Best Places to Cool Off in North Central Montana This Summer – Our Top Five

My first suggestion would be Olson's Drug in beautiful, sunny downtown Conrad. Olson's has a real soda fountain and Pete McKeone knows how to make a GREAT ice cream soda which I feel is more or less a lost art these days. A real chocolate soda consists of hard vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, AND soda WATER. It's cooling, refreshing, and not filling on a hot summer afternoon.

Another place that is cool is Darrell's Dixie Inn on Highway 2 west of town. Back in the 70's, when Jimmy Carter asked Americans to turn the danged thermostat down, Darrell followed the instructions from the chief commander in chief and hasn't looked back since!

! If you enjoy taking a plunge, the Shelby swimming pool is the best! There's open swimming, lap swimming, water aerobics and there's a new handicap chairlift in the pool. Pool Parties are also available so everyone can have fun and cool off at the same time. There's even a wading pool for the young tadpoles 6 years of age and younger and also for handicapped children of all ages.

Another "cool" place is our beautiful Roxy Theatre in downtown Shelby. Talk about air conditioned comfort, spacious seating, and a relaxing respite during these dog days of summer.

The 5th place I would suggest is our KSEN Radio control room when I'm on the air. I like to keep the air conditioning blowing in there as cool as possible without freezing up the equipment. I've always felt that a "cool control room" forces one to work harder, think faster, and not become sleepy or sluggish when playing the slow ballad type songs of which I am so fond. It may be "Nappy Time" on the Puffman Show but try dozing off when ice crystals are forming on your cup of coffee. Have a happy and COOL summer!