The Cattle-ac ...

I'm a sucker for a great business name, especially one that involves a ridiculous pun. One of the best is in Miles City, Montana's self-proclaimed quintessential cowtown ... where a place called the "Cattle-ac" is a classic destination for an evening of dinner and drinks.

I visited the Cattle-ac in September 2005, in the company of a couple of English photographers I'd met earlier that day, and I jotted down a few notes about the evening afterwards:

The place was full of ranchers, listening to an Extension Agent or something talk about cattle vaccinations and such. I had a fine prime rib, and enjoyed some great conversation about photography, high-plains geography, European travel, and American politics. A drink at the adjacent saloon followed, and we were the last patrons to leave. It was a great evening, all in all ... a reminder of how fun and rewarding little encounters on the road can be.