Desperate Trees - a photo on Flickriver

Desperate Trees

Crystal covered trees outside of Big Sandy, Montana.

Christmas in Montana was beautiful, but lonely. I think it was the first time I ever spent the holiday away from friends and family. The only family member I had this Christmas was Steve...the cat. Which is just as well. He is real easy to buy for.

Given my situation here on Christmas day I decided to head out and do some photographing. What else would you expect?

Photographing on Christmas morning can be rather peaceful. It is the only time of the year when roads are absolutely empty. Thanksgiving morning is a close second. The chances of bumping into anyone early on Christmas morning is somewhere between slim and nil. Of course that's often the case every day on the country roads of Montana regardless what day it is. Christmas only makes it virtually certain you won't cross paths with anyone. Virtually.

I decided to scout some photo opportunities along the dirt roads along the perimeter of the Bear Paw Mountains south and west of Havre. I was absolutely convinced I was alone. I was 70 miles south of the tiny town of Chinook and 50 miles west of the even smaller town of Big Sandy. The sunlight was beautiful, the air was warm (40 degrees warmer than what I left behind in Havre), and there was nature all around. For a moment I forgot I was alone on Christmas day. There could not have been more than a dozen or so people between me and Havre at that moment here on the quiet Montana plains in the shadow of the mountains. And it was nice. Lonely, but nice.

Later that morning, when most people were probably making final preparations for their Christmas meal, I came flying around a bend in the road at a speed entirely too fast for the snow. That's when I spotted two trucks parked nose-to-nose in the middle of my road. Luckily I maintained control of my slipping and sliding truck as I shot past them on this narrow stretch called Cow Island Road. "Should I stop?" I asked myself. We were, after all, in the middle of nowhere. They might need help.

I put my truck it in reverse, slung my arm over the top of the seat, and piloted my trusty steed in reverse back to the spot in the middle of the road where these two trucks were locking horns. I rolled down my window and asked, "Do you need any help?"

Just then one of them emerged from behind the trucks, hoisted a can of beer into the air, and said, "No sir! Just two friends enjoying a beer...."

"....in the middle of nowhere at 11 o'clock on Christmas morning? I'll be damned." I said, finishing his sentence. Both men chuckled.

Even here, at the intersection of empty and lonely in the middle of nowhere Montana (where they have more deer than people), I found two buddies, who probably live more than 20 miles apart, and they were merrily sharing some Christmas cheer.

And then they offered me a beer.

I'll be damned.

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© 2010 Todd Klassy. All Rights Reserved.

Taken in: United States / Montana / Big Sandy (show map)

Taken on: December 24, 2010

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Sets appears in: • Montana • Rural America more » • Landscapes • Bear Paw Mountain Region • Central Montana • Chouteau County • Cloudscapes • Concepts • Great Plains • Trees • Winter Wonderland • 2010 • Cover Shot Ideas « less

Groups appears in: • Landscape • The Big Sky more » • Rural American West • Montana Photography • Prairie Landscapes • Snowy Winter • Tree Photos « less

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, f/8.0, 1/60 sec, 173mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.017 sec (1/60)
Focal Length:	173mm
ISO:	400
Exposure Bias:	+1 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows
Show full info

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