Here the Landscape Is So Dry That Cactus Plants Hold The Land.
…. “ …. where not much rain seems to fall, because the mountainsides show only grass and sage in the twilight.“
Approach to Gardiner, MT.
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….Here at /\ Above /\ Photo, as well as on my way through YNP, I found many Interesting Flowers & Plants.
....This is factually another demonstration of the GREAT discoveries you find when you get out of your car! In this case I had decided to climb-down to photograph the river, and the /\ Above /\ Photo & Previous Photo factually show I found much, much, more!!
…. For The ZMM Route => My Photos Showing Flowers In ZMM Narrator’s High Country, Which Is In My Album of Flower & Redwing Blackbirds. Click Here . AFTER this page comes up, CLICK SMALL PHOTO UPPER RIGHT. Then Upper Right Click on >> To Go To Next Photo. Continue next Photo, until you see Rushing White Water In Background. This is where begins my Flower Photos in YNP
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We Are Entering Gardiner, MT Which Is Located In the Valley Of The Yellowstone River.
….At Left In the Distance, Note Huge Ceremonial Arch. This "Arch Of Triumph" Celebrates Establishment of Yellowstone National Park,
….AND, No Doubt, Celebrates The Tourist Industry That Followed!!.
……The Super STEEP Road We Have Been Traveling On, At One Time Was the ONLY Entrance To Yellowstone National Park.
…. “We decide to stay here for the night.“
Gardiner, MT. Our highway US-89 Enters Gardiner, MT which is nestelled in the Yellowstone River Valley, beside the Yellowstone River: And here the Gardiner River ends by flowing into the Yellowstone River.
….After Gardner, MT, the ZMM Route will fairly closely follow the Yellowstone River, Northwest then North all the way to Livingston, MT. Where-upon it re-joins I-94 to go WEST over The Bridger Mountains via Bozeman Pass. ((Please note => I-94 going EAST essentially follows the Yellowstone River Valley, per next sentence =>
….However, due to The Bridger Mountains and The Big Belt Mountains, The Yellowstone River is forced to go EAST to Miles City, MT and thence to Glendive, MT, near the Montana-North Dakota Border, and ~there flow into the Missouri River.
….
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We Are In Gardiner, Montana Which Is Located In the Valley Of The Yellowstone River.
….This SOUTH View Looks Back Along The Road We’ve Come, Up the Steep Slope Away From Town.
….The Ceremonial Arch Mentioned In Previous Photo Is Out Of Sight At Right.
….[ “We decide to stay here for the night. “]
Business District, Gardiner, MT.
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We Are In Gardiner, Montana Which Is Located In the Valley Of The Yellowstone River.
….From The Same Location As Previous Photo, This NORTH View Looks Forward Along The Road We’ve Come
….We Can Just Make Out the Yellowstone River Bridge, and
….Afterwards, The Road Slopes Up & Straight Beyond => To The White Buildings of the Hillcrest Cottages Motel
…. “The town is on high banks on either side of a bridge over a river which rushes over smooth and clean boulders. Across the bridge they’ve already turned the lights on at the motel “
Business District, Gardiner, MT. In contrast to the locations of the ZMM Motel in Oaks, ND, and Miles City MT, there is absolutely no doubt as to where is => The ZMM Motel in Gardiner, MT. The 1930’s Style Cabins making up the present day Hillcrest Motel in Gardiner, MT. EXACTLY fit the Narrator’s above statement, as you can see in the /\ Above /\ Photo => Straight “across the bridge“ and on the opposite steep river hillside, there it is!
…ALSO> By my own direct factual observation => The Yellowstone River in this area indeed does “ rushes over smooth and clean boulders“!
….The river here is => Famous for mountain trout fishing, anglers come from around the word to stay for a week at the Hillcrest Motel, and have a “fishing vacation” within ear-shot of the Rushing Yellowstone!!
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Added July 2024: … A View From The Bridge Over The Yellowstone River, Straight Ahead, The Smaller White Buildings Of Hillcrest Cottages Motel. Click Here.
…In 1968, Robert Pirsig & The Sutherlands, As They Crossed This Bridge (Mentioned By The ZMM Narrator), Into The Business District, Gardiner, MT, They Would Have Seen The /\Above/\ View Of The Hillcrest Cottages Motel.
…Back In 1968, This Motel Would Have Been Less Expensive, Since These “Cottages”, Were Older 1930’s Style, With Separate Small Buildings.
NOTE1: In The /\Above/\ Photo, Especially Notice & Remember, The Red-Brown Wooden Stairs, Which Are Tiny, By The [White Rectangle], At Left Edge Of /\Above/\ Photo. … You Will See These Stairs In NEXT Panorama Photo.
…NOTE2: You Will AGAIN See A Portion Of The These Red-Brown Wooden Stairs, In The Group Photo, ELEVENTH NEXT Photo.
…. NOTE: Since These Stairs Are At The Conoco Gas Station, Over The Highway South Of The Hillcrest Cottages, Remembering the above, about these stairs will Help You Stay Oriented.
The ZMM Narrator Says =>
… “Across the bridge they’ve already turned the lights on at the motel where we check in, but even in the artificial light coming from the windows I can see each cabin has been carefully surrounded by planted flowers, and so I step carefully to avoid them.
…I notice things about the cabin too, which I point out to Chris. The windows are all double-hung and sash-weighted. The doors click shut without looseness. All the moldings are perfectly mitered. There’s nothing arty about all this, it’s just well done and, something tells me, is all done by one person.”
Friday, July 12, 2024: … David Mator & Henry Gurr, And Several Other ZMM Riders Stayed Overnight In The Hillcrest Cottages.
… However, Somehow Henry’s Photos of The Hillcrest Cottages, Never Made It Home.
…… But, you Can See More Hillcrest Cottages Photos & Information => In Henry Gurr’s 2002 ZMM Research Album. Click Here .
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Saturday, July 13, 2024: … A Panorama View Taken At The Conoco Gas Station, Which Is Over The Highway South Of The Hillcrest Cottages, Gardiner, MT,
……Including Portrait Of => World Cycle Traveled Motorcyclist Mr. Adah Schriever.
…As You Can See => Gardner Is Located In The Narrow Valley Of The Yellowstone River.
…This South View Panorama, Stitched Nicely By Flat World, Looks Over The River, And Nicely Shows, What The ZMM Narrator Says =>
… “We exit from [Yellowstone National Park] at Gardiner, where not much rain seems to fall, because the mountainsides show only grass and sage in the twilight. We decide to stay here for the night.
…“The town is on high banks on either side of a bridge over a river which rushes over smooth and clean boulders.
… Across the bridge they’ve already turned the lights on at the motel where we check in, but even in the artificial light coming from the windows I can see each cabin has been carefully surrounded by planted flowers, and so I step carefully to avoid them.”
…NOTE2: You Will AGAIN See A Portion Of The These Red-Brown Wooden Stairs, In The Group Photo, TENTH NEXT Photo, Taken From This Same Location, Has The Same Mountains In The Background, And Same Red-Brown Wooden Stairs.
…. NOTE: Since These Stairs Are At The Conoco Gas Station, Over The Highway South Of The Hillcrest Cottages. Remembering the above, about these stairs will Help You Stay Oriented.
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Clearly The Hillcrest Cottages Motel Is One of Those Older '30's Cabin Style Motels.
….Click On the Photo For the Largest View & You Will See the Porch Light Is On.
….And Yes, In This Larger View, You Can See There Are Flower Beds Are In Front Of Each Cabin … Where the Guest Must “ Step Carefully ." Around Each One of Them!
….[ “Across the bridge they’ve already turned the lights on at the motel." ] “ where we check in, but even in the artificial light coming from the windows I can see each cabin has been carefully surrounded by planted flowers, and so I step carefully to avoid them."
Gardiner, MT.
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The Hillcrest Motel
…. “I notice things about the cabin too, which I point out to Chris. The windows are all double-hung and sash-weighted.“
Gardiner MT
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Mr. Arthur Bent, Owner of The Hillcrest Cottages Motel, Points Out The Fine Craftsmanship of His Motel.
….[ “ I notice things about the cabin too, " ] “ The doors click shut without looseness. All the moldings are perfectly mitered."
Gardiner, MT. Mr. Art Bent shows off the well-made mitered corners of the door.
….You may see a Photo of Mr. Bent’s family in my “Personal Experiences Album” in this Gallery. Click Here And =>AFTER Page Of 9 Small Photos Comes Up, Read & Click On 7th and 8th Small Photos.
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The Hillcrest Cottages Motel At Dusk: We Note the Expert Carpentry of
….Even the Porch Construction, Where Hardly Anybody Can See It!
….[ “ All the moldings are perfectly mitered. .“ ] “ There’s nothing arty about all this, it’s just well done and, something tells me, is all done by one person.“
Gardiner, MT. This is where our ZMM Travelers spend night 5.
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….You May See Another Photo of The Hillcrest Motel’s Expert Carpentry, in my “Personal Experiences Album” in this Gallery. This has the names of Previous Owners, and the name of First Owners, who directed the work of the carpenters. Click Here And =>AFTER Page Of 9 Small Photos Comes Up, Read & Click On 8th Small Photo.
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Helen’s Restaurant Has Montana Wide, Wild Acclaim, for Great Food!.
…. “ When we return to the motel from the restaurant .... "
Gardiner, MT. Ask anyone in Montana where this restaurant is, and they will tell you to try the hamburgers, as they give travel directions and point the way to the /\ Above /\ Photo! …For this reason Helen’s may well have been the ZMM Restaurant in Gardner, MT!!
….My hamburger was huge and delicious!! …. Helen's Restaurant has been the feature article in a number of Montana's Major Newspapers. What better recommendation!! So what are you waiting for? (Google … Helen’s Restaurant Gardner, MT … for More Info & Newspaper Articles.)
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ADDED YNP INFORMATION: Full YNP Information, Map, & Phots At Wikipedia. Click Here.
Yellowstone National Park is the first and oldest national park in the world and covers 3,472 square miles (8,987 km˛), mostly in the northwest corner of Wyoming. The park is famous for its various geysers, hot springs, and other geothermal features and is home to grizzly bears and wolves, and free-ranging herds of bison and elk. *************************
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The ZMM Narrator’s “ Carefully Surrounded By Planted Flowers ” Is Continuing To This Day!! =>
….Flowers Blooming, Become, Beacons, Beam, & Beckon From The Landscape At The Hillcrest Cottages Motel.
….[ “ I can see each cabin has been carefully surrounded by planted flowers ……When we return to the motel from the restaurant .... " ]
Gardiner, MT. This Glorious Blooming Yellow Rose Bush is by the entrance drive way. The song name "Yellow Rose of Texas" comes to mind! There were also beautiful and well irrigated beds of flowers in the inclined rock-garden wall, along the highway at the front entrance to the Hillcrest and other places.
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A Table and Chairs for Conversation Are Still To Be Found At The Hillcrest Motel.
….“ .... an elderly couple are sitting in a small garden outside the office enjoying the evening breeze. The man confirms that he’s made all these cabins himself, and is so pleased it’s been noticed that his wife, who sees this, invites us all to sit down."
Gardiner, MT. I tried several times to arrange for Hillcrest Motel owner Mr Arthur Bent and his Wife together in conversation, to pose for a photo illustrating the ZMM Narrator’s passage above. But both were way too busy with immediate pressing demands, to schedule a “Photo Op”.
….But otherwise, both Mr. & Mrs. Bent were very courteous and fully helpful in answering questions for my ZMM Research.
…. Click Here For Hillcrest Cottages WebSite: After their Homepage comes up, you can scroll down to see 5 Beautiful Photos of Their Cabins Inside and Out. . AFTER Their Page Comes Up: At Top And On 5th Photo => You Can Click Dates For Reserve Over Night Accommodations.
…ALSO> You Can Click-On “GALLERY”, To See 14 More Photos.
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Dusk Envelopes The Hillcrest Cottages Motel.
…. “They talk about changes that have taken place over the years, adding a dimension to what we see around us, and it builds to a kind of beautiful thing...this town, this couple and the years that have gone by here."
….Gardiner, MT. These “cabins", now called cottages”, constructed in the early thirties, show the typical Yellowstone National Park Cabin Style Motel. These buildings are just as snug and functional as they were when they were first Expert Crafted in the 30's.
…. Mr. Arthur Bent, in confirming ZMM author Robert Pirsig statements as to the Hillcrest’s high quality construction, stated that all the other original 1930’s motels in this area of the West are long since out of business and gone! He said that these 30’s cabin style motels failed, because of their inadequate quality of construction: They deteriorated to the point where they had to be destroyed.
….By contrast, nearly all of the original buildings of the Hillcrest Motel are still here! This is testament and legacy of Mr. & Mrs. Ritchie, the original owners AND the carpenters who, guided by a contractor, did the original work.
….Mr. and Mrs. Ray Bickles were the second owners, and may have been the persons who talked to our ZMM Riders in 1968. Thus the original owners & carpenter, may NOT have been the persons who talked to the ZMM Narrator. Thus, we see this history is somewhat at variance to statements of the Narrator in ZMM.
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It's The End of a Wonderful Day: The Narrator’s Words Wax Poetic,
….As If A Quiet, Thoughtful Celebration.
…….Thus Ends ZMM Chapter 12.
…. “Sylvia puts her hand on John’s arm. I am conscious of the sounds of the river rushing past boulders below and a fragrance in the night wind. The woman, who knows all fragrances, says it is honeysuckle, and we are quiet for a while and I become pleasantly drowsy. Chris is almost asleep when we decide to turn in."
Gardiner, MT. I did not notice any honeysuckle while I was at the Hillcrest.
….This motel was originally called the "Hillcrest Cottages". This is still etched on their original sign, which is still there. Later, the name was changed (Painted over) to Hillcrest Motel, because "Cottages" was out of style, and this name had bad association with “Old & Nasty”: AND thought not to have NO bathrooms, (or they were all rusty).
….Thirties Style Motels are now "OK", so the name has been changed back the Hillcrest Cottages Motel.
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Saturday, July 13, 2024: … Gardner, MT => At The Conoco Gas Station, Over The Highway South Of The Hillcrest Cottages Motel, Our ZMM Riders Are Assembling At The Gas Station For 8 AM Departure.
…NOTE: You Will Remember Seeing These Red-Brown Wooden Stairs, In The TENTH PREVIOUS Panorama Photo, Taken From This Same Location, Has The Same Mountains In The Background, And Same Red-Brown Wooden Stairs.
…. NOTE: Since These Stairs Are At The Gas Station, Opposite The Hillcrest Cottages, Remembering the above, about these stairs will Help You Stay Oriented.
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Start Of Chapter 13: On The Road Again And We See =>
…The Sagebrush and Canyon Mentioned By the Narrator
…..BUT Un-Mentioned In ZMM, In The Distance Is => The “Devil's Rock Slide”
…….A Beautiful and Intriguing Vertical Strata Geological Rock Formation! This Is True For Most of The numerous "Tourist Attractions" Along the ZMM Route.
…. “ John and Sylvia eat their breakfast hot cakes and drink their coffee, still caught up in the mood of last night, but I’m finding it hard to get food down.
....Today we should arrive at the school, the place where an enormous coalescence of things occurred, and I’m already feeling tense.
....I remember reading once about an archeological excavation in the Near East, learning about the archeologist’s feelings when he opened the forgotten tombs for the first time in thousands of years. Now I feel like some archeologist myself.
….The sagebrush down the canyon now toward Livingston is like sagebrush you see all the way from here into Mexico.“
Yellowstone River, 3.2 Miles “Down River” from .Gardiner, MT.
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