Buffalo & actors

Day 4-Montana & Canada
We went to First People’s Buffalo Jump State Park and it was more developed than Madison. There was a new visitor’s center with really nice displays and stuff for kids. We were treated to a personal introductory talk by one of the rangers, who explained about jumps and how they were used. They had three taxidermied bison, one of which you could touch and she reassured us that none of them were wild but all from ranches. They also had a wolf skin that kids were allowed to put on for photos. I offered to take a pix of Scott with it on but he declined.
There was a walking trail to the top along the front face or a driving road around the side that went to the top of the bluff. I was getting tired so to conserve some energy for later, we opted for the road. At the top were some displays and a ginormous prairie dog town, much larger in area than the state park we had been to the previous day. It turns out that bison and prairie dogs live together well because the bison graze and trample the short grass making it easier for the dogs to see farther for predators and they also like to take dust baths in the mounds to protect themselves from bugs. The prairie dogs eat annual plants, thus encouraging the growth of perennials like buffalo grass and blue grama that the bison like to eat. Who knew? I thought the bison would just break their legs stepping in burrow holes, but apparently they are smarter than me.
During the “dog days” before the tribes had horses, this jump was used for harvesting buffalo by stampeding them to the edge so they fell over a cliff before they had time to realize and stop. Several herds of 75-100 animals grazed on top of this huge bluff and the buffalo runner focused on one herd. He was a teenage boy dressed in a calf skin who spent a couple days with the herd to identify the lead cow. If he could draw her towards the edge, the others would follow and his two teen mates in wolf skins lurked in the back of the herd to keep them moving to the edge. He dived over the cliff to a prearranged safe ledge or crevice where he hid as the herd thundered over to their deaths. Adult warriors also hid along the drive route to ensure the entire herd went over. Warriors at the bottom killed any animals still living and the women and children immediately began processing the animals’ meat, hide, bones, hooves, and organs, as the entire animal was used. The young buffalo runner became a man at once for his daring deed to help the tribe.
We loved the immense view from the top. We could see in all directions for miles and miles. I guess that’s why they call it Big Sky Country.

We left there and drove to the border where I got to use my very first passport as we entered Canada. We stopped to take pictures of Waterton in the distance.

Our destination was Cardston, in Southern Alberta, to visit Brian who is appearing for the summer at the Carriage House Theatre. We met him at the theatre for a quick behind-the-scenes tour, grabbed dinner during his call time, then saw the first show. It was called “Encore” and is performed three times during the summer by the full-time summer cast. They performed some group numbers from the summer plays and did some solo and small-group numbers in a showcase-type format, interspersed with short video clips of funny interviews of the cast members. Brian accompanied several numbers on the piano, including a Disney mash-up that he arranged that gave solo moments to each cast member, as well as three intermingled duets that included him singing while playing. It was awesome! The whole show was great with some fantastic talent and very fun to see.