After a relaxing evening and an even more laid back morning in Livingston, Mont. -- and, for Ace, another encounter with a buffalo (this one mounted on the wall of the Murray Hotel) -- we're off for the final leg of our journey.

It's just three or four hours to Missoula from here, I'm told, depending on how fast one drives.

The Murray is an historic hotel, built around 1904, in downtown Livingston, which seems a town loaded with and friendly toward dogs. Almost every other person is walking one, or has two or three in their car. Ace met several of them on a morning walk, where we ended up at Coffee Crossing and had a cup. They keep a bowl of dog biscuits by the door, so Ace had several.

We dropped him off and left him breakfast in the room, then went to enjoy our own at the Northern Pacific Beanery, located in the Livingston train depot. It was filled with families on their way to or coming back from Yellowstone National Park. 

Then we checked out of the hotel, where Ace, somewhat out of character, spent the entire night on the ultra soft bed, as opposed to the original 1904 hardwood floors. We had a small but comfortable second-floor room at the Murray, which, despite a very unpretentious exterior -- down to the fading painted sign on the side of the building -- provided top notch lodgings.

Desk Manager Donna White showed us to our room, because only hotel staff are allowed to operate the original elevator, which was the first installed in Livingston. People at the adjacent bar used to get drunk and play in it she said, so they had to make it private.

The hotel and adjacent bar are popular with locals and visiting celebrities. Will Rogers, Buffalo Bill and Calamity Jane all stayed here. More recently Barbara Walters and one of the Quaid brothers (I forget which) spent the night (not together). Director Sam Peckinpah lived here for awhile.

The lobby is filled with mounted animal heads, which Ace was fascinated with. He whined at them and tried to get them to play, at first, then decided there were more interesting things around.

It's time to toss him back in the car now, and head out of Livingtson.

We'll leave you with a riddle, told by the little boy at the next table at breakfast.

Q. What did the buffalo say to his kid?

A. Bison (Bye, son)