest cuisine as well as take our wonderful hosts for a night out. During one of our many trips to Norris Hot Springs, we met a local named Timothy Tate, who is a Chicago native and has been in Bozeman since the 70’s. An extremely colorful character, psychoanalyst (of dreams), DJ and just general nice guy recommended the place to us.

The Mint has been a Montana staple since 1904 and specializes in some of the best meats Montana has to offer. And it did not disappoint. We all indulged on buffalo, prime rib, filet, NY strip, scallops and chipotle mash potatoes…it was delicious and the perfect meal to conclude our Montana adventure.

P.S. More stories to come.

Tatonka and Hot Springs

2010-02-21T16:00:00.013-07:00

The weekends in Bozeman always seem to be an outdoor adventure for Steve and I, and this weekend was no exception. Our initial plan was to go to Chico Hot Springs located in Pray, MT and enjoy a nice soak (as they call it here) at the historic resort for the afternoon. However, Chico is only a short drive from Yellowstone so we decided to continue our drive a few more miles and check out Yellowstone in the winter.

Because of winter conditions, only the northern road is open to the public, which extends from Gardiner to Cooke City, Montana. Although only a small amount of the park is open, it is still breathtakingly beautiful and quiet and cold. We checked out Mammoth Hot Springs, a bunch of buffalo, deer and we were lucky to even see a wolf (which we found out is a sought after sight this time of year). And then the overall views just bring a sense of calm. Here’s some of our visual documentation:

We made it to Chico just as the sun was setting and enjoyed the springs for a few hours. The springs along with a few spirits warmed us after a chilly day…it was the perfect, relaxing ending.

Doggie Keg Pull

2010-02-15T17:56:00.002-07:00

Kim and I celebrated a lovely Valentine's Day by spending a few hours at the Bozeman "Wild West Winter Fest," which was basically a small-scale, winter-time county fair. Some of the many activities included the "Working Horse and Driver Competition," "Cattle Sorting," the "Battle of the Breeds" (horse competition), and, of course, the "Doggie Keg Pull." It was this last event that was a main draw for me and Kim, as two of the three dogs in our household were active participants. Tonka competed in the 35-75 pound grand while Jackson competed in the Mighty Mini's division (under 11 pounds). Sponsored by Coors, Tonka pulled a keg while Jackson pulled a can. Unfortunately, Tonka became a little frustrated at first, when not able to pull the sled right away...so he did not place in the top 3. Jackson, however, managed to pull a solid second place...out of two! All dogs received at least a ribbon and some free doggie sausage, provided by the event sponsor.

In case you are wondering what a doggie keg pull looks like, check out these videos of "our boys."

Pull My Finger Chili Cook-off

2010-02-15T15:07:00.007-07:00

Super Bowl weekend inducted the first annual Pull My Finger Chili Cook-off in Bozeman. The brainchild of our roommate John, the event was hosted at Pour House, a local watering hole, and included more than 15 chili culinary delights. The winner – Who Dat – rightfully deserved his first place standing and won the covetable plaque, $50 gift certificate to the Pour House and a nerf gun that was the envy of every male in the bar.

Although our chili – Chick-A-Wow Wow – did not win, Steve did manage to win a Pabst Blue Ribbon chair by successfully filling out a questionnaire of Super Bowl predictions prior to the game and accurately predicting the most. Who knew that Carrie Underwood would sing the national anthem in 1:45…

The Red Devil

2010-02-08T18:07:00.006-07:00

Last week, we were able to get in a great afternoon of skiing. Where both of our skiing skills are improving, our ability to get on and off the ski lift is still a work in progress. I should rephrase and say my chair lift abilities are a work in progress.

To summarize, I fell off the ski-lift at the top of the mountain and almost got hit in the head by the chair resulting in losing a ski in the process. Then after that embarrassment and trying to pay better attention to mastering the lift, getting on the lift, I barely made it on, which resulted in losing my ski again while doing so. Luckily, a fellow skier who is more stable on the lift brought my lost ski with him to the top of the mountain so I didn’t have to ride the ski lift back down or somehow walk/ski down the mountain.

Now, let me say this…this is a small chair, only a two seater that whips around like a bat out of hell. You have about 1 second to get on. Plus the seats are pretty tiny (with a bar in the middle) so you need to have your tush in exactly the right position for the seat. I am wondering if the fact that the chair is red and could quite possibly kill you as you get on and off is a coincidence. However, I am determined to master this red devil just as I am mastering the mountain. And don't let the picture fool you, it's not a nice chair.

Doggies

2010-01-31T15:44:00.005-07:00

This week was a bit more laid back considering I caught a horrible cold and was pretty much out of commission for 4 days. But it gave us a chance to bond with our new adoptive doggies. Since we got to Bozeman, we have had the luxury of spending time with Dexter (Labrador Retriever), Jackson (Toy Fox Terrier) and Tonka (Unidentified, Lovable Mutt). Being that Steve and I have wanted a dog for a few years now, we are loving the extra 12 legs running around the house (and sometimes pooping in our room: Jackson).

Here’s a video of some of the fun we have had with our new pets:

Blazin' Challenge

2010-01-25T15:00:00.004-07:00

As we continue to get acclimated to the Bozeman lifestyle, we can safely say one thing has been crossed off the list and that’s the Blazin’ Challenge. Thanks to Steve, who is now an official Blazin’ Challenge champion, ate 12 of Buffalo Wild Wing’s Blazin’ chicken wings (their hottest wings) in under 6 minutes…3:53 to be exact. Now Steve’s picture is prominently displayed on Bozeman’s Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge Wall and he even got a t-shirt! Oh and a video to prove it:

Horses, Horses, Horses and a Hike

2010-01-19T14:23:00.006-07:00

This weekend in Bozeman didn’t stop the outdoor adventures! The weather has been unseasonably warm. It was almost 50 degrees on Saturday. Deciding to take advantage of the beautiful weather, we went for our first hike Saturday afternoon on the M Trail.

The M Trail takes you on a hike that leads to a 250-foot letter “M,” which overlooks Bozeman and is a signature for Montana State University. Montana State University students created the M in 1915 with whitewashed rocks and it’s a right of passage to hike to it. Although snow covered the M, we still had an amazing view of the city and the mountains.

With lots of huffing and puffing, Steve and I successfully made it to the top and back down, although the way down was a bit more of a challenge (we took a wrong turn). But like most things in life sometimes you just have to roll with it, and we almost (literally) did.

On Sunday, Christina (John’s lovely girlfriend) took us horseback riding. Lucky for us, Christina is a accomplished rider and owns 3 horses. Plus, has agreed to give us some lessons. After a lesson in grooming her horses Wonder and Oliver, she took us to the indoor arena where we each got a lesson with Wonder. And being Steve’s first time on a horse, it was a bit bumpy. But with Christina’s help and Wonder’s patient demeanor, I think we are on our way to becoming equestrians (or at least better riders).

Hey...we're in Montana!

2010-01-15T17:04:00.009-07:00

It's officially been a week since we landed in Bozeman. And we've learned a few things since we have been here. One obvious fact is the town of Bozeman is surrounded by mountains so everywhere you look a mountain is somewhere in your view. We thought we should share some of the daily views.

Here are a few more fun facts we have learned about

Bozeman thus far:

• Bozeman is 4,795 ft above sea level – it’s easy to get lightheaded up here especially if you aren’t use to it
• There is no humidity so dry goods (cereal, crackers, chips) last for months
• Prime time starts at 6:00 p.m. and late night starts at 9:30 p.m. – you can watch all your programs and be in bed by 11:00 p.m.
• It's a very dog friendly town
• Customer Service is off the charts. Everyone is super nice any place you go. I have yet to encounter a sales clerk who hasn’t had a five-minute conversation with me when ringing up my purchases.
• Bozeman has 300 days of sunshine – that’s a lot more than Cleveland.

It's pretty hard not to enjoy the surroundings when you wake up to sunshine and mountains every morning. Although we are still getting acclimated, Bozeman is starting to feel like a place we could truly enjoy.

Into the Great Wide Open

2010-01-11T02:17:00.001-07:00

Our first official day in Montana was a welcoming one we must say. Our gracious host (John) invited us to visit his aunt and uncle's 1100 acre ranch nestled in between the Bridger and Crazy mountain ranges for a day of good ole' fashion fun. The day started with shooting a 22 caliber rifle at targets on a hill just off their back porch...and it was both Steve and my first time shooting a gun. Where Steve had more luck with actually hitting the target, I just had a good stance.

Then the day continued with some ice hockey (skates included) on their frozen pond. Steve's best move was falling down as he tried to hit the hockey puck into the goal. Although unsuccessful in scoring, he was able to maintain his balance on the skates fairly well.

After some relaxing by the bonfire, the day kicked up again when Kip (John's cousin) took the four wheeler on the ice for some Bozeman style sleigh-rides. No words can explain and can only be showcased in this video.

And yes, I was the first one to volunteer for a ride. Our first day hosted a winter wonderland of fun activities. We can only anticipate what is yet to come.

Artic Blasts

2010-01-07T22:56:00.000-07:00

The week hosted this winter's coldest temperatures and toughest winter conditions to date, and just our luck we were able to hit it as it swept through the Midwest. We caught the beginning of the winter storms in Iowa and Nebraska as we headed West. Here's a video to showcase our driving adventure.

Visiting the "OC"

2010-01-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

No, "OC" is not an abbreviation for Ocean City, New Jersey or Orange County, California, but for our favorite little hamlet of Osceola, Indiana. With one stop light, Osceola has the grand honor of being the birth place and current residence of our very close friend Steve, as well as his lovely wife (Lotta), twin babies (Max and Molly), and immediate family. Lotta's mom even flew all the way from Sweden to meet us (not really...but she was there).

We spent a lovely day and half relaxing with the family, catching up with the twins who have grown a lot since we last saw them in September, and, of course, eating. Monday night, family matriarch Nola made a scrumptous home-made chop suey. The night turned into a little family party with a slew of cousins, uncles and aunts.

The highlight, however, was getting to play with Steve and Lotta's (almost) 6-month-old twins, Max and Molly. As you can see, it doesn't take too much to entertain a 6-month-old other than make funny faces and noises, at which I am a pro!

We took our sweet ole' time Tuesday morning to enjoy a breakfast of the world's best scrambled eggs (made by me) and some uber-strong, puts-hair-on-your chest coffee, before Kim and I headed off to the mall and Dick's Sporting Goods to acquire a few more necessary items for our skiing in Montana. We also picked up some of those fancy rubber floor mats for the '98 Jeep (post coming soon!) so our floor doesn't rust through and a travel-size first aid kit...just in case.

Tuesday night dinner centered around some delicious pizza from the local king of pizza - Barnaby's Family Inn. Although all-around good, I would have to say the highlight was getting one of the pizza's for free. Apparently the check-out girl thought I was cute enough to warrant a free pizza - good thing I hadn't showered in a day! Post-dinner activities included making Max try on the "super cute" one-piece that we got him and Kim and Steve cleaning up in Bananagrams (as usual!).

So, a BIG shout-out and thank you to Steve and his family for being awesome hosts to the wandering duo!

Bye Bye Birdie

2010-01-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

We managed, after some delay, to start our journey out of Cleveland Monday morning. The winds were blowing, snow was falling, and cars were crashing (all along 90W), but the clouds parted and the roads cleared once we were west of Sandusky.

Although bittersweet as always to leave family and friends, Kim and I are excited for our most recent junket to Montana (via Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming). We're planning to see some people and places along the way to break up the driving (estimated 29 hours non-stop...in good weather). Our ETA is Friday night.

A big Thank You and hugs to our good friends and family in Cleveland. We'll miss you, but also be seeing you "soon." Feel free to come visit us (as long as John OK's it)!

And so it begins...again

2010-01-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

It's no surprise that Steve and I would once again saddle up and head to Montana for another life experience. A few months ago when an opportunity to go to Montana came up, it didn't take us long to decide where our path should go. Taking an extended ski trip was something we had talked about doing during our US road trip in 2008 and now the time has come to see it come to fruition.

So why Chicken and a Biscuit as the name for our blog? There are a few reasons. We wanted a memorable and long-lasting blog title where we could continue posting our many travel tales. "Kim and Steve's Adventures" simply wouldn't cut it.

Then we began to think about the context of a piece of chicken and a biscuit. Generally speaking, chicken is something you have for dinner and a biscuit is something you have for breakfast. Two random items, yet when put together very delicious. We could relate that to us in a sense. We are pretty random (we know) yet when put together with our experiences it all works and becomes something pretty great. So simply put, Steve and I are kind of like a chicken and/or a biscuit. I will leave it open to discussion as to who is which one.

So this tale begins with a 1,700 mile drive to Bozeman, Montana that takes 27 hours in our reliable '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee...