Despite having been promised severe bad weather and advised to 'stay local', the unpredictable nature of the regions's weather prevailed and the sun shone boldly as we made our way to Downtown Helena, where we parked for four hours, on a main street, for $1!
We walked through the pedestrian mall, chatting to people along the way, and visited the historic parts of the City (some of which had a very 'English' feel).
After lunch in what was once a very grand hotel, now a mix of retail outlets and condos, we called into the visitor centre to plan the rest of our day. (We also learned that'Helena' was the location for the films "Legends of the Fall and "The River Ran Through It"!) We first decided to drive out to Rimini (via the State Capitol building) one of several 'ghost towns' in the vicinity and weathering the eight-mile trip up a rough road just off Highway 12, we came face to face with the remnants of an old mining town, now partly inhabited by a few hardy folk who (I guess) 'want to be alone'!
Following this brief encounter, we set off for for nearby Deerfield and the Old State Prison! It was a 'scenic' trip to say the least and arriving there we were surprised to discover a perfectly preserved fort-like penal structure, where a self-guided tour cost only $17, for two.......and this included admission to one of the best collections of vintage American cars that we've ever seen!!
We learned about everyday life in the prison and the notorious 1908 and 1959 prison riots there. (The latter was quelled by the National Guard, employing bazookas!) What can I say? This is a fascinating place to visit!! Returning to the hotel, we stopped-off to take-in more fabulous views and engage in conversation with a local college professor and a rescue crew that was practising 'body-retrieval'.....on a dummy! Throughout the day, people asked why we'd chosen to visit Helena.......and our answer? Why not?!! I figured that the following track has to be appropriate for today....
We walked through the pedestrian mall, chatting to people along the way, and visited the historic parts of the City (some of which had a very 'English' feel). 
After lunch in what was once a very grand hotel, now a mix of retail outlets and condos, we called into the visitor centre to plan the rest of our day. (We also learned that'Helena' was the location for the films "Legends of the Fall and "The River Ran Through It"!) We first decided to drive out to Rimini (via the State Capitol building) one of several 'ghost towns' in the vicinity and weathering the eight-mile trip up a rough road just off Highway 12, we came face to face with the remnants of an old mining town, now partly inhabited by a few hardy folk who (I guess) 'want to be alone'! 
Following this brief encounter, we set off for for nearby Deerfield and the Old State Prison! It was a 'scenic' trip to say the least and arriving there we were surprised to discover a perfectly preserved fort-like penal structure, where a self-guided tour cost only $17, for two.......and this included admission to one of the best collections of vintage American cars that we've ever seen!! 
We learned about everyday life in the prison and the notorious 1908 and 1959 prison riots there. (The latter was quelled by the National Guard, employing bazookas!) What can I say? This is a fascinating place to visit!! Returning to the hotel, we stopped-off to take-in more fabulous views and engage in conversation with a local college professor and a rescue crew that was practising 'body-retrieval'.....on a dummy! Throughout the day, people asked why we'd chosen to visit Helena.......and our answer? Why not?!! I figured that the following track has to be appropriate for today....
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