![]() I forego a table at the Irish and western themed bar and shake the chill from my bones before bellying up to the bar. My recommended spot, a pizzeria and brewery, is overflowing with people so I walk further into downtown towards the Celtic Cowboy, my plan B. My ears burn. Walking at a brisk pace with head down the night air is my only companion on the deserted streets. Even with wearing a beanie and light gloves the -2 degree weather stings my hands and freezes the moisture in my nose. Too early to hit the lounge, I stroll towards downtown for dinner. We’re one big Instagram nation, fashion and trends spreading at speeds of 4Gs. Not only do we not say “You’re not in Kansas anymore” anymore, but I’m not sure Kansas even exists. ![]() The youth here and other parts of Montana aren’t much different than the youth of urban areas. ![]() I take a second to contemplate how much social media is changing things. The young lady behind the check-in counter sports a welcoming smile, small face piercing, and multiple tattoos. The adjoining restaurant is full and the motel buzzes with activity. As I check-in a small bachelorette party gathers in the lobby along with other guests mingling about. Built in 1962, the old style motor inn lies on the edge of downtown, serving both as attraction and inn for city visitors. The mermaids can be found at the Sip n Dip, the lounge of the O’Haire Motor Inn. After a few slip n dips of my own down wrong streets I finally find the motel. Here’s some advice- following a map on your phone while driving on ice-covered roads in a town that names its streets “6th St N” or “6th St SW” (two different streets) while only having an address for “6th St” is not recommended. I pull into G Funk (a nickname told to me by a former resident who “escaped” to Bozeman) and wind through the average looking city towards its surprisingly large downtown. In this wondrous landscape I search for the most unlikely of treasures: the mermaids of Montana. The town, barely visible in the distance above the snow blowing across the blacktop, rises above the white-filled wind magically remaining a constant few feet above the ground. Unlike the mountainous beauty found in the first two hours of my drive, the last thirty minutes traverses a vast, white, flat wasteland. The black, two-laned pavement floats on a never-ending, placid ocean of white snow feeling more moon than Montana, more planet Hoth than Earth. “We're having the one tonight get in a few times with a mask on, just because we can,” Thares said.Driving into Great Falls, Montana in the dead of winter westbound on Hwy 87 you can forgive yourself if you question what planet you are on. For now, the mermaids will get one four-hour shift per week. The first mermaid was scheduled to return to work on Wednesday night. “We were not trying to step on anyone's toes, we were just trying to put people back to work,” Thares said Wednesday. The Cascade County health department said no, believing pools couldn't reopen until the third phase of the gradual reopening of the state's economy.Īfter some back-and-forth in which the governor's office noted hotel pools could reopen for registered guests with social distancing guidelines, the county OK'd the mermaid entertainment as long as only one mermaid was in the pool at a time, Thares said. Sandra Thares said she emailed regulators for guidance on whether mermaid shows could resume. So as the owner of the O'Haire Motor Inn and the Sip 'n Dip Lounge in Great Falls began preparing to reopen the bar after eights weeks of coronavirus-related restrictions, she wanted things to be as close to normal as possible - and that included the underwater entertainment. For patrons at a Montana tiki bar that has a back wall of a window into a motel swimming pool, it's typical to see mermaids in the water five nights a week.
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