Watkins shepard

Yep true story. I bought myself a plane ticket for $144 and the bus ticket is like $170 or something...Unless of course you enjoy 26+ hour bus rides. Me? I'll take the 4 hours of flying...

 

Yea, but being the Holidays the airline tickets are running high, it was only $88 for bus fair, and its a night route so should be able to sleep most of the way, and like traveling . Thanks for the ideas though. Take care guys.

 

Wingrider, Ya me and my husband are driving there. We will be staying at a hotel too. Americas Best Inn. We will be arriving on the 1st as well.. hopefully early enough to find out where most of the good stores and restaurants are!

 

Sounds good, I should get into the bus station about 11:45 am, then get a shuttle to the Hotel, See ya then.

 

Some quick info. Make sure you call the shuttle guy as soon as you hit town, I got the strong impression that WS people were not his top priority as I had to wait 2 hours for him as he shuttled around other customers he had lined up. Nice enough fellow, but I am guessing he worries more about his cash customers than a corporate account that probably generates little in tips since its a free ride for the students and they probably don't think to throw him a couple of bucks and I can't say that I blame him really.

There is a lot of stuff near the hotel and within walking distance if it isn't too cold. At the truck stop next to the hotel there is an outstanding mexican restaurant. There is also a McDonald's about 200 yards away as well as a few other restaurants and casinos. Just over the bridge you can find anything you need; a Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, Albertsons, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Staples, Barnes and Noble, etc... but it is about a mile. I walked it a couple of times when I was at the hotel. For anyone who is on a serious budget, the Costco has a little snack shop at the front of the store that you don't need membership for that serves good food for dirt cheap. You can get a hot dog and soda for $1.50 or a huge pizza slice for like a buck. One thing that shocked me about Missoula was how great the food is there. There is a BBQ restaurant called Famous Dave's in that area over the bridge that serves outstanding rib plates and incredible sauces. There is also a unique sub shop called the Staggering Ox, but it is downtown. However, one of your student trips is to Helena, MT, on the way back they stop at Hardees to eat. Now why they stop at Hardees to eat that krap on a bun when there is a Staggering Ox right next door is beyond me. Try talking your trainer into going to the Ox instead and get one of the clubfoot sandwiches.

Also if you are staying at the dorm make sure everyone knows who has the keys to the loaner car and make sure they understand that the car is for everyone and not just for their own personal use. A few of us got stranded for hours the first night because the person who checked out the keys didn't bother to see who might need a ride back to the hotel and then complained about missing his tv shows when he had to come back to pick us up. 3 days later, that same person knocked over a telephone pole while practicing in the yard which then proceeded to land on and crush the back of a nearby pickup truck. I forget to mention him earlier, it was actually 3 people that didn't make it, not two, but he was a 10 dayer. Moral of the story, Karma is alive and well at Missoula, make sure you all work together to get through your time there. The group we had at the end was pretty close knit considering the circumstances and its good to have friends out there on the road to share info with. Helping each other will get you through it.

One last note, try not to take anything personally, the instructor's approaches are about as night and day as they come, but you will learn something from each of them, and whatever approach they did take, I always felt their top priority was that they wanted you to learn what you needed to know, so always keep that in mind.

 

Thanks for the info. I have mixed feelings about staying in the hotel. I am sure it is nicer than the dorm rooms, but at the dorm i would be able to cook dinner and just hop out the door to practice w/the trucks. I wonder if we will stay at the hotel the whole time. My husbands sister lives in LOLO wich is just a suburb (lolol) of Missoula. And we have eaten at Famous Daves.. omg it is really good.. Im a southern girl from Texas and they get as close as it comes. Finally turned my husband on to some good fried catfish there.. he loves it and that is all he ever orders.

Wingrider, do you have a cell phone? maybe you should private email it to me that way we can check and see if your still waiting at the bus stop when we get into town.

 

Maggz, I dont have PM privilages yet. I'll see if one of the Mods will get it to you. I heard from Gwen that my roommate at the Hotel is also from Kalispell and he is driving down too

 

sounds good

 

Well, I cant even figure out how to contact a Mod. Do the Mods reads these? If so can one you contact me? Later!!