Scout Summer 2025: One Year Married!

We decided to spend our actual wedding anniversary out at Tally Lake (aka mollyistally Lake). We held a lake day here the day after our wedding last year with all our family and friends. It felt so special to be back here a year later, and we enjoyed a weekend of hiking, swimming, biking, high-fiving, and campfires. It was a simple but perfect way to close out our first year of marriage.

On Sunday, we returned to my parents’ for another week of comfort. We ate a lot of ice cream, played games, went to our favorite local spots, and spent time with my parents.

On an early morning weekday, my Dad and I headed out for an adventure day, scouting for owls, hawks, pronghorns, and bison. I called it our “Montana Safari,” and it reminded me of the trip Nick and I took to Tanzania a few years back (albeit with a few less animal sightings).

We also took advantage of Montana’s 0% sales tax with some new tires - one set for the truck and one set for my new gravel bike. I joined Nick on the Kona train and got myself a Kona Rove that sparkles in the sun. This was a big purchase for me and the first significant bike purchase I’ve made since my road bike in 2016 (almost ten years ago!). We took her for an 18-mile spin on the farm roads on the outskirts of town, and I have to say, it’s the most fun I’ve ever had on a bike.

We finished up our time in Whitefish with more family in town and a beautiful hike out to Finger Lake. We saw huckleberries, thimbleberries, rosehips, and a family of loons. After a bit of a lazy week, Rona was thrilled to run around and explore (just check out that smile).

On one of the busiest weekends of the year, we found ourselves on a nearly empty trail. All it took was going outside the touristy areas. Another reminder that doing the “best” stuff also means doing the busiest stuff.

Roamin’ on the edges,

M