Parade of Lights 2023 – Great Falls, Montana

By

Alan

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November 26, 2023

Who doesn’t just love a good parade?

This years Parade of Lights in downtown Great Falls should be one for the record books.

Of all of the years I’ve been attending the parade, I don’t think I’ve ever seen as many people as I saw there tonight.

Parade entry:

The skies were fairly clear, temps right around 33 degrees, and we’re just a few days away from the full Beaver Moon.

The crowds were huge by comparison to other previous years and a lot of folks were dancing to the sounds of Christmas.

This years Parade of Lights was a long one indeed and featured some new folks.

Les Schwab Tire Center came to town earlier this year and showed up for the parade and the United States Postal Service showed up as well.

Santa Claus showed up right on time to light the tree at the Civic Center.

Photos of the event:

Frozen Missouri River – Great Falls, Montana 2019

By

Alan

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November 25, 2023

Anybody that’s been around Great Falls long enough knows about the Missouri River that flows through town.

In the winter it has the tendency to freeze over and it can pose some pretty dangerous conditions for those who choose to tempt fate by crossing it on foot.

Trouble with a frozen surface with water flowing underneath is that you just never know when or if you’re going to fall through and be swept up under the ice.

I took our son down to the river to help educate him on the potential dangers of the Missouri River when it freezes.

Here’s the video he made while we were there:

The Missouri River is the longest river in the United States, flowing for 2,341 miles from its source in the Rocky Mountains of Montana to its confluence with the Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri.

When a river freezes, it may appear to stop flowing, but there is usually still some movement beneath the ice. This movement is caused by water currents and thermal convection.

The best advice with regard to our portion of the river is that when it freezes, it’s best to just stay off of it.

Old man with a cane

By

Alan

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November 25, 2023

Old man with a cane walks slowly past the front of my house twice a day like clockwork.

I can set my watch by him.

Today he went cruising by my house on an electric three wheeled bike doing 25mph.

Guessing I might need to buy a faster watch.

Overlook at Hardy Creek

By

Alan

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November 24, 2023

Sometimes we might take for granted the area we live in — case in point here would be the overlook just off the interstate south of Hardy Creek.

For all of the times we’ve traveled between Great Falls and Helena it always seemed that I’d make a mental note of stopping at that overlook to … well … overlook.

On the way to an appointment in Helena yesterday I made sure to leave in enough time to stop at the overlook that’s situated just off the southbound side of the interstate. Walked up the narrow path, climbed the stairs leading up to the rock cliffs, and took a look. It’s actually a rather beautiful area and I don’t think the pictures really can do it justice. Looking at it all in real time is preferred.

Interstate 15 was built pretty much through the mountainous cliffs and as a result, there can be some rather spectacular views from the very top looking down into the canyon. If one were to look close enough toward the bottom you might see the route of the old US91 highway (now called the Recreation Road) running along side of the Missouri River.

There are tons of little off-the-byway areas to look at around the area and the overlook just south of Hardy Creek is just one of those areas.

Sounds of the ’80’s

By

Alan

-

November 24, 2023

Upon after the more laid back charm of the ’70’s we found the 80’s to be somewhat speckled with tons of new talent.

Pop music was what it was and the music was found coupled with many more new technologies and it showed. MTV was a thing and one could sit for hours upon hours watching all of the latest new music videos.

The 80’s made an impact. The entire decade was full of all sorts of things we had never seen before, like for instance, cable TV making it’s way into rural America.

24 hour a day quick stops sprang up everywhere — Once just the lowly gas station with a sole soda machine out front converted to an over night quick stop that served up crusty burritos and a never ending choice of assorted bags of chips and gallons of fountain soda all for about a buck.

All the while in the meantime, music like this below was blaring on the FM radio.

The music of the ’80’s lives on and reminds us of times simpler than those of today.

Enjoy the music.

The 1980’s was a transformative decade for music, marked by bold experimentation, technological advancements, and diverse genres that shaped modern pop culture.

Cultural Impact

MTV, launched 1981, and revolutionized music consumption, prioritizing visuals and making stars of acts like Cyndi Lauper and A-ha (“Take On Me”).

The technology included Synthesizers (Roland TR-808, Yamaha DX7), and drum machines. Digital production gave the ’80s its distinct sound. CDs began replacing vinyl by the decade’s end.

The fashion and aesthetics of the 80’s were crazy too. Big hair, neon colors, and androgynous styles (e.g., Boy George) reflected the era’s flamboyance.