Life On A B-I7

I love getting text messages while I’m on the road that say: “Let’s crush your fitness goals.”

Strong headwind out of the East today. Weather here in Northeast Montana is being very uncooperative. Because of the wind, the mosquitoes were not a problem today.

About 15 miles outside of Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, I pulled over at an historical landmark. The landmark was dedicated to the history of the smallpox outbreak that decimated the Assinboine (Ah sin ah boine) Indians. This is the Tribe’s native Homeland. There was a pickup truck parked next to me. The fellow in the truck rolled his window down and introduced himself to me, his name was “Duck.” We had a very nice conversation. He told me all about the smallpox outbreak. He showed me photos of caves 20 miles north of where we were and explained their significance to his people. Members of the tribe infected with smallpox were taken to these caves to live or die. Every day, healthy members of the tribe, lowered food and water by rope to the victims in the caves below. We talked about the Fish Wars in the Seattle area. He knew a lot about them, having spent time up there. He even met Marlon Brando, who was an advocate for Indian fishing rights at the time. He represented his tribe in Washington D.C. and met Senator Daniel Inouye.

Duck told me how he helped build the 200 mile long freshwater pipeline that brings potable water to the Fort Peck reservation. His current job is to take measurements and test the water quality at both ends of the pipeline every day. Duck is getting ready to retire and move to the Seattle area to live with his daughter on the Nisqually Reservation.

The Assinboine keep a small herd of genetically pure buffalo acquired from Yellowstone National Park. Not many people know about this herd. The Tribe doesn’t publicize the fact because they don’t want people wandering around on the reservation looking for them. Duck offered to drive me out to have a look at the herd and also take me to a Pow Wow 10 miles North of Wolf Point over the weekend. A truly amazing offer. I thanked him generously and told him the road was calling.

I’m staying in the town of Wolf Point. A nearby bend in the Missouri River took on that name when fur trappers stacked a pile of wolf carcasses on the bank of the river. The bend in the river, and what at the time was a trading post, both became known as “Wolf Point.”

I suppose this begs the question, where does the Missouri River start? There is considerable debate over where the actual headwaters of the Missouri are. It is generally agreed that the official starting point of the Missouri River is the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers at Three Forks, Montana (Southwest of here). This is the point where the river officially takes on the name “Missouri.” Above the confluence, the consensus is that the source of the Missouri River is Brower’s Spring, at 8,800 feet near the Continental Divide.

Duck’s Grandfather, Chief Digsaground. Duck was careful to point out that his tribe is known for their quiltwork which is very different than traditional beadwork.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s there were a lot of protests in the Puget Sound area of Washington. The protests were held in support of Indian fishing rights granted by US Government Treaty but ignored by the State of Washington. Possibly the most famous event in support of the protests was a benefit concert attended by the Grateful Dead and the Eagles, among other performers. Duck provided me this photo of the event’s poster. These protests were known as the Fish Wars. It was a fascinating period In Seattle’s history, especially if you were born and raised there like I was.

Itinerary Maps