Category Archives: Uncategorized

Former tourists grateful to be locals

Posted on December 24, 2022 by CharliesTrail

For the past several years, my wife, Kari, and I have come to Jefferson County to soak at Boulder Hot Springs Inn, Spa and Retreat Center. We’ve celebrated birthdays and anniversaries here. The water and the intimate nature of the … Continue reading →

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Road to Joy: Seattle duo inspired by Boulder waitress

Posted on November 23, 2022 by CharliesTrail

It was a quiet February day in Boulder when Sarah Brunner, Tyler McGinnis and two friends sat down for a meal at the Elkhorn Bistro. Brunner and McGinnis, Seattle musicians who recently formed The Hipocrats, rented out a cabin at … Continue reading →

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‘Learning to fly’ — and feeling right at home

Posted on September 18, 2022 by CharliesTrail

At a recent gathering in eastern Montana I ran into friend and lead guitar player Mark Iwaniak, who lives in Butte. I’d been looking forward to seeing Mark – with whom I’ve played shows through the years – to tell … Continue reading →

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Remembering Jim “Mighty Big” Devine

Posted on September 12, 2022 by CharliesTrail

The passing of Jim Devine has been a tremendously difficult loss for me, as we were brothers in harmony. We were songwriters and performers together. We were kindred spirits. These are the hardest friends to lose. I’m still processing his … Continue reading →

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Why I’m returning to journalism

Posted on July 9, 2022 by CharliesTrail

It’s good to be back. For more than a decade I was a reporter for twice-weekly Montana newspapers in Glendive and Lewistown. Before that, I was regularly contributing to one publication or another. Journalism consumed me. Looking back, it was … Continue reading →

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Show stoppers

Posted on June 30, 2021 by CharliesTrail

“You pretend I’m Laura and I’ll pretend you’re Christian,” Jamie said, putting her hand on my thigh and leaning into me as we watched a production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at an outdoor theater on the coast of … Continue reading →

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Remembering (and celebrating) Kobe’s greatness

Posted on May 20, 2021 by CharliesTrail

On May 15, 2021, Kobe Bryant was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Below is an entry I wrote in my journal shortly before the coronavirus changed all our lives. Here is updated version of a journal … Continue reading →

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All aboard the “Zhu Choo”

Posted on November 27, 2020 by CharliesTrail

During the pandemic, ZHU, an electronic dance musician and Grammy-nominated recording artist, has made it a mission to “bring people to a place where they’ve never been.” He’s streamed from the mountains of western Japan, the sand dunes of southwestern … Continue reading →

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Choosing happiness in a time of uncertainty

Posted on May 22, 2020 by CharliesTrail

Looking for something upbeat? Based on the novel by French writer Francois Lelord, “Hector and the Search for Happiness” is a fitting watch for the moment, as it takes the viewer on a journey to discover what it means to … Continue reading →

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Paying tribute to Grandpa, the most grateful man I’ve known

Posted on April 21, 2020 by CharliesTrail

On Saturday, April 18, my grandfather Marshall Cheek Kidd passed away. He had just turned 97, and, for the first time, was really starting to feel his age. The life of the party was slowing down, both physically and mentally. … Continue reading →

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