A series of fantastic events began at Great Northern Brewing Company.

     Surrounded by the majestic Rockies and nestled just outside Glacier National Park, Whitefish is home to my favorite beer, Going to the Sun IPA.  Named after the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier Park, this light and refreshing IPA sings of thirst quenching citrus hops.  The Montana-made popular American-style IPA is only one of Great Northern Brewing's masterpieces.  Check out a menu and descriptions.

     The Drought House, located at the Great Northern Brewery, has a variety to offer: tours of the brewery, amuse, merchandise, and brews to-go.  The structure is large, spacious, and a forum for adventurous adults, offering darts, shuffleboard, and baggo. It is renown for being the tallest building in Whitefish, Montana; it may be the tallest, but the open-top-floor at Casey's surely rivals (continue reading)!


     I took a quick trot from Kalispell to Whitefish one summer afternoon, and intended to grab a quick bite and enjoy a scenic drive through Glacier Park.  Finding and entering The Drought House was easy, the quaint town and cozy atmosphere pushed me through the line of patrons and tourists like I was a native.  I knew I loved the IPA but wanted to sample the array.  I had no idea my plans for an afternoon in Glacier would be terminated upon the meeting of two unique individuals.

     David, Cassie, and I were three strangers with one destiny; to drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road on Saturday afternoon....and end up at Great Northern Brewery. It's even more strange how we struck up a conversation, communicated fluently and shared the same ideas, even David and Cassie (also strangers to each other) had fathers in the same small Minnesota town.  It was beyond irony that three similar souls should have a same destination on the same weekend and yet end up on the same alternate route.  How the stars align!

     After ordering a sampler of five beers of my choice (3 oz each), the three of us shared the scrumptious and satisfying Bighorn Nachos.  Cassie had a wholesome grilled cheese sandwich, David the Galaxy Burrito, and I chose a delicate selection of veggies on a plate with hummus.  The menu at GNBC is simple and small, but offers and impressive variety to compliment the drafts.

     The afternoon slipped past as three unlikely characters hashed through the worlds issues, solved global warming, ended the slave trade, and indeed proved the Kevin Bacon effect.  We consumed our 48 ounces (per Montana State law) in a conversationally engrossing five hours time and were persuaded to move our assembly to an unsuspecting crowd...the local fair, where we moshed in the beer gardens and indulged in more of our favorite MT brew.

     Obviously a drive on Going-to-the-Sun was long forgotten and we needed to make last-minute arrangements for a place to crash.  I considered Couchsurfing, but didn't want to leave my comrades; thank you booking.com!  Although there are many amazing accommodations around Whitefish, we received a great deal and were lucky enough for transportation arrangements with Best Western Rocky Mountain Lodge.

     We knew that the night was still fresh when three young men approached Cassie for directions to a local dance club.  As is typical in Whitefish on a steamy summer weekend, tourists prowled the streets, hopped bars, and if they were as hearty as we six, ended up with a mob of dancers at Casey's. Atop poles, on stage, and even rocking out on the fire-lit rooftop, travelers conversed with strangers, made new friends, and gazed upon the star-strung sky.

     All too soon the party came to a close, but our friendship only began to unfold.  The three of us walked through downtown Whitefish in the middle of the night, telling stories and memories, conversing in depth about what we longed for from life, sharing things our friends and family would never know. After a renewed sense of self, and watching a serene sunrise, we mozied to our rooms and caught some sleep.
   
     It was at Loula's where we regained consciousness with a most delicious breakfast, and devised a plan to share the Going-to-the-Sun road trip.  After all, who wants to drive the most gorgeous 50 mile roadway in the Northwestern USA alone?  We set out for Glacier Park in David's car and stopped many times to inhale the exhilarating mountain air.


     I learned who the Billy Goats are, Cassie and David's ears throbbed through my three favorite Volbeat songs, and we praised the courageous workers who risked their lives to carve that crazy road out of a mountain side.  And that was end of our absolutely spontaneous 24 hour excursion (but not the end of our story)..all made possible by that beer I call my favorite, Going to the Sun.