Biker jumps for Jesus

The love of the craft

Upholstery takes an artists touch

A Monthly Publication for Folks 50 and BetterMO

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The Burger Master

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July 2013 2

Scheduled EventsJuly 2-4, 2013 - Home of Champions Rodeo

Join us for the 84th Home of Champions Rodeo featuring some of professional rodeos top cowboys and cowgirls. 84 Years of Rop-in and Ridin, Singin and Swingin

Tickets available at www.redlodgerodeo.com

July 2nd,3rd, and 4th, 2013 - Red Lodge 4th of July Parade

Our Parade Theme this year is God Bless America. Keeping with the theme our Grand Marshal is Robert Doc Foglesong, a retired Four Star Air Force General from the Roberts area.

Saturday, July 6, 2013 - Geology, Ecology Tour of the Beartooth Mountains

Geology and Ecology tour of the Beartooth Highway with geolo-gist Dr. Marv Kauffman and ecologist Dr. Phil Robertson will take place on Saturday, July 6, 2013. The cost is $50 per person with lunch included. Seating is limited, so make your reservations today at the Museum.

Saturday, July 6th, 2013 - Zumbathon 2013A fundraiser for DSVS! Join local licensed ZUMBA instructor

Allison Gilley as she leads the 2nd annual ZUMBATHON!! For more information contact Allison Gilley at 672-6115

Thursday, July 11, 2013 - Historic Walking Tour of Downtown Red Lodge

Join the Carbon County Historical Society and Museum for an early evening of historic fun. Meet at the Museum at 5 p.m. to join in a historic walking tour of downtown Red Lodge. Handouts will be provided and a guide will show you the wonderful historic build-ings. All programs are free to members and $2.00 for non-members.

Saturday, July 13th, 2013 - Art in the Beartooths with Signature Artist Carol Hagen

Art in the Beartooths is our annual summer fundraiser here at the Arts Guild. Enjoy a full day of art and culture beginning with an art-ist paint-out from 9:30 am to 2:30pm. Watch 30 artists for free cre-ating in and around Lions Park.

The event continues in the evening with live and silent auctions, dinner & libations, and entertainment under the tents in Lions Park. Tickets for the evening portion are $50 or reserve a table for 10 for $500.

Saturday, July 14th, 2013 - 45th Annual Beartooth Run

Montanas classic hill climb road race, The Beartooth Run, is going into its 45th year with some exiting changes. The largest change to this years race is the new course, located at the top of the Beartooth Pass. Runners will have the choice between a 5k and 10k distance.

Thursday, July 18, 2013 - Historical Walking Tour of Downtown Red Lodge

Join the Carbon County Historical Society and Museum for an early evening of historic fun. Meet at the Museum at 5 p.m. to join in a historic walking tour of downtown Red Lodge. Handouts will be provided and a guide will show you the wonderful historic build-ings. All programs are free to members and $2.00 for non-members.

July 19-21, 2013 - 19th Annual Beartooth Rally

Plan on the 19th Annual Beartooth Motorcycle Rally being better than ever!

Dont forget to stop by BONEDADDYs to pick up your official rally shirt and check out all the cool clothes and accessories.

Saturday & Sunday - July 26-28, 2013 - Cruisen Red Lodge Car Show

Red Lodges premiere summer car show! Ogle over your favorite classic cars as you share your favorite auto biography stories!

Things will kick-off on Friday, July 26 with registration. On Sat-urday, July 27, the classic cars will be displayed up and down the main drag through Red Lodge starting at 8 am. Awards will be pre-sented at 2 pm. Then join us for a good ol fashioned drive-in movie at dusk at the Red Lodge Airport.

Sunday, July 28 will see the return of Drag Races at the Red Lodge Airport. Back by popular demand, Red Lodges own drag races will be held at the Red Lodge Airport starting at 8 am until 1 pm. Dont miss this opportunity to see your favorite classic cars drag race on a modified course on the runway!

For further information, call Ric Moore at (406) 664-3264 or email randrframes@gmail.com

Saturday, July 27, 2013 - Gotta Gig Gotta Go! with Billy Waldo and the Flying Grizzlies

Billy Waldo and the Flying Grizzlies will be performing a benefit concert for the 6th Annual Gotta Gig Gotta Go Stano Bustos Foun-dation on July 27th. Waldo, Lee Moran, Jimmy Kujala, Todd Loughrie, Pete Burak, Charlie Brandine, and Paul Dirt Stauss with special guest Mark Biernbaum.

Check out www.stanobustos.com for more information.

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Opinion ....................................................Page 4

Savvy Senior ............................................Page 5

Bookshelf .................................................Page 9

Big Sky Birding .......................................Page 16

Volunteering .............................................Page 18

On the Menu ............................................Page 20

Calendar ...................................................Page 21

Strange But True ......................................Page 22

INSIDE

News Lite

Squirrel and snake in all-out brawlGOLD CANYON, Ariz. (AP) Authorities rushed to an

Arizona womans home after she called to report a brutal brawl on her back patio between a ground squirrel and a gopher snake.

KPHO-TV reports that Apache Junction firefighters recently stumbled upon the bizarre backyard beat down at the Gold Can-yon home and believe the two were going at it at least 30 minutes before their arrival.

Firefighter Ryan Philips immediately grabbed his smart phone to record the wildlife fight, which continued until firefighters stepped in and broke it up.

Officials say the snake had a few wounds when it was released back into the desert while the squirrel had only a couple of inju-ries.

Philips says he believed the squirrel had a nest nearby.

Father, son record holes-in-one on Fathers DayRICHMOND, Texas (AP) A father-son duo from South Tex-

as showed no handicap when they stepped up to a par-3 tee and each shot a hole-in-one on Fathers Day.

Lonnie Whitener, 57, told the Houston Chronicle that his 115-yard drive using a gap wedge on the sixth hole at River Pointe Golf Club in Richmond struck the flag stick and dropped in the hole.

Then, up stepped 13-year-old Zach Whitener, whose shot from 100 yards using a 6-iron landed near the pin and gently rolled in.

The U.S. Golf Association does not keep records of holes-in-one, but the National Hole-in-One Registry says the chances of two players acing the same hole in the same round are one in 17 million.

Two groups of players witnessed the feat and joined the cele-bration.

Stories of unexpected paths

July 2013 4

This issue of Montana Best Times has two stories about people who thought they knew what they wanted to do with their lives, but were met with a series of circumstances that took them anoth-er direction with happy endings.

The first story, on Page 6, is about motorcycle stuntman Gene Sullivan. Sullivan was a one-time bodyguard for the famous dare-devil bike jumper Evel Knievel.

Sullivan had wanted to become a professional football player, but was sidelined by an injury. Then, he signed a contract to be a professional boxer, but almost by chance met Knievel, and soon became his bodyguard. After leaving Knievel, he launched his own motorcycle stunt career, but an unexpected spiritual encoun-ter changed his life, and he decided to use his motorcycle stunt abilities to spread the gospel. Hes still going strong at age 66, and having the time of his life.

The other story, on Page 10, is about Fergus County High School teacher Sandy Armstad, 57. She thought she wanted to be an actor and to travel, and was passionate about following those interests. But things didnt quite work out in that direction, so she took up teaching. Ironically, one of the courses she ended up teaching was drama. Another was history, a subject that had always been of tre-mendous interest to her. The result of the unexpected change in her lifes path is that she completely loves what shes doing today.

Many others could similarly point back to times in their lives

where circumstances mysteriously took them down a road they had not planned, but which resulted in something so much better than they had imagined for their lives.

But for others, the path has ended up at a place they would not have chosen.

If that is the case, it is never too late to seek a change to improve ones situation. Seek out a group of trusted friends who believe in you, a career counselor or spiritual advisor, or, if the situation calls for it, legal and financial help, and see what else life can hold. Making your own new path could have an unex-pected, happy ending.

Dwight HarrimanMontana Best Times Editor

Opinion

Frank Perea, Publisher Dwight Harriman, Editor Tom Parisella, Designer

P.O. Box 2000, 401 S. Main St., Livingston MT 59047Tel. (406) 222-2000 or toll-free (800) 345-8412 Fax: (406) 222-8580 E-mail: mtbt@montanabesttimes.com Subscription rate: $25/yr. Published monthly by Yellowstone Newspapers, Livingston, Montana

A Monthly Publication for Folks 50 and BetterMO

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Dear Savvy Senior, What are my options for choosing an executor for my will? I

was considering asking one of my kids to do it but I dont think any of them are up for the job. What can you tell me?

Still KickingDear Kicking, Choosing an executor the person or institution you put in

charge of administering your estate and carrying out your final wishes is one of the most important decisions in preparing a will. Picking the right executor can help ensure the prompt, accurate

distribution of your possessions with a minimum of family fric-tion. Some of the duties required include: Filing court papers to start the probate process (this is general-

ly required by law to determine the wills validity). Taking an inventory of everything in the estate. Using your estates funds to pay bills, including taxes, funeral

costs, etc. Handling details like terminating credit cards, and notifying

banks and government agencies like Social Security and the post office of the death. Preparing and filing final income tax returns. Distributing assets to the beneficiaries named in the will. Given all the responsibility, the ideal candidate should be some-

one who is honest, dependable, well organized, good with paper-work and vigilant about meeting deadlines. Who to choose Most people think first of naming a family member, especially a

spouse or child, as executor. If, however, you dont have an obvi-ous family member to choose, you may want to ask a trusted friend, but be sure to choose someone in good health or younger than you who will likely be around after youre gone. Also, if your executor of choice happens to live in another state,

youll need to check your states law to see if it imposes any spe-cial requirements. Some states require an out-of-state executor to be a family member or a beneficiary, some require a bond to pro-

tect your heirs in case of mismanagement, and some require the appointment of an in-state agent. Also keep in mind that if the person you choose needs help set-

tling your estate they can always call on an expert like an attor-ney or tax account to guide them through the process, with your estate picking up the cost. If, however, you dont have a friend or relative you feel com-

fortable with, you could name a third party executor like a bank, trust company or a professional who has experience dealing with estates. If you need help locating a pro, the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (naepc.org) and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (naela.org) are great resources that provide directories on their websites to help you find some-one. Executor fees Most family members and close friends especially if they are

a beneficiary serve for free, but if you opt for a third party executor it will cost your estate. Executor fees are set by each state and typically run anywhere from 1 to 5 percent depending on the size of the estate. Get approval Whoever you choose to serve as your executor, be sure you get

their approval first before naming him or her in your will. And once youve made your choice, go over your financial details in your will with that person, and let him or her know where you keep all your important documents and financial information. This will make it easier on them after youre gone. For more information on the duties of an executor, get a copy of

the book The American Bar Association Guide to Wills and Estates fourth edition for $17 at ambar.org/wills or call (800) 285-2221. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443,

Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.

Jim Miller, creator of the syndicated Savvy Senior information column, is a longtime advocate of senior issues. He has been featured in Time magazine; is author of The Savvy Senior: The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens; and is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show.

July 2013 5

How to Choose the Right Executor for Your Will

July 2013 6

Jumping for JesusFormer Evel Knievel bodyguard jumps with a purpose

Faith

Gene Sullivan jumps through a wall of flames during a 2009 event in Great Falls.

Daniel Sullivan Photography

July 2013 7

By Chaun Scott Montana Best Times

BILLINGS For most of us as we move into our golden years, taking the time to smell the roses and enjoy the simple life becomes appealing. But for one Billings man, nothing could be further from the truth.

Gene Sullivan, a 40-year-veteran of stunt bike jumping, is still in his prime. At the age of 66, Sullivan said he is the oldest and longest touring professional motorcycle jumper in the world and doesnt see himself stopping anytime soon.

I never thought I would still be doing this, said Sullivan dur-ing a recent interview at his home in Billings.

Encounter with Evel KnievelSullivan grew up in the western culture of Rifle, Colo. After

graduating from high school, he joined the Navy and became a naval champion heavy-weight boxer. Following two tours in Viet-nam, Sullivan left the Navy and settled in San Francisco, where he attended college.

In 1969, while he was living in San Francisco, his father, Prescott Sullivan, a longtime San Francisco Sports columnist, invited him to sit in on an interview of a man who would change the course of his life.

Sullivan and his father met with the man in Big Als, renowned as San Franciscos first topless bar. It was there Sullivan came face to face with the red-white-and-blue-spangled motorcycle daredevil himself, Evel Knievel.

Knievel was in San Francisco to perform a record-breaking jump at the Cow Palace that same evening, and Sullivans father was writing a story about the him.

I had planned to become a professional football player and had tryouts for the 49ers and the Raiders, Sullivan said, but the Lord didnt want me there, and a hyper-extended knee injury from back in high school began to give me trouble the day of my tryouts. I had also been offered TV commercials and signed a contract for a spot in the Clint Eastwood movie Dirty Harry. In fact, I just signed the contract to become a professional boxer when I met Knievel in 1969. (God) was setting me up for some-thing else.

Neither Knievel nor Sullivan knew exactly what that fateful meeting would do to curve their lives.

After the Cow Palace jump that evening at which Knievel crash landed Knievel provoked a branch of the notorious Hells Angels motorcycle gang, and he was swarmed by the leather-clad bikers who kicked and hit him. Sullivan, a 240-pound bouncer who could lift more than 400 pounds, jumped in to help and quickly swept Knievel to safety.

That night, Knievel hired Sullivan as his first bodyguard, and in 1970 he was on the road defending Knievel and waiting on him hand and foot.

Encounter with JesusBut after nearly two years of living the Evel life, Sullivan

found himself wanting to venture out on his own.Before the Canyon Jump, I needed to walk, he said. I left in

April of 1972.Sullivan worked various jobs and then headed to Florida,

where he founded a motorcycle stunt school and worked as a pro-fessional stunt bike jumper, which included jumping through walls of fire.

But his life was about to change.

Sullivan was in Reno for a few days, when a friend invited him to attend a Full Gospel Business Mens Fellowship.

I wasnt especially religious; Id go anywhere there was food, so I accepted the invitation, said Sullivan. Two things happened to me when I heard about Gods power in the speakers life. First, I began to weep; second, I saw everything that I had done in life added up to zero. All my efforts to live up to high character stan-dards were worthless in the sight of God, nor was he impressed with my ability to ride bikes through walls of fire, nor any of my talents and abilities. He brought me to the end of myself; I saw the vanity of life, my life without Jesus.

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Duck Days in ForsythAugust 10, 2013

Daniel Sullivan Photography

Sullivan is pictured at his ministry headquarters in Billings in May of this year.

July 2013 8

It was then that I came to Jesus and departed from Evel, Sul-livan smiled.

Motorcycle a tool for the gospelIn 1978, at around the age of 31, Sullivan had a vision to use a

motorcycle as a tool to witness about the gospel. As Sullivan put it, The ramp jump represents our launch into

life as we become accountable for our sins. The burning wall rep-resents the gates of hell, of which Jesus said will not prevail against you This is also the barrier that stands between us and our eternity. The landing ramp represents the other side of this life, eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Sullivan thus founded his ministry Jump for Jesus, which has continued for more than 35 years.

Sullivans performances as a high-flying, flame-jumping, stunt bike rider for Jesus has taken him and his missionary crew around the world proclaiming the good news.

Its interesting, said Sullivan. When I first started, the churches went crazy! But if I didnt take the jumps and just pitched a tent to hold a gospel meeting, they werent thrilled with it.

For a jump, Sullivan and his team of approximately 35 to 40 crew members set up two 11-foot ramps. Sullivan accelerates to make a nearly 100-foot jump that ends with him crashing through burning boards that greet him on the other side.

For Sullivan, the jump is merely a tool chosen by God.Motorcycle jumping launched me into a realm ... a key of

opportunity I would never have had as a preacher, said Sullivan. Without the jump, the churches would not support our message. The foolishness of the motorcycle jump is the key to let us in.

Many of the spectators coming to watch Sullivan jump are older.

Fifty percent are over 50, and they love it! said Sullivan.

Phone call from KnievelSullivan believes that his relationship with Evel Knievel and

his daredevil jumps prepared the way for his ministry.That relationship has done more helping to advance the gospel

than anything I could have done, said Sullivan. It put me in a

position with jumping that was unprecedented.In July 2006, Sullivan received a phone call from Knievel.I hadnt heard from him since 1972, Sullivan recalled. He

said he had fallen and was on his way to the hospital. I said, Good, I want to pray for you. The line went silent. Then he said, No, I got my own belief.

Later that year on Thanksgiving Day, while Sullivan was driv-ing home from a park after playing flag football with friends, a call came in.

I answered my phone and the voice on the other end said, Its Evel Knievel. I thought to myself, Yeah, right! I thought some-one was playing a practical joke. Knievel said, I have been smit-ten by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sullivan could tell that Knievel had a life-changing experience. Knievel asked him to come to Evel Knievel Days in Butte in July 26-28, 2007. Sullivan agreed, and performed the Sunday after the event. Knievel attended Sullivans performance as well as the church service that followed it.

By this time in his life, Knievel was in poor health. While Sul-livan was in Butte, Sullivan recounted that Knievel asked him privately if he would do his funeral service, and he agreed.

Evel Knievel died in December of that year. Sullivan was there to organize the service and conducted the private graveside ser-vice, and then Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral performed the public service at the Metra in Billings.

Still goingSullivan said he never expected his Jump for Jesus ministry to

last this long, and that he will continue it until God tells him to stop.

This summer, Sullivan and the Jump for Jesus team will be in Forsyth on Saturday, Aug. 10, to perform during Forsyths Annu-al Duck Days event.

For more information about Sullivan and the upcoming event, visit Sullivans website, jumpforjesus.net.

Chaun Scott can be reached at ip-news@rangeweb.net or (406) 346-2149.

Daniel Sullivan Photography

Sullivan demonstrates a jump at his ministry headquarters in Billings in May.

Touring Hot Springs-Montana and Wyoming: A Guide to the States Best Hot Springs

By Jeff BirkbyGlobe Pequot Press/FalconGuides - 2013 Softcover $19.95 231 pages 6 x 9

ISBN 978-0-7627-8530-8

Bookshelf

July 2013 9

By Montana Best Times Staff

Hitting hot springs is as much a Montana tradition as hunting and rodeo, and now theres a new and expanded edition of Tour-ing Hot Springs-Montana and Wyoming to take you to all the great spots in the region.

This updated version will help travelers and natives alike take full advantage of the many thermal soaking opportunities in the region, states a news release on the book from publisher Globe Pequot Press/FalconGuides.

Author Jeff Birkbys first edition of the popular guide has sold more than 15,000 copies since it was published in the late 1990s.

The new edition features the latest information on 60 soakable hot springs and spa resorts in Montana and Wyoming, including color photos of each hot spring, nearby camping and lodging opportunities, and maps and GPS coordinates for pinpointing hot spring locations.

Both undeveloped wilderness soaking pools and elegant spa resorts are covered from a warm water pool in the shadow of Montanas Bob Marshall Wilderness to the elegant Saratoga Resort and Spa near the Wyoming/Colorado border, to Yellow-stone National Park, to Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyo., the release says.

The new guidebook also contains rich histories and local leg-ends of many of the hot springs, including stories from early pio-neers of miraculous cures from drinking and soaking in the sooth-ing mineral water.

Birkby developed a passion for hot springs in the early 1980s when he was hired as a geothermal energy specialist for the state of Montana. He currently consults on geothermal energy projects and enjoys the many soakable hot springs within a two-hour drive of his home in Missoula.

For more information, visit the website www.falcon.com/books/touring-hot-springs-montana-and-wyoming-2nd.

Looking for the perfect soak? Updated hot springs guide is here

July 2013 10

Fergus High School world history and drama teacher Sandy Armstad stands by a world map in her classroom, recently. Arms-tad, a Lewistown native and FHS graduate, has taught at her hometown school for 30 years.

Story and photos by Charlie Denison Montana Best Times

LEWISTOWN Sandy Armstad never thought shed be a teacher.

So many people in my family are teachers, but I didnt think that was my direction, Armstad, 57, said. I wanted to travel, I wanted to act.

Life, however, is full of surprises. This year, Armstad cele-brates her 30th anniversary in the field she tried to avoid teaching following in the footsteps of her mother, her sister, her cousin, her grandfathers sister and nearly all of her great-aunts.

I guess you could say my sister, cousin and I are the third generation of female teachers here in Montana, and in our fami-

ly in general, Armstad said. Teaching does truly run in our family.

But how did young Sandy Armstad, a girl with passion for the stage and the road, find herself back in the classroom teaching English, history and drama?

Taking the stageWhile a student at Fergus High School in Lewistown, Arms-

tad took to performance, getting the lead role early on in a pro-duction of Up the Down Staircase, where she coincidentally played an idealistic young teacher.

It was my biggest role, Armstad said. Its funny, I certainly never thought Id end up a teacher at that time. I identified more with the rebellious students in the play.

Sandy Armstad wanted to act and travel, but life took an interesting turn

The love of the craft

Getting into character was something Armstad found invigo-rating. Hungry for more performing, she got involved in speech and drama, competing in pantomime and humorous duo.

Although excited about theater, Armstad chose not to follow her interest in drama and instead enrolled at Arizona State Uni-versity, where she majored in sociology.

That was me being an idealist, Armstad said. It was the 70s and I thought social work was the way to make change happen.

After a few months of studying, Armstad decided social work was not for her. Not to mention she badly missed the stage.

I wanted to go back to theater, and I wanted to go back to Montana, Armstad said.

She returned to the state, and enrolled at the University of Montana. Her return to theater, however, would not be easy.

Unable to make rehearsals due to her work schedule, Armstad could not put forth the necessary amount of time to land a role.

You had to devote your whole life to the drama department, she said, and I had to work to pay for college. I ended up a costume designer, and I hated it.

A defining momentWhen an opportunity came along to get a paying job perform-

ing in a Montana Repertory Theater production of Shake-speares A Midsummer Nights Dream, Armstad tried out and was in the running for a role as a fairy.

The audition went well for Armstad, a sophomore at the time, but the role went to a senior.

If I had gotten that part, it would have been a turning point, Armstad said. Im not saying my acting career would have tak-en off, but Im pretty sure I would have pursued a career.

A role in Midsummer Nights Dream would also have allowed Armstad to travel around the country, something she was itching to do.

An unexpected homecomingArmstad shrugged her shoulders, moved on, graduated from

UM, fell in love and got married.Oddly enough, she married a teacher and was inspired to go

back to UM, where she got a teaching degree herself. When her husband got a job teaching in Hardin, Armstad got a position as a substitute teacher there.

Despite having a teaching degree, Armstad was still on the fence about starting a career as a teacher but was considering it if she could find a job teaching history, a subject she was very interested in.

However, Armstad and her husband were not in Hardin for long. In 1982, Armstad received word her father had been diag-nosed with cancer. Immediately, the newlyweds moved back to her hometown of Lewistown.

Never in her wildest dreams did Armstad think shed be teaching at her old stomping grounds, but when the opportunity arose, she went for it.

I really wanted a job and needed a job, Armstad said. I was ready to start a career, but I never thought Id be teaching English at Fergus.

Armstad would not just be an English teacher. During the job interview, she was asked if she would take over the drama department.

However, at the time, this was more frightening than it was joyous.

I was overwhelmed at first, she said. I didnt know how much I didnt know when it came to really putting on a play lights, stage direction, all that.

But she took the drama department responsibility and Arms-tad, a thespian at heart, was now in charge of directing three school plays and teaching two drama classes. Fortunately, first-year jitters didnt last. Taking reins of an excellent drama department, she said, was a gift.

The stage had come to her.

Getting into characterIt didnt take Armstad long to get into character as a teacher.

Having the opportunity to lead discussions and coach acting was fun, and the students liked her.

The first year was tough, but I loved the discussions and I had fun putting on the plays with the students, Armstad said. It was pretty crazy at first. So much goes into a play more than I thought. It was an adjustment.

Drama class and theater remained passions for Armstad, but when she got the opportunity to teach history, she found a new love.

I am a history buff, she said. I do a lot of storytelling and try to engage the students that way. I try to get them involved and interested.

The students enjoy this and appreciate her effort to make the material interesting for them, sophomore student Amber Fairch-ild said.

She makes it fun for us, Fairchild said. She studies up the material and has fun with it, adding more than is in the text-book.

A big world out thereArmstad encourages her students to study abroad and on sev-

eral occasions has led classes around the world.Since becoming a teacher, I have taken four trips to Europe,

July 2013 11

See Love of the craft, Page 15

Sandy Armstad, left, performs a mirror exercise with Fergus High School sophomore Amber Fairchild during drama class last month.

Story and photos by Shawn Raecke Montana Best Times

LIVINGSTON Scott Black, 57, born and raised in Livings-ton, bought Marks In & Out on Park Street in 1980, but people have been lining up for burgers and fries at the iconic 50s style drive-in since 1954.

Black said the place was originally Marts In & Out, named after the original owner, Mart Phillips.

He still gets some of the old customers writing their checks out to Marts, Black said.

Originally, when Marks was Marts, it was a true drive-in hence the name In & Out. Back then, the hamburger joint had a speaker for placing orders right on Eighth Street. Customers then drove around front to the Park Street side to pick up their food.

On a Monday afternoon in June, Marks was busy with a line of customers placing orders and six employees, including

Black, working away at their assigned stations preparing the food.

Its kind of like working in a submarine here, Black joked. Kind of tight quarters for sure.

Before Mart Phillips bought the place, the building was a gas station that serviced travelers heading north or south along U.S. Highway 89, or those heading east or west along U.S. Highway 10. The roads at one time spanned much of the nation, so it really was a perfect location for getting some gas or a tasty burgers and a shake.

Marks is open only from mid-March to mid-October the baseball season, Black said.

We havent made the World Series in a while it seems to come later and later every year, he joked.

On Friday and Saturday nights starting in mid-June there are carhop waitresses on roller-skates.

We started that some time back to keep the nostalgic theme alive, Black said.

July 2013 12 July 2013 13

Burger MasterIts all about the 50s for Scott Black and his classic hamburger shop

Above and on the cover: Marks In & Out owner Scott Black works at his burger joint on Park Street in Livingston, June 17.

Left: While Jay Hopkins, 21, waits for the next order of the grill, his boss, Scott Black, hams it up by pulling out the shops cardboard cutouts of the Three Stooges, at Marks In & Out, June 17.

Below: Nine-year-old Carter Bartz, 9, of Livingston, waits patiently for his chocolate shake on the ledge near the pick-up window.

Above: People line up at Marks In & Out order window on a warm June afternoon.

Right: A mouth-watering bacon cheeseburger sizzles on the grill at Marks In & Out.

July 2013 14

Above: Lohse is pictured at his sewing machine, recently. He uses the machine to stitch together most of the upholstery he works on.

Story and photo by Jason Stuart Montana Best Times

GLENDIVE Lynn Lohse has been repairing peoples uphol-stery for 30 years, and hes still going strong.

I aint never caught up yet, Lohse said of his work.

Lohse opened the doors to his home-based upholstery business in Glendive on May 16, 1983. For a time, he even operated a branch at his camp on Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota, getting extra business from the lakes boat owners.

Lohse was born and raised on a farm and ranch outside of Minot, N.D., but the farming life wasnt for him. He took an

takes an artists touch, craftsman says

Upholstery work

upholstery class in school, which would pay later dividends. He first went to work for an automobile repair shop in Beach, N.D., doing vehicle upholstery work. He then left and worked on oil-field drilling rigs for five years, returned briefly to the job in Beach, then decided to go into business for himself.

Artists touchLohse said his work takes an artists touch that not just anyone

can pick up and do.Youve got to be a craftsman youve got to have some

artistic talent, Lohse said.Today Lohse operates primarily out of the shop adjacent to his

home. He enjoys this because it means he can keep a pot of cof-fee brewing, spend time with his dog and stay as generally com-fortable as possible.

He will occasionally make house calls to work on someones car or boat, but he tries to stay in shop, he said.

The thing about leaving your shop to do a job outside is you invariably leave something, Lohse said.

Customer serviceThough still going strong with his work, Lohse said he has cut

back on his workload recently. He now sticks to upholstery work on automobiles and boats. He quit doing furniture last year, say-ing its more time-consuming and tedious, and that the workload was getting heavy with Glendives expanding population.

We just had to finally quit (furniture upholstery) we just couldnt keep up, Lohse said. I had to back off of something. I aint getting any younger.

Despite that, Lohse still has plenty to do. He said that now he

sees the grown children of old customers coming to him to repair their upholstery. Lohse has rarely advertised his services almost all his business is generated by word of mouth, and keep-ing his customer base satisfied and coming back.

In a small town, if you dont have return business, you might as well pack it up and go home, Lohse said. I dont know what it is, but somethings working for me.

Part of what works may be that Lohse has always treated his customers with the same kind of hospitality someone would extend to friends visiting their home.

The customers almost end up being just like friends, Lohse said. Theyll come in, sit down, have a cup of coffee and stay and chat. Its not like Kmart or something its personable.

Hand stitching literallyLohses work isnt without hazards, though. He has accidental-

ly run his hand through his sewing machine a few times. But when he does, you wont find him in the emergency room after-ward. He stitches up his own cuts. He said the key is to act quickly after the injury.

If you do it right away, its not so bad, Lohse said.And while the hurts and aches and pains over the years are

starting to add up, Lohse doesnt see himself quitting anytime soon.

Yeah, I think about it my hands hurt, my elbows hurt, my back hurts, Lohse said. But what are you going to do? Im too young to be put out to pasture.

Jason Stuart can be reached at rrreporter@rangerreview.com or (406) 377-3303.

July 2013 15

The customers almost end up being just like friends.

Theyll come in, sit down, have a cup of coffee and stay and chat. Lynn Lohse

Love of the craft, from Page 11

and this summer we are getting ready for our fifth, Armstad said. Ive also taken classes to New York City, Mexico and all over Montana. I love taking the students to big cities and seeing how they react. Travel broadens horizons.

From London to Paris, Spain, Italy, Greece, Amsterdam, Ger-many, Austria and beyond, Armstad is well traveled and said she thoroughly enjoys sharing the experience with her students, especially as a world history teacher.

I want my students to see that there is a big world out there, Armstad said. I want them to experience the different cultures, even just how different cultures dress. For some students, the experience is life changing.

Keeping the tradition aliveWhat started with Armstads grandfathers sister at a central

Montana one-room schoolhouse in the early 1900s continues down the family line. Although at times its hard for her to believe, Armstad said she wouldnt have it any other way, dis-covering her true passion as an educator.

Ive loved being a teacher, she said, And I feel like I have made a difference in some peoples lives.

Looking back, Armstad said she never thought shed stay a teacher at Fergus for 30 years, and a lot of that is a testament to the students and faculty.

The reasons I am still here have to do with the students at Fergus, who are amazing kids and a joy to teach, Armstad said. And I know I wouldnt still be teaching after 30 years if it werent for my colleagues. I know I work with the best teachers in the country. My coworkers are my friends, my family, and my role models as teachers, and I could never have kept doing this wonderful but challenging job for this long without their help and encouragement.

Still enjoying her trade, Armstad said she is not yet ready to retire.

I feel like I really lucked out, she said. I think to myself, Wow, I love this. Ive done it 30 years and I still love it.

Charlie Denison can be reached at reporter@lewistownnews.com or (406) 535-3401.

EDITORS NOTE: Montana Best Times has been featuring some of the fascinating adventures Terry McEneaney had when he was Yellowstone National Parks ornithol-ogist. Following is another excerpt from a new book he is writing, Lucky Feathers: Adventures and Experiences of a Yellow-stone Ornithologist.

In the North American wildlife ecology literature and also in the field, you rarely find reports of cougars (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lions and pumas, killing anything other than ungulates such as deer and elk, and occasionally bighorn sheep and mountain goats. The reason I prefer to call them pumas is that they were originally described from a 1771 type specimen taken in the French Guiana of South America. Puma is the original common name both in Spanish and German. In French this species is called the cougar, where-as in North America it is commonly referred to in English as mountain lion or cougar.

In my career as a Yellowstone field ornithologist, I came across surprising incidents of pumas killing large predatory birds. More specifically, in two separate occasions I document-ed cougars killing both the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocepha-lus) and the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). Pumas or moun-tain lions are famous for their skulky stalk and ambush form of predation, and in the cases of these two eagle deaths, that was indeed the case. The details presented here are taken from my extensive field notes documenting avian ecology discoveries that spanned more than a four-decade period.

Golden eagle ambushedThe first incident occurred in late winter 2000 in the Black

Canyon of the Yellowstone. In this particular account, a puma ambushed and killed a mule deer in a juniper stand. After the puma was satiated, it lounged around the deer carcass, only to find a Golden Eagle on the carcass surrounded by ravens and magpies. The cougar attacked the still feeding satiated Golden Eagle, and did so from the front, biting it in the neck and eating its breast and shoulders.

I left the area and decided not to visit the carcass until the puma was gone, for safety reasons. I returned the following day, only to find most of the eagle carcass consumed by the puma. There was no sign in the snow that other predators had visited the eagle or deer carcasses since the day before. I was surprised and taken aback by how much of the Golden Eagle was con-sumed by the puma overnight. All that was left at the kill site was a skeleton of a mule deer, and broken and soiled eagle

July 2013 16

Terry McEneaney is ornithologist emeritus for Yellowstone National Park, and is the author of three books: Birding Montana, Birds of Yellowstone, and The Uncommon Loon. He has been watching birds for 50 years and is one of Montanas most experienced birders.

Eagle Beaks and the Telltale Signs of a

Puma Kill

BirdingBig Sky

Photo by Terry McEneaney

Pictured is the outer beak, or rhamphotheca, of a Golden Eagle (top) and Bald Eagle (bottom), both killed by a puma. The beaks are telltale signs of a puma kill.

July 2013 17

feathers. The puma even ate the entire head of the eagle, complete with skull and brains.

Surprisingly, the only thing remaining other than the feathers was the outer por-tion of the upper mandible known as the nasal process of the premaxilla. There was very little bone remaining other than the obvious curved beak. However, what remained was the colorful, dual gray-col-ored horny sheath that covers the bill, known as the rhamphotheca. It appeared that this very hard material at the end of

the eagles beak was just too difficult to digest.

Bald eagle killedA similar incident occurred during late

winter 2005, in the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone as well. In this incident, a mule deer was again ambushed by a puma in a stand of junipers. Only in this case, a satiated adult Bald Eagle was captured and killed by a puma in a similar manner, leav-ing very little remaining at the scene

except for a few broken and soiled feath-ers, and little premaxilla bone material.

But surprisingly, again, only the large, yellow-colored outer sheath, or rham-photheca, of the beak was all that was left at the scene.

So should you ever come across a puma kill on or near an ungulate carcass, you might want to pay particular attention to see if there happens to be remains of an eagle nearby. And if you do, you too may get lucky and find that what is left is eagle beaks and the telltale signs of a puma kill.

More short stories from Lucky Feathers: Adventures and Experiences of a Yellowstone Ornithologist, will be featured in forthcoming issues of Montana Best Times. In the meantime, enjoy Montana birds! And the Best of Big Sky Birding to you!

Bird watching questions may be sent to Terry McEneaney by writing to 1215 Lolo St., Missoula, MT 59802; emailing terry@ravenidiot.com; or visiting www.yellowstonewildlifeguides.com or www.ravenidiot.com. If questions are mailed, include a phone number at which you can be reached.

By Sheila Mulrooney Eldred Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT

When Jim Moeller was a boy, a large roll of new carpet arrived at his home in Illinois one afternoon. It came wrapped around a bamboo pole a pole that was just right for practicing the pole vault. He earnestly took up the sport in junior high, and vaulted to record-setting heights in high school. Then, after a lapse of more than 20 years, he picked up the sport again at the age of 43.

He now competes in masters competitions, coaches in the summer through Fuzion Athletics, Inc., and helps out unofficially at Eagan (Minn.) High School, where his daughter has followed in his footsteps and taken up the sport. The now 50-year-old Moeller talks about his trials and tribulations with pole vaulting.

Why not?You usually think of (pole vaulting) as a high school or col-

lege sport, although I know one woman who picked it up at age 40. When I left investment banking, I was three pounds shy of 200 pounds. When I started a consulting business in 2002 (Moeller Ventures, an intellectual property research company for tech companies and IP law firms), I was able to start getting back in shape after getting out of the corporate grind. I did some 10Ks and half marathons, but I got kind of bored, so I started looking for something different. Then, coincidentally, I ran into a group of masters who pole-vaulted and I thought: Why not? Today, Im probably 175 pounds, and my ideal vaulting weight is 170, 165.

Setting the bar highIf a school doesnt have coaches with expertise, the kids

50-year-old pole-vaulter jumps to new heights

Moeller, pictured in action at right, didnt pole vault for more than 20 years but picked it up again when he wanted to

get in shape.Photo by Brian Peterson/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT

See Pole-vaulter, Page 19

July 2013 18

Gallatin County - American Red Cross Blood Drive: Two

volunteer opportunities available; an ambassador needed to welcome, greet, thank and provide overview for blood donors and phone team volunteers needed to remind, recruit or thank blood donors, excellent customer service skills needed, training will be provided, flexible sched-ule. - Befrienders: Befriend a senior; visit on

a regular weekly basis. - Big Brothers Big Sisters: Be a positive

role model for only a few hours each week. - Bozeman and Belgrade Sacks Thrift

Stores: Need volunteers to sort and price items, MondaySaturday 9:30 a.m.6 p.m. - Bozeman Deaconess Hospital: Variety

of opportunities to volunteer. - Bozeman Senior Center Foot Clinic:

Retired or nearly retired nurses are urgent-ly needed, 2 days a month, either 4 or 8 hour shifts. - Child Care Connections: Front desk

help needed Thursdays from Noon 1 p.m. Volunteer will greet clients, answer phones, and general reception duties. - Childrens Museum of Bozeman - Wel-

come desk volunteer (s) needed for two-hour shifts, Mondays-Saturdays. - The Emerson Cultural Center: Volun-

teers needed for front office greeter/reception, Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Gallatin Valley Food Bank: Deliver

commodities to seniors in their homes once a month. - Habitat for Humanity Restore Bel-

grade: Volunteers needed for general help, sorting donations and assisting customers. - Headwaters Heritage Museum: Volun-

teers are needed through Sept. for 2 and 4 hour shifts. - Heart of The Valley: Compassionate

volunteers especially needed to love, play with and cuddle cats, do carpentry work, be an animal bank collector (asking local businesses to display an animal bank for donation collection) or birthday party leader. - Help Center Telecare: Volunteers

needed 3-4 mornings a week 8:30-11 a.m. to make calls to homebound seniors, providing reassurance, check on safety and well-being, and access to up to date referral information to vulnerable indi-viduals. - Museum of the Rockies: Variety of

opportunities available. - RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to

quilt, knit, crochet and embroider hats for chemo patients, baby blankets and other

handmade goods once a week (can work from home). - Senior Nutrition Volunteers: Volunteers

needed to help seniors with grocery shop-ping, meal and menu planning, and com-panionship, 2 hours a week, days and times are flexible. - Sweet Pea Festival: Looking for vol-

unteers to help with office retail sales (July 9-26) for 2 or 3 hours shifts Tues-days-Fridays. - Thrive Child Advancement Project

(CAP): Seeking mentors to students in grades K-12, one hour commitment a week, training and support provided. - VA Montana Healthcare System: Vol-

unteer DAV (Disabled American Veter-ans): Drivers needed to transport eligible veterans to and from the VA for medical appointments. - Your unique skills and interests are

needed, without making a long-term com-mitment, in a variety of ongoing, special, one-time, one-shift events. Contact: Deb Downs, RSVP Program

Coordinator, 807 N. Tracy, Bozeman, MT 59715; phone (406) 587-5444; fax (406) 582-8499; email: debdowns@rsvpmt.org.

Park County - Bark In The Park: Volunteers needed. - Fix it Brigade: Needs volunteers of all

ages and skill levels to help with small home repairs, and yard work for seniors and veterans, two hours of your time can make a big difference. - Food Pantry and Loaves and Fishes:

Need help at either location in a variety of ways. - Livingston Depot Center: Volunteers

needed especially for weekends, various times available. - Meals on Wheels: Needs some volun-

teers to help in the Senior Center Kitchen throughout the summer - wrap silverware, wipe tables, help serve and enjoy a meal on them. - Park County Department of Emergen-

cy Services and Red Cross: Classes for volunteers who would help in an emergen-cy are being set up, training provided, all ages welcome. - Stafford Animal Shelter: Needs volun-

teers who love animals. - Various agencies are in need of your

unique skills and interests in a variety of ongoing and one-time special events, including mailings throughout the sum-mer.

Contact: Shannon Burke, RSVP Pro-gram Coordinator, 208 So. Main St., Liv-ingston, MT 59047; phone (406) 222-2281; email: livingston@rsvpmt.org.

Fergus & Judith Basin counties - Boys and Girls Club: Volunteers need-

ed to assist staff with elementary children Monday-Friday on field trips and for food preparation in the kitchen. - Central Montana Museum: 25 volun-

teers who can help in 3 hour shifts. The museum is open seven days a week, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., through Labor Day. - Central Montana Senior Citizens Club:

Volunteers to plan, organize, clean, repair and set up for events; help with Saturday senior dances, pinochle on Tuesday and Friday p.m. - Central Montana Fair: Volunteers are

needed to help at the fair on July 24-27. - CMMC Auxiliary: Volunteer at the

help desk or in the gift shop, assist with blood drives and fund raising events to help fund the ER remodel, knit and cro-chet items, bake cookies. - Community Cupboard: Assist clients

with selection of items, record keeping, unload delivery truck. -Council on Aging-Grubstakes: Regular

volunteers and substitutes needed for home delivered meals, kitchen, hostess, foot clinic. - Friends of the Library: Volunteers to

sort book donations, and prepare for and work the monthly sale. - Heart of Montana Animal Shelter: Vol-

unteers needed to help in the secondhand store. - Lewistown Art Center: Volunteers to

help set up monthly shows, assist with special events, or work in the gift shop. - Lewistown Library: Volunteer to read

to groups or individuals, dust and clean, take care of videos, copying and scanning. Assist with nursing home outreach month-ly. - Treasure Depot Thrift Store: Volunteers

to cashier and sort donations, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday. - RSVP: Needs volunteers to help with

the implementation of a new program: My Neighbor In Need in Lewistown, also need volunteers to occasionally transport large items such as furniture, appliances, etc. - RSVP has a variety of volunteer posi-

tions open for on-call, ongoing events. Contact: RSVP Volunteer Coordinator

Cheryll Tuss, 404 W. Broadway, Wells Fargo Bank building, (upstairs), Lewis-town, MT 59457; phone (406) 535-0077; email: rsvplew@ midrivers.com.

Musselshell, Golden Valley & Petroleum counties - Community Emergency Response

See RSVP, Page 19

Below is a list of volunteer openings available through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in communities across southern Montana. To learn more about RSVP, call (800) 424-8867 or TTY (800) 833-3722; or log on to www. seniorcorps.org.

RSVP

July 2013 19

Team (CERT): Learn skills to protect yourself, your family and community dur-ing a disaster/emergency. Will train in vital emergency skills. - Food Bank: Distribute food commodi-

ties to seniors and others in need in the community. - Golden Thimble Thrift Store: Volun-

teer to organize and sell quality used goods. - Meals on Wheels Program: Deliver

meals to the housebound in the communi-ty, just one day a week, an hour and a half, meal provided. - Musselshell Valley Historical Muse-

um: Greet and guide visitors through new-ly renovated museum in Roundup. - Senior Center: Volunteers are needed

to provide meals, clean up in the dining room and/or keep records, meal provided. - Senior Transportation: Volunteer need-

ed to drive Senior Van to meals, fundrais-ers and appointments, one day a week or month, no special license needed, meal provided. - RSVP offers maximum flexibility and

choice to its volunteers as it matches the personal interests and skills of older Americans with opportunities to serve their communities. You choose how and

where to serve. - Volunteering is an opportunity to learn

new skills, make friends and connect with your community. Contact: Abbie Nichols, Volunteer

Coordinator, South Central MT RSVP, 315 1/2 Main St., Ste. #1, Roundup, MT 59072; phone (406) 323-1403; fax (406) 323-4403; email: rdprsvp2@midrivers.com; Facebook: South Central MT RSVP. Custer & Rosebud counties - Custer Network Against Domestic

Violence: Volunteer needed with the crisis line. - Forsyth Senior Center: Volunteer

musicians needed to provide entertain-ment. - Head Start: Volunteer classroom aides

needed in September, 2013. - The Historic Miles City Academy:

Volunteers needed at thrift store in main-tenance, and cleaning. - Holy Rosary Gift Shop: Volunteer

cashier needed. - Holy Rosary Health Care: Volunteer

receptionist needed at front desk. - Holy Rosary Hospice: Volunteers

needed to help with hospice patients. - Miles City Soup Kitchen: Volunteers

receptionist needed at front desk. - Ranger Riders Museum: Greeters need

through October 31, dates and times of your choice. - TLC: Volunteer needed to do shopping

for a resident. - VA Community Living Center: Volun-

teers needed to assist with activities for veterans and someone to play poker with veterans. - WaterWorks Art Museum: Volunteer

receptionists needed, shifts available Sat-urday 3-5 p.m., Sunday 1-3 p.m. and 3-5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday 9-11 a.m. and 11 a.m.-1 p.m., choose a shift each week, every other week, or one shift a month. If you are interested in these or other

volunteer opportunities please contact: Betty Vail, RSVP Director; 210 Win-chester Ave. #225, MT 59301; phone (406) 234-0505; email: rsvp05@midriv-ers.com

Dawson County - If you have a need for or a special

interest or desire to volunteer somewhere in the community, please contact: Patty Atwell, RSVP Director, P.O. Box 1324, Glendive, MT 59330; phone (406) 377-4716; email: rsvp@midrivers.com.

RSVP, from Page 18

struggle. I was pretty good at it right away because we had good coaching. My best ever was 14-9 as a senior in high school. I finished third at state that year, 1981, and I had the highest jump that year of the small schools. I had some attention from colleg-es, but I didnt pursue them. College for me wasnt about pole vaulting; I wanted to get an electrical engineering degree from (the University of) Illinois.

Back to campI signed up for a summer camp (at age 43) like any high school

student. The very first season I pulled a hamstring in my left leg three times. After running road races, you think youre kind of in good shape, but pole vaulting is a lot of sprinting, a whole bunch of conditioning, and weightlifting, agility and gymnastics.

Real hurdlesI also had a sort of freak accident that set me back. I broke

my collar bone training in my basement in 2011. As a general-ization, if you look across the pole vault nationwide, most of the significant injuries occur because of a lack of proper technique or knowledgeable coaching. The accident at the University of Minnesota 11 years ago, where a vaulter by the name of Kevin Dare died, was an exception to that generalization. He was an experienced vaulter and had a horrible accident. As for my inju-ry, it was the result of my own carelessness and complacency. I have a pole vault rope-swing training set up in my basement. I use thick foam pads on my basement concrete floor in case of accident hands slipping off the rope, etc. I got complacent

and trusted the set-up without periodically checking it. As it turned out, the rope was slipping out of the hook that secures it to the ceiling. One day I was demonstrating a drill for my daughter, was carelessly doing this drill without the pads under the rope, the rope completely slipped out and I fell on the back of my right shoulder and broke my collar bone. It was an impor-tant and painful reminder that attention to safety detail cant take a day off. But like any extreme sport there is always an injury risk. We just try to do everything we can to reduce that risk.

Training to defy gravityAs a self-employed individual, I can manage my own time a

little better, and I can work in the variety of training required to pursue this. In a typical week, I do one or two sprint sessions. Its a really physically demanding, strenuous sport on the body. Flex-ibility and injury prevention are high on my list. I sprint on grass if I can. And I do weightlifting sessions as well, and gymnastic routines in my basement.

The masterSince turning 50 in October, Id like to get back over 13 feet.

That would be a new age group record (in Minnesota, but) I think my perspective on records changes as I get older, and the offi-cial overall records become less important for me. Its really more of a personal goal thing. At the master level, if youre not doing it for your own pure enjoyment and personal challenge, then youre in the wrong sport.

Pole-vaulter, from Page 17

Friends of ours hosted a party recently. The theme was Asian cuisine. Each guest was supposed to bring his or her favorite Asian dish. Your Best Times recipe contributor suffered an anxi-

ety attack because he had never made a dish with Asian style ingredients. I was certain this would be the occasion when the

world would discover the great depth of my culinary ignorance. Although there are cookbooks galore at the Durfey

shack, not one contains a recipe for Asian cooking. But, thanks to the World Wide Web, recipes of all

kinds are at a desperate cooks fingertips.

The first recipe below came to the rescue. All I had to do was to buy the tahini (or sesame paste) and the parsley because we had the other ingredients. It was very easy to make and tasted great when carrots, grape tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini were dipped in it. At that party, I got turned on (as we used to say in the

60s) to Asian cuisine. One Thai dish that also featured tahini was my favorite.By the way, I have since learned that peanut butter

can be substituted for tahini in many cases. That appeals to the tightwad in me because tahini costs at least twice as much as peanut butter.

On The MenuWith Jim Durfey

July 2013 20

Asian Dish Desperation

Tahini Dip2 cloves garlic, crushedSalt to tasteJuice of 2 lge. lemons1/2 c. tahiniPinch ground cumin1 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

Crush garlic and salt together. Stir tahini and small amount of lemon juice into garlic mixture until well combined. Add remain-ing lemon juice and cumin. Stir until a smooth paste forms (will be smoother and creamier if made in blender or food processor rather than by hand). Put in serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with vegetables, crackers and/or chips.

Spicy Rice Noodle Salad1 (6.75 ounce) pkg. thin rice noodles3 cloves garlic, minced1/3 c. rice vinegar3 tbsp. fish sauce (or soy sauce)1 tbsp. Asian chili paste1 tsp. brown sugar1/4 tsp. salt4 green onions, chopped1 c. carrots, cut into thin matchsticks1/2 c. chopped fresh herbs (basil, mint, and cilantro)1/2 c. chopped peanuts1 tsp. sesame oil6 grilled boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 2 lbs. cooked

shrimp, peeled and de-veined1/4 c. chili peppers, cut into rings (optional)

Place noodles in large bowl and cover with hot water. Stir and allow to soak until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly.Combine garlic, rice vinegar, fish sauce, chili paste, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir in green onions, carrots, basil, mint, and cilantro. Toss in rice noodles, peanuts, and sesame oil. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to absorb flavors. Garnish with additional green onions and peanuts. Top with grilled chicken or shrimp and chiles. Makes six servings.

Potatoes in Spicy Peanut and Sesame Paste1/4 c. roasted peanuts1 1/2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds4 tbsp. olive oil5 whole cloves1 tsp. cardamom Cinnamon stick, one inch long1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds1/2 tsp. curry powder2 medium onions, finely chopped2 tsp. ginger garlic paste1 large tomato, chopped1 tsp. chili powder2 green chilies, sliced lengthwise1/2 tsp. turmeric powder1 1/4 tsp. salt1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

Place peanuts and sesame seeds in blender. Pour in enough water to not quite cover. Puree to smooth, creamy paste. Set aside. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cloves, car-damom pods, cinnamon, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and curry powder. Stir in onions. Cook until soft and translucent. Mix in ginger garlic paste. Cook one minute. Stir constantly. Stir in tomato. Cook about five minutes. Add chili powder, green chil-ies, turmeric, and salt. Stir in half of mint and half of cilantro. Add peanut and sesame paste, stirring vigorously to prevent sticking. Stir in potatoes, mixing well to coat. Pour in enough water to not quite cover potatoes, and mix thoroughly. Stir in remaining mint and cilantro, and cover. Cook on low heat. Stir occasionally. Cook about 30 minutes until potatoes are soft and sauce is reduced to creamy paste. Preparation and cooking time is about 90 minutes. Serve with warm pita bread, wheat tortillas or Indian fried rice.

Wednesday, July 3 Livingston Farmers Market, Wednesday evenings through Sept. 25, Miles Park, Liv-ingston

Thursday, July 4 Music on Main Street, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Thursdays through Aug. 15, Bozeman Makoshika Youth Program, held Thurs-days through July 25, Glendive Independence Day Parade and Celebra-tion, Miles City Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park: Campground Programs, Thursday and Friday evenings through Sept. 2, Whitehall

Friday, July 5 Farmers Market, 10-11 a.m., Fridays through Oct. 4, JC West Park, Glendive Farmers Market, 3:30-6:30 p.m., Fridays through Oct. 4, Lions Park, Red Lodge

Saturday, July 6 Big Timber Farmers Market, Saturdays through Sept. 13, Lions Club City Park, Big Timber Farmers Market, Saturdays through Oct. 5, Dillon Charlie Russell Chew Choo, Saturday evenings through Sept., Lewistown Farmers Market, Saturdays through Oct. 5, Lewistown Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-noon, Saturdays through Oct. 26, Riverside Park, Miles City Missouri Headwaters State Park Summer Speaker Series, Saturdays, 7 p.m., Three Forks

Sunday, July 7 St. Timothys Summer Music Festival, 4 p.m., Sundays through Aug. 25, Anaconda

Tuesday, July 9 Bogert Farmers Market, Tuesdays through Sept. 24, Bozeman

Thursday, July 11 Music in the Mountains Summer Con-cert Series, 7 p.m. Thursdays, Town Center Park, Big Sky Yellowstone Boat Float Kick-off Party and Overnight Camping, 49-er and May-ors Landing, Livingston Rainbow Ark Harmony Market, Best Western Livingston

Friday, July 12 Will James Roundup, working ranch horse and big loop roping, display of roundup wagons set up through July 14 for public viewing, Hardin Yellowstone Boat Float, 8 a.m., through July 14, Livingston

Saturday, July 13 Clyde Park Centennial with music, ven-dors and activities, Clyde Park Cow doctoring and bronc riding, fol-lowed by dance with live music, Hardin The Lewistown Art Stomp, second Satur-day of each month, through Aug. 17, from 2-5 p.m., Main Street, Lewistown Roger Tibbs Music Concert, 7:30 p.m., Music Ranch Montana, Livingston

Sunday, July 14 Indian Relay and Ranch Rodeo, 10 a.m., Hardin

Tuesday, July 16 Big Sky Food Festival, 5-9 p.m., Big Skys Bucks T-4 Lodge, Big Sky

Wednesday, July 17 Gallatin County Fair, through July 21, County Fairgrounds, Bozeman Stillwater County Fair, through July 20, County Fairgrounds, Columbus International Choral Festival of Missou-la, through July 20, Missoula

Thursday, July 18 Columbus Farmers Market, Thursdays through Sept. 12, Railroad Park, Columbus The Rosebud-Treasure County Fair, through July 21, County Fairgrounds, For-syth Gene Watson Concert, 7:30 p.m., Music Ranch Montana, Livingston

Friday, July 19 Summerfest, through July 21, Sacajawea Park, Livingston 150th Anniversary of Virginia City and Virginia City Treaty Days, through July 21, Virginia City

Saturday, July 20 Bannack Days, through July 21, Bannack State Park, south of Dillon Parade and Demolition Derby, 2 p.m., Beaverhead County Fairgrounds, Dillon Blazing Saddles XII Bike Ride the Bridg-ers for kids with cancer, Livingston Livingston Dance Club, country western dancing, 7-11 p.m., American Legion, 112 N. B St., Livingston C. M. Russell Stampede, barbecue, Quick Draw and Rodeo, through July 21, Judith Basin Fairgrounds, Stanford

Thursday, July 25 Kathy Mattea Concert, 7:30 p.m., Music Ranch Montana, Livingston 3rd Annual Red Ants Pants Music Festi-val, through July 28, Jackson Ranch, White Sulphur Springs

Friday, July 26 Renaissance Festival and Highland Games, through July 28, ZooMontana, Billings 232 Mile Headwaters Relay Race, through July 28, Bozeman Montana State Fair and the Mighty Thomas Carnival, through Aug. 3, Mon-tana ExpoPark, Great Falls Relay for Life, through July 27, 7 p.m.-7 a.m., Park High track, Livingston

Saturday, July 27 William Clark Days, through July 28, Pompeys Pillar, Billings SLAB Town Antique Show, through July 28, Little Bear School House Museum, Boz-eman Chicken Jamboree and Christian Music, Sacajawea Park Gazebo, Livingston Pro Bull Riding, 7 p.m., Park County Fairgrounds, Livingston Western Sustainability Exchange Harvest Celebration, Chico Hot Springs, Pray TERRYYIPPEE, 7 a.m.-midnight, Murn Park and downtown Terry

Monday, July 29 Sweet Grass County Fair, through Aug. 2, County Fairgrounds, Big Timber

Wednesday, July 31 Park County Fair, through Aug. 3, County Fairgrounds, Livingston FFA/4-H Rodeo, 3 p.m., County Fair-grounds, Livingston

Thursday, Aug. 1 The Prairie County Fair, through Aug. 4, Terry

Friday, Aug. 2 Sweet Pea Festival and Parade, through Aug. 4, downtown Bozeman Farmers Market, Fridays through Sept. 20, Little Horn State Bank, Hardin Shields Valley Pig Wrestling, 8 p.m., Park County Fairgrounds, Livingston 2nd Annual Vigilante Music Festival, through Aug. 4, downtown Virginia City

Saturday, Aug. 3 Montana Festival of the Wind, Invenergy Wind Center, between Judith Gap and Harlowton Wilsall Prime Rib Dinner and Old West-ern Movie, Sunset, Fairgrounds,Wilsall

July 2013 21

July 2013 Calendar

Q. Going by international airport distances, whats the longest possible airplane flight anyone could take?

A. Ignoring Earths slight oblation (asphericity) and taking its circumference as 40,000 kilometers (km), or 25,000 miles, the longest possible great semicircle (that is, a circle whose plane passes through Earths center) is 20,000 km, says Andrew Bristow of Lancashire, UK, in New Scientist magazine. Two airports that come close to this separation are in Bogota, Columbia, and Jakarta, Indonesia, at 19,829 km apart. The Great Circle Mapper (gc.kls2.com) can be used to plot the routes and distances between international airports.

Adds Brian King of Hampshire, UK, In one record-breaking publicity stunt a few years ago, a specially prepared 777-200LR flight with passengers flew eastward from Hong Kong to London a distance of 21,601 km.

Q. Why dont stores display signs warning Touch the merchandise at your own risk? What sort of real risk might they not want publicized?

A. Recent research has shown that merely touching an object that you dont already own can increase your feeling of ownership and lead you to value the object more highly, and the longer the touch, the stronger the effect, say Daniel L. Schacter et al. in Psychology: Second Edition. This might be something to keep in mind on your next shopping trip for an expensive item. Retailers are doubtless aware of the rich tactile experience of the mere-touch effect and prefer that shoppers drop their guard. In fact, during a recent holiday shopping season, the office of the Illinois state attorney general warned shoppers to be cautious in stores that encouraged them to touch the merchandise.

Q. Do pro athletes owe their skills

more to a) humongous hamstrings b) bulging biceps c) dangerous delts d) something totally other, that you brainy readers may have already guessed?

A. The first three are obvious attributes of many athletes but youd do better to guess an elite BRAIN for powering superior perception, says Laura Sanders of Science News magazine. So make that d) above. According to Jocelyn Faubert of the University of Montreal, Pro athletes are better at interpreting abstract moving scenes than are average people. In his study of 102 pro soccer, rugby and hockey players, they had to complete a difficult task shifting their attention from target to target while ignoring distractions, perceiving depth correctly and following lightning-fast dots on a computer screen.

The pro athletes beat both college athletes and nonathletes at doing the task, Faubert wrote in Scientific Reports. Yet he remains unsure if these superior perceptual skills are innate or learned over years of practicing the sport, Sanders says.

Q. On a job interview, should you prefer the interviewer be holding a cold bottle of cola or a hot cup of coffee?

A. The principle of sensory interaction may come into play here, as when the smell of food influences its taste, says David G. Myers in Exploring Psychology: Ninth Edition. Our brains can even blend our tactile and social judgments: After holding a warm drink rather than a cold one, people are more likely to rate someone more warmly, feel closer to them, and behave more generously. Physical warmth promotes social warmth and just maybe your own job opportunities. In other experiments, people given the cold shoulder wound up judging the room as colder than did those treated warmly.

Social exclusion literally feels cold. Even just holding a heavy rather than a light clipboard can make job candidates seem more important. Make it a rough object and the social interactions can seem more difficult.

Within our ordinary sensory and perceptual experiences lies much that is truly extraordinary, Myers says. Or as Shakespeares Hamlet put it, There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Q. What makes fireworks work? And, please, just answering gunpowder wont earn you more than a D.

A. Invented in China 3,000 years ago, theyre essentially a sturdy cardboard tube with a fuse fed into one end to ignite the black powder inside, creating gases that lift the tube, answers the Ask Us section of Science Illustrated magazine. In a matter of seconds, the powder typically 75 percent carbon, 15 percent potassium nitrate, and 10 percent sulfurburns its way to the top of the tube, where an extra charge sets off an explosion with a bang. Now comes the spectacle, as the final burst sets off chemicals that unleash beautiful colors, crackling sounds, or other special celebratory effects. Now thats an A!

Q. What was the point of baseball researchers studying 4,566,468 pitcher-batter matchups covering 57,293 Major League games since 1952?

A. Richard Larrick and colleagues were interested in finding out the exact probability of a batter being hit by a pitch under various circumstances, says David G. Myers. Lab experiments have shown that people made miserable will often resort to making others miserable called the frustration-aggression principle. Frustration creates anger,

July 2013 22

What would be the longest flight on earth?

By Bill Sones and Rich Sones, Ph.D.Send STRANGE questions to brothers Bill and Rich at strangetrue@cs.com

which in turn can spark aggression. In one study of 27,667 hit-by-pitch inci-dents from 1960 to 2004, batters were most likely to be hit when: (1) pitchers were frustrated due to the previous batter hitting a home run; (2) the current batter had hit a home run on his previous at bat; (3) a teammate of the pitcher had been hit by a pitch in the previous half inning.

Other aversive stimuli triggering hos-tility: summer heat, physical pain, per-sonal insults, foul odors, cigarette smoke, crowding, and more. In fact, overheating is such a volatile trigger that simply thinking about words related to hot tem-perature can be enough to increase sub-jects hostile thoughts, Myers adds. It is

not surprising, then, that in baseball games, the number of hit batters rises with the temperature.

Q. In E. B. Whites childhood classic Charlottes Web, Charlottes baby spiders did something that Wilbur the pig found pretty amazing, as it would be to anyone not familiar with how spi-ders travel long distances. What were they doing?

A. One of them climbed to the top of the fence and stood on its head, position-ing its spinnerets and letting loose a cloud of fine silk that lifted the spider high into the air, says Anna Kuchment in Scientific American magazine.

Ballooning is what these fictional

hatchlings were doing, used as well by some real spiders especially babies to disperse themselves throughout nature, explains Ohio State University entomolo-gist Richard Bradley. The phenomenon is widespread but tricky to spot, depending on the weather. The key is calm air or at most a slight breeze, as the rising air currents created by the sun heating the ground are the launching force for these tinyflights. Prominent launch pads include fence posts, stumps, small bush-es, or even an unmown lawn on a cool, clear morning. Now look for silk lines or lots of webbing, Bradley suggests. If you find them, you might be in for a treat.

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Across1 Miller Park team nick-name9 Manifesto fodder15 Prickly growth16 Flying star17 Certify18 Van Morrison song whose title is spelled out in the chorus19 Computer __20 Sets22 Dusters, perhaps23 Record holder for most games played at shortstop for one team25 More pallid29 Capital of sterreich30 Modern address end-ing32 Double34 She married during her fathers presidency35 Like soft carpets36 Friends actress, familiarly37 They may be warn-ings

38 Without __: Grate-ful Dead album39 Lenten fare, say41 QB protectors42 Alliance43 Parfait features44 Former Crayola color thats still one when its name is reversed47 Squeaky sound?48 Mideasts House of __49 Feudal estate53 Clashing55 Vivaldi opera based on The Decameron57 Romes Via __58 Times Person of the Century, 199959 Childish retort60 Barbershop chair fea-tures

Down1 Name-drop, say2 Mechanical method3 Cdiz-to-Mlaga direccin4 Quarter segment

5 The Big Bang Theo-ry airer6 Jersey Roots, Global Reach university7 Methyl bisulfate, e.g.8 Breakfast choice9 The U.N.s Hammar-skjld10 Crude guys?11 Old fourpence coin12 First female professor at the University of Paris

13 Singer covering Pur-ple Haze, probably14 Vast expanses21 Squaw Valley sport23 Needing a charge24 Fly, in a way25 How some bonds are bought26 Candidates concern27 Aces28 Sarcastic retort31 Visibility impedi-

ments33 Throws out34 Fictional cocker spaniel37 Scottish countryside sight39 Sally __40 Getting around42 Admitted guilt for45 Utah city46 Pulitzer author Alison47 Soap containing ground pumice49 Bash50 Dots on cartes51 Work on a proof52 Ballpark figures54 Inebriate56 Uzbekistan, once: Abbr.

Crossword

July 2013 23

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