Editors note: I decided to approach people not local to the area and see what brought them to town, here is what I found out.
I saw them ride their bicycles into town and turn down onto main street. I meet them in the Grocery Store and they were buying cold medicine. I asked where they had started their bike trip. They had started in Seattle and where going to Fort Lauderdale, Florida hoping to be there by the end of August. I would have loved to slow them down and asked them a few questions, but they weren't feeling it. So, I let them go on their way and silently wished them well.
On a different day, down town was full of classic old cars in front of the Mint. I decided to go in asked them where they were from. "We are all old", laughing said one women. "We're from all over, Great Falls, Butte, Deer Lodge, Plains, Missoula, and Lolo." We stopped here because it's on the way to Havre."
They were on their way to a classic car show in Havre. One of their favorites. If they wanted to, they could go to a car show every weekend in Montana, but on an average, they go to six to eight car shows a summer.
Each owner had unique story to tell about their car. As you travelled down the street, they would point out their car and tell you all about it. Each classic car had name. They stated going to car shows about 20 years ago and started travelling together after their children left home. The furthest they have traveled together was to Saint Paul, Minnesota. They are all great friends, laughing and enjoying telling each other's stories, finishing each other's sentences. Each at some point received an award, either Best of Show, People's choice, Mayor's choice or who has come the farthest.
I wished I could have gone to the car show in Havre that weekend, visited with them more, learned about their love of travel, friends, and old cars.
Big Sandy has unique visitors come and go, too bad we don't get to know them. Too bad they don't get to know us.
