Mike and Heather Mathis were not only brand new owners of the hotel but also brand new to workampers so we were all "newbies" together. The other workamper couple was Sky and Nancy, long time residents of West Yellowstone but now fulltimers returning to the area. What a great summer it was!
Jim was the housekeeping supervisor and worked the breakfast set-up on Sky's days off while I worked the front desk and even the laundry for a couple of weeks. We worked the same 40 hr. p/wk shifts and had the same days off so we had lots of time to explore.
The rivers in Montana are gorgeous! Clear water, beautiful forests, glimpses of moose, bison or elk grazing in the meadows. We love it there. Just love it.
Work was interesting especially when learning new tasks. We rode our bikes, walked alot and took countless drives around the countryside. One of our favorite places was Virginia City, a living ghost town. Meaning that people still live there but most of the main street stores are closed and are kept exactly as they were when the doors closed for the last time decades ago. What a glimpse into the past! Even the bordello shacks and I mean shacks are still there.
Mike and Heather were a joy to work for and Sky and Nancy were a hoot! Sky has a wicked sense of humor, believe me I know, and Nancy is a quilter extrodanaire! I bought several baby quilts from her for my grandkids, in fact I need to get another one from her! Sky is an excellent chef so being invited to their camp for dinner or a BBQ was a real treat. Most evenings we would gather at the table outside their fifth wheel to drink wine and swap stories until the cool night air drove us indoors. We really miss the comaraderie we had that summer.
We left there at the end of our assignment only to return again for the summer of 2004. That summer both Jim and I worked the front desk as well as Sky and Nancy. We didn't have the same shifts so it made time together a little harder but at least we had the same days off.
Since West Yellowstone is about 90 miles from a larger city (West is only 950 people) we went every two weeks to do our shopping. Never once did we mind the drive because traveling through the canyon to Bozeman, MT was breathtaking. Once we stopped along the highway because a moose was running across the meadow right towards us. She came up on the road right by the car, looked at us and just walked down the road. Another time, there was a forest fire burning right down to the edge of the two lane highway so we had a pilot car take us past it. How weird, you could have poured your water bottle on the fire!
We have many wonderful memories of our time there. Between the two summers all 5 of our kids and their families came to visit us, we saw the play, Deadwood Dick, at the Playmill Theatre in West which you must see if you are ever there, great fireworks, huge oldtime car shows, good friends, etc.
We have also spent a few months there during two different winters. Lots of snow, cold temps, stunning winter scenery. What a great place, if you look at our pictures you will see some of the scenery and family visits. In your travels, make sure you plan lots of time to see not only Yellowstone National Park but its surrounding territory also!
Mike and Heather have sold that hotel but just purchased another one near Mt. Rushmore so we look forward to working for them again in the future! Spending more time with them, their son Ryan and the new baby due this coming July will be a real pleasure.
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