Year By Year Over Eons of Time, the Steaming Hot Water, Laden With Minerals, Deposits This Spectacular Limestone Terrace!
“But this is getting out of sequence. There’s a span of about ten years missing. He didn’t jump from Immanuel Kant to Bozeman, Montana. During this span of ten years he lived in India for a long time studying Oriental philosophy at Benares Hindu University.“
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY The Narrator discusses Phaedrus’ India experience and finishes with his thoughts as to he came to these mountains in the first place.For time line of Phaedrus. http://www.psybertron.org/pirsigpages.html
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The Buildings Low in the Yellowstone River Valley Ahead Are Gardiner.
“We exit from [Yellowstone national]the park at Gardiner, …. “
Approach to Gardiner, MT. Here I decide to climb down to and photograph the Gardiner River. I did this probably I had missed doing so for Rock Creek back at Red Lodge. As shown on my Rand-McNally, Rt88 North to Gardner, MT. follows the Gardiner River from West central YNP. This river probably includes water from the Mammoth Hot Springs. On my way I found many Interesting Flowers & Plants. Another demonstration of the discoveries, when you get out of your car! The road down from YNP, was very twisty, and the steepest I have yet encountered! Apparently this is very, very, old military road which was used to establish the original Fort Yellowstone. Since the fort was originally only for military patrol of what was then a very remote inaccessible area, road costs were kept down by making it steep! You must have good brakes!
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(Photo = 107-0723 ...... ZMM Page = 127 ...... WayPt = 181`|w|' 5355ft)

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.“

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(Photo = 106-0724...... ZMM Page = 127 ...... WayPt = 181k)

We Are Entering Gardiner, Montana 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 the Tourist Industry That Followed!!. The Road We Have Been Traveling On, At One Time, Was the Only Entrance To the Park.
“We decide to stay here for the night.“
Gardiner, MT. Our highway Rt88 and the Gardiner River both end in Gardiner, MT at the Yellowstone River. We will follow the Yellowstone, Northwest then North, all the way to Livingston, MT. Where-upon we re-join I-94 to go West over Bozeman Pass. The Yellowstone River “joins” I-94 for the Eastward trip to Miles City, MT and thence to Glendive, MT near the Montana-North Dakota border.
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We Are In Gardiner, Montana Which Is Located In the Valley Of The Yellowstone River. This Is a South View Up the Steep Slope Away From Town. The Ceremonial Arch Mentioned In Previous Photo Is Out Of Sight At Left.
“[We decide to stay here for the night.]“
Business District, Gardiner, MT.
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From the Town Center, We Can Just Make Out the Bridge and Straight Beyond, the White Buildings of the Hillcrest Motel
“The town is on high banks on either side of a bridge over a river which rushes over smooth and clean boulders“ Gardiner MT In contrast to the locations of the ZMM Hotel in North Dakota, Miles City MT and Laurel MT, there is absolutely no doubt about the structures making up the present day Hillcrest Motel in Gardiner MT: Straight across the bridge and on the opposite steep river hillside, there it is! The Yellowstone River in this area indeed does “ rushes over smooth and clean boulders“! 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’ in the Yellowstone!!
(Photo = 106-0730 ...... ZMM Page = 127 ...... WayPt = 183w)

Clearly The Hillcrest 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 Flower Beds Are In Front Of Each Cabin Where the Guest Must Carefully Walk Around 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
“[notice things about the cabin too,] which I point out to Chris. The windows are all double-hung and sash-weighted.“ Gardiner MT
(Photo = 106-0774r ...... ZMM Page = 127 ...... WayPt = 184n)

Mr. Arthur Bent, Owner of The Hillcrest Points Out The Fine Craftsmanship of His Motel.
“[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. See other photos of Mr. Bent’s family in my “Personal Experiences Album” elsewhere in this Gallery.
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The Hillcrest Motel At Dusk. We Note the Expert Carpentry of Even the Porch Construction! NIGHT 5
“[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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(Photo = 107-0755 ...... ZMM Page = 127 ...... WayPt = 184`|h|' 5314ft)

Helen’s Restaurant Has Montana Wide 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 the point the way! 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? Added information: Yellowstone is the first and oldest national park in the world and covers 3,472 square miles (8,987 km²), 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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(Photo = 107-0738 ...... ZMM Page = 127 ...... WayPt = 184`|i|' 5300ft)

Flowers Still Become The Hillcrest Motel.
“[When we return to the motel from the restaurant .... ]"
Gardiner, MT. This glorious blooming 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 at the front entrance to the Hillcrest and other places.
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(Photo = 107-0766 ...... ZMM Page = 127 ...... WayPt = 184`|k|' 5314ft)

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.
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(Photo = 107-0765 ...... ZMM Page = 127 ...... WayPt = 184`|p|' 5314ft)

Dusk Envelopes The Hillcrest 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" constructed in the early thirties, show the typical Yellowstone National Park Cottage Style Motel. It's buildings are just as snug and functional as they were when they were first crafted in the 30's. Mr. 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 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. This history is somewhat at variance to statements of the Narrator in ZMM.
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(Photo = 107-0735 ...... ZMM Page = 128 ...... WayPt = 184`|q|' 5314ft)

It's The End of a Wonderful Day. The Narrators Words Turn Poetic, As If a Quiet Thoughtful Celebration.
“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 any association with the name "cottages" was out of style, and thought not to not have bath rooms, (or they were all rusty.). Thirties Style Motels are now "OK", so the name has been changed back the Hillcrest Cottages Motel. For two additional photos, click on the "Photo" (or "Information" pages after the Hillcrest webpage comes up at: http://www.hillcrestcottages.com/
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The “Devil's Rock Slide” Is a Major Vertical Strata Rock Formation Visible Beyond the Yellowstone River. Although This Sagebrush and This Canyon Are Mentioned By the Narrator, This Beautiful and Intriguing Geological Formation Remains Un-Mentioned In ZMM! This Is True For Most of The numerous "Tourist Attractions" Along the ZMM Route.
“ The sagebrush down the canyon now toward Livingston is like sagebrush you see all the way from here into Mexico.“
Five miles “down river” from .Gardiner, MT..
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The Yellowstone River Here Has Rocks Polished by an Old Glacier
“ This morning sunlight is the same as yesterday’s except warmer and softer now that we’re at a lower altitude again.“
Sixteen miles down river from Gardiner MT.
I stop to read a sign that describes the Glacier Polished Rocks submerged here in the river. My notes say that I see what looks like a glacier terminal moraine 3 miles further down stream. ************************************
(Photo = 106-0779 ...... ZMM Page = 128...... WayPt = 188w)

Beautiful Paradise Valley Cattle Ranches Along Montana Rt89. Note Yellowstone River In Left & Right Foreground.
“ There is nothing unusual. It’s just this archeological feeling that the calmness of the surroundings conceals things. A haunted place. .. I really don’t want to go there. I’d just as soon turn around and go back. .. Just tension, I guess. “
Three miles up river from Minor, MT. Rt89 is a newer high speed paved road. It is most likely that the Narrator and Chris traveled the older parallel road, Rt540 which cuts off to the right several miles after Minor MT. The ZMM Pilgrim will want to follow this slower, but good gravel road!
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(Photo = 107-0780 ...... ZMM Page = 128 ...... WayPt = 188`|k|' 5056ft)