Unfortunately for my plans of making it to Glacier today, two articles I saw in the morning paper here changed my plans. First, the fireworks show for the Fourth of July is tonight and second, Barack Obama is going to be in Butte’s Fourth of July parade at 10am in the morning. So, plans changed, and I’ve got a tent pitched at Lowlands campground in Beaverhead – Deerlodge National Forest to crawl into after the fireworks show. My plans are to wake up at 7am and hit the road into town and clear the metal detectors to get a spot close along the route to shoot pictures from. I imagine the Secret Service will have a field day with my camera bag.

After we made that decision, we hit a couple sporting goods stores to find some hiking boots for Sarah, watched Hancock at the local cinema (loved the movie – Will Smith is definitely becoming one of my all-time favorite actors) and attempted to explore some museums around town. Sadly, it seems like most of the town had closed up shop a day early for the holiday weekend.

Rookwood Speakeasy Museum was closed, Myra Brothel Museum was closed and we couldn’t find the local art gallery. However, Charles Clark Chateau museum was open and we toured a turn of the 1900s private mansion turned museum. Cool place, octagonal rooms, library and ballroom included.

So… now, we’re sitting in a thunderstorm, two hours before the the fireworks show is scheduled to take place waiting for it to clear off and hear whether or not it will actually happen. And when I say thunderstorm… at its peak a few moments ago, I couldn’t see out the car windows.

Travel Distance: 75 miles around Butte, MT