Mark’s Personal History of Beer

"I like beer. It makes me a jolly good fellow.' - Tom T Hall.

Today I'm getting away from anything political in my blog and it's a topic I'm knowledgeable about: beer.

I've always liked drinking one brand. The first beer that I stuck with was "whatever's on sale". But I've had stints with Olympia, Strohs, Corona, Bud Light Lime, Michelob Light, Ice House, and Coors Light.

I grew up in Montana when many parents (mine included) would just go for a Sunday drives that turned into an afternoon-long "bar hop." They would give us kids quarters to play pool or pinball because video games hadn't been invented yet.

I half to laugh when I talk to younger generations about drinking and driving and how different it is looked at today than it was when I was a kid in the 70s.

The photo is a nice little surprise that was left in my pickup yesterday. Nothing says true friendship like finding 120 cans of beer in your vehicle.

Going back to the summer of 1988, our first year as Cat Country, I was given a case of beer. I had been doing some promotions with the Coors distributor and the salesman was Jim Rex. He wanted to thank me for my help and did so with a CASE of Coors Light. Much appreciated.

My little brother, John, passed 10 days before our Flakes trip seven years ago. He didn't drink alcohol and I always teased him about it. In one of the last conversations that we had at Peace Hospice in Great Falls, he asked me to do some things. He said, "Don't be sad for me and still go on your trip." I said, "OK, what else?" John smiled and said, "I want you to go find a place on the water and play Luke Bryan's "Drink A Beer" and remember me.

So every year I invite whoever would like to join me and we give him a cheers. Nice tradition.