{"id":2189,"date":"2014-05-24T21:57:20","date_gmt":"2014-05-25T03:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lastbestnews.com\/site\/?p=2189"},"modified":"2014-06-02T08:46:32","modified_gmt":"2014-06-02T14:46:32","slug":"prairie-lights-too-much-visual-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/2014\/05\/prairie-lights-too-much-visual-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Too much visual information"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t<div id=\"slides-2189\" class=\"navis-slideshow\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"slide-nav\">\n\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" class=\"prev\"><\/a>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" class=\"next\"><\/a>\n\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"slides_container\"><div id=\"2189-slide1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/BIG-Mac-1-of-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/BIG-Mac-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><\/a><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>A very Big Mac, Livingston.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/fallen-barn-1-of-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/fallen-barn-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><\/a><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Fallen barn, defunct truck, north of Wilsall.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide3\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/colorful-cabin-1-of-1.jpg*771*495\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/colorful-cabin-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Colorful cabin, Neihart.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide4\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Aspens-1-of-1.jpg*771*514\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Aspens-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Aspen trees, Monarch.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide5\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sheep-Belt-1-of-1.jpg*771*536\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sheep-Belt-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Shaggy sheep, Belt.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide6\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sag-five-1-of-1.jpg*771*456\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sag-five-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Lost Lake, site of the prehistoric waterfall, west of Geraldine.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sag-four-1-of-1-771x473.jpg*771*473\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sag-four-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Lichen, Lost Lake.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide8\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sag-One-1-of-1.jpg*768*470\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sag-One-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>The east end of Lost Lake, with Lost Lake Ranch in the distance.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide9\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sag-two-1-of-1-771x513.jpg*771*513\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sag-two-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Cliffs over Lost Lake, with the Highwood Mountains to the south.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide10\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/window-pottery-1-of-1.jpg*771*1157\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/window-pottery-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Secondhand store, Neihart.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide11\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Square-Butte-cars-1-of-1.jpg*771*416\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Square-Butte-cars-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Cars gone to seed, Square Butte. Just look at that grass!<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide12\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Square-Butte-school-1-of-1.jpg*771*531\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Square-Butte-school-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Old school, Square Butte.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide13\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Montague-School-1-of-1.jpg*771*469\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/Montague-School-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Old school, Montague.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide14\" data-src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/cemetery-1-of-1-771x513.jpg*771*513\" data-href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/cemetery-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>Central Montana Memorial Gardens, north of Lewistown.<\/p><\/div><div id=\"2189-slide15\"><a href=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/hurch-1-of-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/hurch-1-of-1.jpg\" \/><\/a><h6>Ed Kemmick\/Last Best News <a href=\"#\" class=\"slide-permalink\">permalink<\/a><\/h6><p>We suppose it could have been a church, but also maybe a law office, in Roundup. Hurch F. Christ, Esq.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><script>jQuery( document ).ready( function() { loadSlideshow( 2189, 'https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/2014\/05\/prairie-lights-too-much-visual-information\/', 15 ) } );<\/script>\n<p>A friend of mine who used to go to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival every year told me that on the drive back to Montana, after four or five solid days of music, he couldn\u2019t even listen to the radio. He was filled to the gills, exhausted, all the listening space between his ears depleted.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>I felt the same way, but in a visual sense, after three days of driving through the heart of Montana in this green, glorious spring.<\/p>\n<p>Coming home Saturday afternoon, I just wanted to close my eyes and process the countless images crowding my brain without, for a little while at least, taking in anything new.<\/p>\n<p>We had things to do in Livingston and Fort Benton, so our trip took us on a grand loop from Billings to Livingston on I-90, Livingston to Belt on Highway 89, and Belt to Fort Benton on Highway 228.<\/p>\n<p>Leaving Fort Benton, we took a big detour on gravel roads through wheat country northwest of Square Butte, one of the most striking landmarks in the state, to visit Lost Lake. The lake is a geological marvel in the middle of the Shonkin Sag, a place I first visited last year and wrote about in <a href=\"http:\/\/lastbestnews.com\/site\/2014\/02\/ice-age-marvel-spectacular-site-surprisingly-little-known\/\">a story<\/a> that was posted on the first day of Last Best News.<\/p>\n<p>Lost Lake is where an ancient precursor of the Missouri River, pushed south of its existing channel by continental glaciers, poured over sheer black cliffs of volcanic rock. It created a spectacle, geologists tell us, to rival Niagara. Even now, in its dry state, it is heart-thumpingly magnificent.<\/p>\n<p>It amazed me when I first saw it and it amazed me again Saturday that Lost Lake is so little known. I was with my wife, brother and sister-in-law, on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, and we had the place to ourselves. I\u2019m here to tell you, folks, it\u2019s farther than Lake Elmo but it\u2019s worth the drive.<\/p>\n<p>What else did we see? Well, to spare you a series of inadequate word pictures, I have included a gallery of photographs taken along the way.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"well\"><div class=\"dfad dfad_pos_1 dfad_first\" id=\"_ad_652\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/mjhWkW\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/lastbestnews.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/201703_capeair_variable.jpg\" alt=\"CapreAir_Variable\" width=\"510\" height=\"180\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18069\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div>Some things couldn\u2019t be photographed. There\u2019s no way, at least for me, to do justice to that amazing, wide-open country we saw on the way to Lost Lake. There, immensity\u2019s the thing, and though a photo can put that scenery in a cage, it can\u2019t capture it.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise with most of the drive along 228 between Belt and Fort Benton. Belt Creek was running fast, wide and very muddy, spreading out to drench every level meadow along its route, with remnant snow banks clinging to its flanks. I couldn\u2019t find a scene that looked as vibrant through the viewfinder as it did through my eyeball.<\/p>\n<p>And I wish to hell there was some way of photographing the call of a meadowlark. They serenaded us for hours Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>Did I mention the green? This has been the kind of spring the railroads would have gushed about when they were luring all those immigrants to the land of milk and honey 100 years ago. \u201cYou just shovel up a bit of soil, drop in a few seeds and up come the crops! With no irrigation!\u201d You could almost believe it this year.<\/p>\n<p>Cruising through places like Geraldine, Monarch, Ringling, Belt, Montague and Neihart, I\u2019d turn to my wife and say, \u201cI could live here.\u201d That\u2019s probably not true. I\u2019m a city-slicker at heart, or at least a fairly-big-town-slicker, but all those burgs with the big views, the friendly feel and the beautiful quiet surely look like good places to hunker down in and concentrate on what matters.<\/p>\n<p>And what does matter? Why, I don\u2019t know for sure. I\u2019d need to settle in for a while and think about that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A friend of mine who used to go to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival every year told me that on the drive back to Montana, after four or five solid days of music, he couldn\u2019t even listen to the radio. He was filled to the gills, exhausted, all the listening space between his [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2193,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[747,56],"tags":[714,709,711,49,715,712,710,713,25,29],"class_list":["post-2189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photo-galleries","category-prairie-lights","tag-belt","tag-geraldine","tag-livingston","tag-lost-lake","tag-monarch","tag-montague","tag-neihart","tag-roundup","tag-shonkin-sag","tag-square-butte","prominence-top-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2189"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montana-mint.com\/lastbestnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}