Don't trust your travel agent to give you accurate information if you are planning a trip outside your immediate area. My wife and I were at a restaurant in Missoula last Sunday evening and this was the conversation we overheard from the next table and the waiter. A family was seated there at it was obvious they were bummed out and upset.

Father: "I just don't understand why they closed the ski resort this early. God, look at the snow up there. It was almost up to the bottom of the chairs on the chair lift. The travel agent said it was great skiing."

Mother: "I know, all that money we paid for the trip and now we can't ski."

So, this goes on for a few minutes and the waiter comes up to take their order. They ask him why Missoula SnowBowl is closed as well as Big Mountain in Whitefish.

Waiter: "Well, have you ever heard of Ursus Horribilus?"

Family: "No...what's that?"

Waiter: "Where are you guys from?"

Dad: " Georgia."

Waiter: "Ok, that explains it. This time of year the Grizzly bears are waking up from a long winters nap, and they are hungry and mean as hell.
And....SnowBowl and Big Mountain are sitting right in prime Grizzly habitat.
Most of the winter the skiiers are shoosing right over sleeping Grizzlies and they don't even know it."

Teenage Boy in Family: "Wow. That would be so cool to see a Grizzly Bear for real."

Waiter: "No..it wouldn't be cool because you would probably be their first meal in 5 months."

Family looks shocked at this. Dad looks over at me and asks if what the waiter is saying is true. My wife gives me a good kick in the shins under the table as she knows I'm going to give them some smart-ass answer.

"Yep. You don't want to be around when the bears are coming out of hibernation. That could be a very dangerous situation to get yourself in."

That's what I said to save my ass..........what I really would have liked to say was...." No, He's full of shit. You go up there and telemark all over the place. There's no bears up there or anywhere near here."

Man........the older I get, the nastier I get. Love it!

(BTW... there are at least 35 known Grizzlies in the SnowBowl Basin area, and at least twice that many at Big Mountain.)

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I wrestle hungry grizzlies just for fun.

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Stuffed animals don't count, Kelso.

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Funny you say that. My wife has been hooked on That 70's Show on Netflix and we are in the 4th season now. She agrees with you that if I would be anyone on that show, it would be Kelso.

Anyway, I think in season 1 or 2, the Christmas episode, there's this cute little scene between Kelso and Red.. Where Red wouldn't let Kelso... Ahh Hell.. This episode:
[youtube]qDRmqrH2mz4[/youtube]

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Just don't go thinking your man pretty or anyting.

And Bob, when's that water coming?

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Ok DakotaT.. the water is holding back until you least expect it. We've had a cold spring...........actually lots of snow and cold temps, so the expected flood is pushed back a few weeks. Just keep watching the weather reports and when it hits 65 to 70 degrees in Glascow Mt you're in for a rocking good time along the Missouri.

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Unbelievable Bob.

What one or two less Georgians anyhow? Do they even contribute to the GDP?

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Why would anyone want to Ski in Montana when they can go to Colorado?

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I have repeated this story (at last in part) so many times I can not remember. Well I probably couldn't remember if it was only one time but that is beside the point.

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