Ski bums, river rats and smoke jumpers—you can't kick a hacky sack around here without hitting an adrenaline junkie.

Nestled between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks on the banks of the Clark Fork River, Missoula is an adventure mecca and it shows. From outfitters and guides to brew pubs and hot springs, thrill seeking behaviors are supported, respected and even celebrated here. Heck, there's a surf wave smack-dab in the middle of downtown and we watched a 12 year old girl carve it up while her mom coached from the river bank.

But Zoo Town's zeitgeist is way bigger than adventure sports and pursuit of stoke. None of the folks we met had a 9 to 5 job. Most had non-traditional living situations. Risk taking is deeply ingrained in the culture, dating back to the miners and pioneers who settled the area known as "Hell Gate."

So, we booked a whitewater raft trip through Alberton Gorge. When in Rome...

From what I hear, some of the rapids are the stuff of legends. At high water. Which this was not. While the scenery was spectacular, the risk level was fairly low, so we accepted an offer of hospitality from an old friend and drove our 26' box of moving parts a dozen or so miles up an unpaved road to a modest homestead in the hills above Missoula. As I write this entry, a large mammal is making what can only be described as "warning noises" just outside my window. Welcome to Montana.

Stay: There are few thrills to be had at Jim & Mary's RV Park. It is cute as a button and landscaped with flowers grown from seed and as lovingly cared for as the rest of the facilities. The only knock against it is its location, within sight of a major truck stop and 10 miles out of town. Camping did seem to be tolerated, if not officially so, at the city parking lot near Kiwanis Park.