Winter Walk in Missoula

Well, not a real full blown photo-essay or anything, but it was beautiful day in Missoula yesterday afternoon, so I grabbed the camera and my dog and we went for a walk down by the Clark's Fork. Results? Well, you can see for yourself down below. As always, you can jump to the bottom and scroll up to see things in chronological order...

Parting shot - mailboxes on an old wagon wheel. A nice little slice of classic Americana...

Closer view of the same thing. If you click on the image, you'll get the full size version. Very, very interesting...

One of the most interesting things I discovered on this walkabout - 3 separate campsites where homeless (?) people are living along the river. This one is within a stone's throw of Reserve St. (you can see it there in the background), and judging from the looks of it, someone has been living here for quite some time - they've gone to a lot of effort to make it snug, cozy, and hidden from plain view. I've driven by this almost every day for the past 4 months, never knowing it was there. I wonder how many other Missoulians are aware of these types of things. Quite sobering, especially when it gets really cold...

Same geese, up close and personal. I love how well my Canon zooms...

Another shot, looking downriver...

Geese (and a few mallards), sitting on the far shore

Looking southwest, along the Clarks Fork, just west of the Reserve Street bridge.

Longing for spring.

Another shot of that same clearing, this time with more shadows on the side...

Nice picture of Jack, enjoying the snow...

So yesterday, Jack and I went for a walk, from our house, down towards the river (less than a half mile away). This is a back channel which would be fun to skate on (although its got a couple of inches of snow on it right now). Amazing how much beauty is within the city limits of Missoula...