Monday July 28-Tuesday August 5, 2008 Vancouver, WA

Monday July 28-Tuesday August 5, 2008 Vancouver, WA

 Our visit with the Webster’s was a little different than in the past. We saw more of Mike and less of Carol. Between work schedules and other commitments that’s how the visit went this time around.

I got to spend some quality time with my niece Mandy and her family which I completely loved. They live in a beautiful house that Mike built for them on a lot behind Carol and Mikes place. It made for convenient visiting.

Bruce made arrangements to see many of his former work buddies from HP one evening. Although group gatherings don’t allow for much one on one, he was happy to see each person.

We were also able to spend a relaxing evening with our friends Rhea and Guy Bohlin whom we’ve known from church since 1983. We had dinner with Rhea’s Mom while in Wisconsin earlier on this trip. I had to pass on a promised “hug!”

Early into our Vancouver stay,  I received a phone call from our first next door neighbor in Vancouver, Karen Keefer. She shared the devastating news of her son’s death in a plane crash in Minnesota. He was a pilot and apparently had problems while landing.  He, his copilot and six passengers were killed. Peace comes in knowing that he loved his work and told his folks that he couldn’t believe that he was being paid for doing it!

Because the stay was short and we had some commitments, we were unable to visit with all of the other friends that we had hoped to look up. You know who you are and for now, we’ll have to plan a visit the next go around. I didn’t even get into Portland to snoop, but instead opted to spend a day at Yale Lake with my sister, nieces and their kids the last day of our stay. It was a lovely time together!

On an unrelated topic, while in Vancouver I finished reading the book, The Shack. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest or questions about our spiritual side...it might be life changing or even world changing! There are parts that might seem slow, but stick with it. It's worth it!

Sunday July 27, 2008 White Salmon, WA

Sunday July 27, 2008 White Salmon, WA

OK, I have to make a confession. Bruce and I crossed over to the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge today to 1) have a better road to drive on and 2) stop for lunch in the Dalles at Burgerville USA!

For those of you that do not know about this drive-in restaurant, it is a northwest icon, green friendly, rated as one of the best places to work, only serves fresh, in season food and makes the best Tillamook cheeseburger, Walla Walla sweet onion rings and fresh berry shakes... only in the summer months.

Much to our disappointment, someone miscalculated on the onion ring preparations, so they were out! Because we had our dog with us, we had to eat outside. It was so windy that our bag of food went flying off the table spilling the fries (didn’t need them anyway!). At that very moment a man seated at a nearby table yelled out, “Oh no! That bird just pooped on my lunch!”

With that we packed up and continued our drive west. Although the view of the wind surfers on the river was entertaining, I had to keep my eyes on the road. Severe head winds from the west made our gas mileage plummet and at one point the gauge read 6.6mpg. I told Bruce that he might as well roll down the window and throw dollar bills out!


We opted to cross back over onto the Washington side of the Gorge hoping that the hills above the river’s bank would act as a wind block. We crossed at the Hood River Bridge which had a 15 mph speed limit because it is so narrow!...That speed is OK if you are riding a bike but not OK when you’re pulling a trailer.  With an open-grated metal road bed, the ride across the water was a bit scary!

Once on the other side, we found our campground and checked in. The grounds were tidy and the place was filled with a long list of rules. With the all too familiar sound of Burlington Northern trains rolling past our site and the testy personality of the manager, we spent one night and moved on into Vancouver to stay with my sister Carol and her husband Mike.

Thurs.-Sat. July 24-26, 2008

Friday and Saturday July 25, 26, 2008 - Ellensburg, WA

We’re staying put for a couple of days. It’s very windy here which isn’t compatible with Bruce’s fly fishing. We’re camped right along a good catch and release river (Yakima River) and so he can’t resist at least trying.  This afternoon some fellow campers across the way offered to take him out in their drift boat, so he took them up on it.

I’m hunkered down in the trailer (I took as much wind and dust as I could) reading a very interesting book, The Shack, by Paul Young.  I was out this morning to the local Farmers Market which I thoroughly enjoyed! Such nice people with organic fruits and vegetables…not to mention baked goodies by Mennonite women.

Tomorrow we’re off to White Salmon, WA which sits on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge, not too far east of Vancouver.

Thursday July 24, 2008 - Ellensburg, WA

The 185 mile drive went very smooth and I have to say that when I saw the Columbia River and Mt Rainer in the distance, I got a little choked up. I felt a great sense of relief that we had finally made it to some place familiar…even though I’ve enjoyed the freedom and uncertainty of our travel destinations. Did that make sense???

We settled into our first KOA campground of this trip. The camp sits on the banks of the Yakima River, in the shade of pine and cottonwood trees. There’s plenty of lawn, so Maizy is thrilled to have a place to roll on her back and scratch a little.


Bruce went out this afternoon and bought his first Washington State fishing license as an out of state resident! ($20 for two days or $40 for the season) If fishing is good, we may be here until Sunday. If that is the case I will be making a trip into town on Saturday to visit their Farmers Market (our first one of this trip). Word has it that there is a jazz festival in town this weekend as well. Sounds good to me!

I am beginning to review the goals that I made and the things that I had wanted to accomplish on this trip. When it comes to completing the four books that I am partially into, I have failed miserably!!! Tomorrow is another day and hopefully I can change things by the end of the trip.

I am finding great enjoyment in reading magazines and consumer report publications on remodeling kitchens and bathrooms. I’m preparing myself for the onset of work and projects once we move into our new house. Problematic design situations are challenges that I love to solve.

Wednesday July 23, 2008 Spokane, WA

Wednesday July 23, 2008 - Spokane, Washington

Whoo-Hoo!!! We have made it into the Pacific Time zone and into Washington State! Thank you, Lord!

Our drive was gorgeous going through the Cabinet Mountains, into the Priest River Valley of Idaho and on into Spokane. The only thing lacking in today’s travel was a “welcome sign” at the Washington border!!! Nothing!

We will be staying in Spokane for one night and have even left our trailer hooked up to the truck for the night. Upon checking in Bruce was told that there was to be an ice cream social tonight which he was thrilled about. Unlike the last one in North Dakota, this one was free and they provide bowls and spoons.

Also, we were given a farm map of the area. It’s pretty cool and has a calendar showing what fruits and vegetables are in season during any given month of the year. The camp host said that Rainier cherries were ripe and “pretty darn good” this year and available as “you pick” for $1.00 per pound!!! I have only seen them in grocery stores for $5.99 a pound, so that’s a bargain if you had the time. I’m thrilled to get back into a produce producing area again. Unfortunately Florida was not the agricultural giant that I thought it would be.

When we got settled Bruce gave a call to a colleague that he worked with at HP down in Palo Alto in 1978. He had taken a transfer to Spokane about the same time that we took our transfer to Vancouver. They had a great conversation and hoped to reconnect in California during a business trip.

Today we made the decision not to cross the steep pass of the Northern Cascade range.  It was too stressful an unknown.  Our truck has been carrying its maximum load for four months and we just felt led to not cross the pass. We had hoped to visit friends in the Seattle area but will do that another time.

Mon/Tues. July 21-22, 2008 - Libby, Montana

Once again we broke camp and headed west to the town of Libby, Montana. The town was small and felt as though it had seen better days. The community was situated along the Kootenai River which was quite large and wide. It’s path had cut in between thickly forested hills and the Cabinet Mountains which separate Montana and Idaho.

In 1968 the US Army Corp of Engineers completed building the large Kootenai River Dam and hydroelectric power plant. A few years back a large lumber mill closed its operation leaving the town desperate for survival. Many people had relocated to this beautiful area and chose to stay and make a new living. Some struggled and were forced to leave. Many buildings stand empty as silent reminders of better times. We were told that some mining operations for gold and silver had started up with hopes that new technologies wound uncover precious metals that were overlooked in past attempts.


 

Bruce's second cousin and his wife (Bill and Cathy Silva) live in a lovely mobile home on 5 acres above the river. We were able to go out to their place and visit two evenings after their work. Bruce had not seen Bill for over 30 years so they were able to swop childhood memories and go through old pictures albums…adding more
information for the family tree!

Sunday July 20, 2008 Canyon RV Hungry Horse, MT

Sunday July 20, 2008 Canyon RV Hungry Horse, MT
 At 12:30 am we were still awake and were startled by a huge community horn going off. We had been hearing fireworks or gun shots in the distance earlier in the evening and were mystified as to the meaning of the alarm.  Although it was a clear night with a full moon, it was very dark in the wooded area. We couldn't imagine what the siren was for.  Suddenly we heard sirens in the distance. Could it be a forest fire and the alarm was to call for volunteer fire-fighters? Could there be a problem at the dam? It’s now gone off three times. Bruce has left in the truck to go investigate. The hosts in the campground are no where to be found. Stay tuned for an update.

Bruce just got back and found out that the emergency teams (fire, police, and ambulance) are staffed through volunteer efforts by community members. The quickest way to alert people is to use the large horn. There had been a big accident out on the main road and he said that it looked bad. God have mercy on the people involved and their families.

Late in the afternoon we went up to our friends campsite with dinner to share. I feel very fortunate to have gone out with them on Friday to enjoy the solitude of the lake and do the huckleberry picking. We arrived to the National Park about 4pm and there was a line of trucks with boat trailers out on the main road that must have stretched for a half of a mile. The campground itself was fairly compact and there is no extra room for guests or boat trailers. We could hear the sound of boats and jet skies out on the water. I can’t blame them…it was a warm 95 degrees and the water looked delicious! We left our things at their camp and took our dog down to the lake for a swim. By the time that we returned, our friends were back as well.

As we studied the road atlas and gave them tips of what they might want to visit on the east coast, we enjoyed a bottle of wine with smoked salmon from the northwest. I had marinated flank steak to be BBQ’d and served it with a wonderful shiitake mushroom sauce. We served that with a pasta dish, tossed salad and a huckleberry pie that I picked up for dessert. It was an enjoyable visit and a farewell filled with love and appreciation for the wonderful time that they had shared with us in both Helena and the beautiful area around Glacier. It was now their time to head back to Helena to put things into storage and venture onto their nine month journey across the US.

We wished the four of them safe travels and hoped to keep in touch through email and their blog.

Great friends, great food, great fun!...memories to be shared always!

Saturday July 19, 2008 Canyon RV, Hungry Horse, MT

Saturday July 19, 2008 Canyon RV Hungry Horse, MT

Stayed around the campground fishing, reading, writing and cooking. I went down the road to the Huckleberry Patch to pick up a pie and some small regional gifts. Tomorrow night we will be going to the Whitney campground with dinner to share and to say our good-byes.

Friday July 18, 2008 Hungry Horse, MT

Friday July 18, 2008 Hungry Horse, Montana

We were told that serious huckleberry pickers need to get up and out early, and that we did! We were up and out of camp by 8am to meet with the Whitney family at their campsite at 8:30am. We were going to be boarding two boats and traveling up the lake about 20 miles.

The Whitney’s have been doing this their entire lives and have their favorite secret places to pick huckleberries. Gary’s Dad worked for the Montana Fish and Game Dept. Gary’s parents had three sons, each of which was exposed to this beautiful state and its natural wonder.

Hungry Horse Lake was a man made reservoir that had a hydroelectric power plant below a dam. The after bay waters fed into the middle fork of the Flathead River. The National Park system has set up primitive campgrounds (pit toilets and water) around the 50 mile perimeter of the lake. They also have set up some camping sites on the Islands that dot the lake. It is strictly a pack in, pack out situation. Everyone seems to respect the rules because the area is clean and litter free.


The eight of us (plus two dogs) took off in two boats, filled with supplies for picking, picnic makings, beverages and high hopes. There were no guarantees on whether there would be a crop to pick…its all luck and timing.

The boat ride was brisk and beautiful. The skies were clear, blue and reflected in the glass like lake water. Evergreen trees high on the mountain peaks seemed to march to the waters edge, showing no scars of logging…just thick shades of green. Small forest fires from lightening strikes appeared in a couple of areas. The distinctive aftermath of brown evergreens from tree beetles was not apparent.

The boats were beached at the first Island about 10:30am. Everyone grabbed old empty tin coffee cans, which had metal wire handles. The handle of the cans had rope tied to them that could be cinched tightly around the waist. That way, hands were free to pick the berries and place them in the can...or in your mouth!

As I watched and followed what others were doing, they all seemed to suddenly scatter into the woods laughing and having high hopes of a good pick. I on the other hand had no clue what wild huckleberry plants looked like and having some fear of picking the wrong thing and being poisoned, I needed a little coaching. Gary and his Mom helped by pointing out a plant and told me to be sure and turn over the leaves because the "little buggers" grew underneath as well.

Gary’s brother Neil packed along a pistil, in the event that a bear should wonder into our territory. Although a bear would have to swim across to an Island, it took little convincing that I was going to be within sight of others while picking! Bruce stayed with the boats at the beach, fishing and watching out for our dog.

Once I got the technique down, I was having the time of my life. Pretty soon voices drifted off and I lost sight of the others. I found myself basking in the warmth and solitude of my harvest. There was something very spiritual and rejuvenating about my time alone. I had no fear of getting lost, being hurt or running into a bear. I thought about Indians and pioneers who shared this land and the abundance of it. I thought about how I would preserve the berries and what I might make out of them in order to share them with others. I thought about God and how totally awesome he had been to share this experience with me. I thought about my Dad and how much he loved to pick berries in the summertime.

Time passed and I felt free, refreshed and at peace in nature.

The quietness broke two hours later with Bruce’s voice calling me for lunch. Everyone else had gathered near the boats and had a roaring fire started to cook “redneck” sausages for lunch. We all sat and shared hot dogs, chips, drinks, fruit, cookies and berry picking stories.

At lunch, I found out more about picking techniques and the variety of huckleberries. I had only been picking purple ones, passing over anything else, thinking that they would be too sour. It turned out that there were “red huckleberries” that everyone seemed excited at finding. Oh well, I would know better at our next stop.

After putting the fire out and reloading the boats, we were off to the second Island. It was a smaller Island and so plentiful with berries that we all picked near one another and were unable to pick them all.  After a total of 5 hours of picking, I was tiring along with everyone else. Some went for a swim (67 degree water), some took a bath and the kids played with our dog. The setting was so picturesque that I crawled into the boat to rest and just to marvel at the scenery.

Our final stop was to Round Top Island. The Island had steep banks and very thick vegetation. Gary and his brother scouted out the berry situation and reported back that it was not very good. We jointly decided to call it a day and head back to the Whitney camp for “happy hour!”


Upon our return, a campfire was started as we all sat around having something to drink and snack on. We were convinced (forced :0) to stay for a lovely dinner of BBQ pork loin, spinach salad, pesto pasta and beans. We opted to leave before dessert as it was getting late. As we packed up, I handed Bruce a small green baggie to “take care of” as I grabbed the dog and her things.

When we got to the truck, Bruce said with his hands in his jacket pocket, “Is there pork in this baggie, because it's still warm!” I burst out laughing saying, “No Bruce, its dog poop and you were suppose to take care of it!” Ahhh, nothing like a good laugh!

Thursday July 17, 2008 Hungry Horse, Montana

Thursday July 17, 2008 Hungry Horse, Montana

Not much to write about, as today was a lazy day...taking care of business and relaxing. Bruce went down to the Flathead River for a couple of hours and caught two nice sized cut throat trout for dinner. I wondered into town to find internet access for banking and blog purposes. On the way back to camp, I stopped at a shop that advertised huckleberry pies. After yesterdays disappointment, I was on the hunt for a good one. We shared a slice after dinner and I would not hesitate in saying that it was the "best huckleberry pie" that I have had. For any of you that are curious, the workers assured me that they will happily pack and ship any of their huckleberry products to you! http://www.huckleberrypatch.com/


The campground began filling up for the weekend. Tomorrow we will go up into the National Park around Hungry Horse Lake and join up with friends. We need to be up there a 8 am in order to boat 20 miles up the lake to an Island where we will do wild huckleberry picking. I do hope that the berries are ripe. If not it will be a nice ride anyway. Our dog is invited.

Wednesday July 16, 2008 Glacier National Park

Wednesday July 16, 2008 Glacier National Park

After a few morning sprinkles Bruce and I decided to spend the day in Glacier National Park. What a beautiful area and a beautiful day.

My Dad and Mom had taken our family of seven camping there in the 1960's. We had a 16 foot green and white Santa Fe trailer pulled by our lavender metallic ’57 Chevy station wagon.

I remember my Dad having a sleepless night before we were going to drive up "the Road to the Sun." It was the shortest route for us to get up into Canada. Then and now it is a two lane, very steep road. Bruce and I had heard that because of heavy snow fall and winter damage to the road, the road had just recently been cleared and opened over July 4th weekend.

I packed a picnic and we took off mid morning. West Glacier was where we paid our $25 entrance fee for a seven day pass. Lake MacDonald was our first turnout. There we had a spectacular view of the mountains across the lake that we would later climb with our truck. The water was crystal clear and calm. The road followed the shoreline giving breath taking views between the evergreens. A pullout a few miles down had an informational plaque of the 2003 forest fires in the park. Dead trees stood as silent reminders of the lightening strike and thousands of acres of charred devastation.

The climb up Logan Pass (the “Road to the Sun”) was exactly as I remembered, except that they now forbid trailers, motor homes or bicycles of any kind on the road. The sheer drop off our right side of the road was bordered by a low rock wall (like that would help!?) and the view to the valley below was not something for the faint-of-heart to see!

As we continued to climb, the paved road suddenly turned to gravel, then to one lane and then to a stop! Although I had pictured a picnic along some quiet mountain stream, we ended up having lunch in the truck while waiting for our turn to move forward.

The Logan Pass summit was phenomenal and still had some snowy glaciers. There were people carrying snow shoes and cross country skis up into the back country for a days outing. One pullout allowed for us to walk up to a scenic lookout. We took our dog with us to inspect the snow which was quite foreign and different from the sands of Florida beaches! Right along the walkway to the lookout there was a mother and baby mountain goat grazing on some grass. They seemed unusually tame to allow people to quietly watch them so close.


Dark afternoon clouds rolled up over the peaks, so we finished our summit visit and moved on. With summer arriving late in the altitudes, the alpine meadows were filled with every color of wild flowers imaginable. I had to stop several times to take pictures.

Nature is so full of life, excitement and positive energy. I just feel alive being surrounded by it.


Rather than backtrack, we chose to take the longer route back to our campground through the East Glacier side and the Blackfoot Indian Reservation. The landscape of the east side was open range and rolling prairie land.















We had been told by a former camping neighbor that we had to stop in the town of Browning to try the “best huckleberry pie” in the world! We needed to stretch our legs by that point and went into the bakery to buy a slice to share. Bruce and I took one bite and knew that we had been misinformed!!! It tasted like a combination of red Jell-O mixed with sour huckleberries and then dumped into a tough pie shell. We paid $4.75 for the slice!!! I should have been tipped off when a woman from the adjoining restaurant came into the bakery in a panic, saying that she needed to locate a dishwasher immediately…Good help and talented cooks in remote areas must be hard to find!

Tuesday July 15, 2008 White Fish, Montana

Tuesday July 15, 2008 - White Fish, Montana

Bruce checked the truck tires this morning and decided that it would be best to have the front tires looked at. We drove into the little town of Columbia Falls, MT and spotted a "Les Schwab" tire dealership right away. We had really good service with them while living in Washington State, so we decided to have them do a tire check. (That’s one nice thing about this move is that we have familiar things to return too!) Upon inspection it was determined that it would be best to replace the front tires with new ones, but rotate the rear ones onto the front. Within 45 minutes we were on our way.

A visit to White Fish, MT was our next stop. It was a shaded town that felt both rustic and refined. There were cute cafes and fine eateries, a micro brewery, a homemade chocolate shop, trendy and tourist boutiques and anything else that visitors might be attracted too.

A huge train yard in the middle of town seemed to be a likely reason for why the town came into existence…things coming in and out of Montana’s northwest region as trade or commerce brought big fortune to the area.

There is a huge lake…aptly named, White Fish Lake that reminded us of Lake Sammamish east of Bellevue, Washington. Thickly forested hills seemed to visually plunge into the clear water. The city park was buzzing with beach and boat activities. With the Big Mountain ski resort shadowing the lower elevations, it was apparent that this town has something for everyone and every season.

Quaint railroad cottages contrasted with huge log homes, yet seemed to share in their enjoyment of the beautiful waterfront and the magnificent mountains that surround it. People seemed to be outside enjoying the sunny warmth and nature…a lovely spot to be rejuvenated!

Monday July 14, 2008, Hungry Horse, Montana

Monday July 14, 2008 Hungry Horse, Montana

We left the town of Polson, Montana this morning to head north along the western shore of Flathead Lake. About noon we arrived in Kalispell.

While visiting Bruce’s cousin, Vicki in Minnesota, she told me about a wall hanging of hers that really caught my eye. She had bought it from a man who had begun to salvage old sheep and cattle ranch fence posts from Montana and recycle them into pieces of art. Each one is unique and has a piece of barbed wire hanging from it. I wrote down the information about the artist, noted that he was from Montana and then promptly lost the piece of paper! Last night I found it and was thrilled to read that he lived in Kalispell!!!

So, with the wonders of our GPS we drove out to his workshop. We luckily found he and his wife at home packing to leave on a trip back to their home state of Iowa the next morning. Meant to be!

After a small purchase we were off to grab a bite to eat and get back on the road to White Fish, Montana. As we approached the town, we could easily see the huge winter ski runs on a mountain facing south. The runs were green with grass and looked as if there was a run for every ability level.

My good friend and old roommate Susanne and her family have vacationed in the area for years and now have a vacation condo there. I can now see why. It is an area that has something going on during every season of the year. Because we had the trailer in tow, we opted to return another day when our truck would be easier to maneuver.

We found a nice campground along the north fork of the Flathead River near Hungry Horse Reservoir. The Ponderosa Pines in the park added a distinguishing “camping” scent which we thoroughly enjoyed. Bruce hiked down to the river and said that it was a gorgeous, clear turquoise…not the cloudy blue of many glacial waterways. We are 8 miles from the west entrance to Glacier National Park.


Once settled, we drove up beyond the dam at Hungry Horse to scope out National Park campgrounds for our friends that are coming up on Thursday. Although they have typically camped in primitive National Park campgrounds in the area, they are pulling a new 5th wheel and have concerns about the access roads. Without generator power and water, we’ll stay put in this campground and connect during the day.

Somehow my family survived fine camping without the conveniences of electricity, water and sewer…I just don’t remember how!?? …port-a-potty…bags hung from a toilet seat on a stand?... kerosene lanterns, white gas stoves that you had to pump to prime before lighting, and showers in the bathrooms, if you’re lucky or spit baths at the campsite accomplished by boiling water and cleaning up behind a draped sheet on a clothesline!?? Ahhhhh, the good old days!

There were bear warnings everywhere. Luckily while in Kalispell, we picked up a canister of bear pepper spray. Our campground has barbed wire around the perimeter, except where the trail descends to the river. I think we’ll be safe.

One thing that I have been enjoying again is the longer summer days in the north. Sunset has been around 9:30pm and doesn’t get dark until 10pm…more to enjoy!

Sunday July 13, 2008 Polson, Montana

Sunday July 13, 2008 Polson, Montana

Summer has arrived in this beautiful Flathead Lake community of Polson, Montana. There was a certain quietness to the morning air that made me think that it was “going to be a hot one” today, and right I was…95 degrees to be exact…a very tolerable heat with little humidity and an occasional breeze to cool the sweat off ones brow.

Distant shouts and laughter could be heard from swimmers at the city beach across Flathead River from us. Boat engines revving up for a day of pulling skiers and wake boards across the cool waters of the lake could be heard as well. The clear, blue lake is 28 miles long, so there is plenty of room for any water sport activist to enjoy.

This fertile lake valley is famous for cherries and wheat. An annual cherry festival is held the end of July.  As the summer heats the valley,  green wheat turns to golden waves of grain before harvesting.

Bruce and I ventured up river from our campground to see Kerr Dam. It was actually only a couple of miles away. I hiked down to the view point to get a few pictures and as I descended I kept thinking that this will be a much harder hike to get back out. There were 353 steps and numerous ramps to go down and to climb back up on the return trip out. I was panting by the time that I saw the truck, but felt good to get a little cardio exercise!

We then drove down to the after bay of the dam where the hydroelectric power plant sits. The electric company did a nice job of developing a lovely lawn and shade area for the public to enjoy along with a great launching site for white water rafters. The river was clear and blue like the lake and was a beautiful contrast to the sandstone cliffs above.

Saturday July 12, 2008 Polson, Montana

Saturday July 12, 2008 - Polson, Montana

Nothing like a brisk morning to get you up and about! I knew that the temperature had dropped when I got up in the middle of the night to add a sweat shirt to my PJ ensemble! Burrrrrr! I looked over at our thermometer which glowed in the dark and saw a whopping 36 degrees staring back at me!!! By the time that we got out of bed at 9am it had warmed up to a balmy 65 degrees. The cold snap had passed.

We broke camp after breakfast and ventured up the road through Missoula and into the Mission
Valley of Montana's western region. Little towns like Pablo, Ronan and St. Ignatius dotted the rural countryside of the fertile basin. Magnificent peaks bordered the farmland as we criss-crossed over the Clark River while moving northward. Once again our heavy tow slowed us to a crawl over mountain passes, but allowed us to enjoy the scenery a little longer.

We are beginning to see more and more license plates from California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. We have definitely arrived in the west, with more people showing a certain curiosity for our Florida license plates...like, "what are you doing all the way up here?" ...Everyone has a story.

The town of Polson, Montana was our destination and sits at the southwest entrance to Flathead Lake. The lake itself is the largest lake west of the Mississippi River. The Lake is the shared homeland of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Each road sign had both the English and Tribal words spelled out which was kind of cool!

As we made our way down the last hill on Hwy 93, we could see the beautiful turquoise waters of the lake, and the backdrop of the steep Mission Mountains and Ponderosa Pines (the state tree) of the area.

The campground was a cement RV timeshare with a few overnight sites available for a premium price. The park sits on a cliff with a steep path down to the river where a dock is available for use. 

The area was good for boaters, but not for fly fishing or people wanting a more natural setting. The best thing about the RV park is it's short walking distance across a bridge and into the town of Polson...and that means exercise and OK...maybe ice cream for Bruce!

Thursday July 10, 2008 Garrison, Montana

Today is my Dad-o’s birthday. He would have been 85 years old. I miss him terribly and am selfishly sad today. He was a man that loved camping and the out of doors. He taught me about nature and the respect of all living things. I am doing what he had always wanted to do in his retirement, but didn't. 

I have been traveling this journey with his picture next to our daughter’s in a frame on our table. They are all with us each day in thought and prayer…but today, my heart aches to have my Dad with me sitting along the river with the magnificent Montana mountains in the back ground…just visiting like we loved to do together. Although he is not with me physically, he is in my heart forever…and with that he IS on this journey too! (PS...picture of us taken in '04)

The weather report warned that high wind gusst will blow into the region by noon today and subside by tomorrow morning. Our campsite could not be extended in Helena, so we packed up and drove west to Garrison. Getting there was fairly easy minus a 6400 ft pass that we had to climb!!! But we made it, following an oil truck at 20mph. I didn't mind getting behind someone like that. I can blame the slow speed on them, when in reality I might not be able to travel any faster myself!!! Ha!

We were in a lovely campground along the Little Blackfoot River where the Clark River intersects. The winds indeed blew hard all afternoon, so I used the time to do laundry, clean and BLOG. The bummer was that the cleaning never ends with the layers of dust that accumulate because of the winds!!!...Reminds me of the “song that never ends!”

I tried calling a roommate that Leslie had while traveling on Semester At Sea, Bonnie. Once again our cell reception was crummy. Bonnie joined the shipboard experience from Montana. She was to be going to New Zealand this month. I will try to call her again tomorrow to wish her well on her new adventure!

Wednesday July 9, 2008 Helena, Montana

Wednesday July 9, 2008 Helena, Montana
 

Today is Maizy’s 9th birthday! As a special treat, we found a nice doggie daycare where she could spend the day playing with other canines!?? OK, busted! Yep, Bruce and I needed a day free!

The Whitney’s were taking their boat out onto the upper Missouri River to an area called the “Gates to the Mountains.” It is an area where Lewis and Clark explored trying to find and document navigable waterways to the Pacific coast.

After leaving off Maizy, we met at the boat launch at 9:30 am and returned at 4pm. Theresa’s sister, Jenine and brother in-law, Duke (a retired United pilot) joined the group with their boat to help transport and share in the outing as well.  Gary’s mother, Donna came as well adding stories and information from the numerous times that she had visited the area.

 

The day was absolutely spectacular!!! The water was cold and clear with jagged limestone rocks and pinnacles rising from green pastures. We were lucky enough to see eagles, osprey, white pelicans with black tipped wings, prong horned antelope, mountain sheep, and deer.

Most moving was a memorial tribute to the 13 firefighters who had died in a forest fire at Mann Gulch, Montana in 1949.  It is a story of terror and trust and an outcome that no one would have wished.

Being overcome by a quick shift of wind, the groups lives were being threatened as the fire ignited, racing up the canyon towards them. The leader of the group had learned from local Indians to light a ring of fire, jump through it and huddle in the center where the fire would pass over them, thus sparing their lives. Thirteen of the fighters thought the idea was crazy and tried to out run the fire to the top of the ridge. They perished and the leader and one fighter survived in the ring of fire. Bruce has used the story as a tool for leadership training, so it was very chilling to actually see the sight of the fire and tragedy.

The area remains much like it did when Lewis and Clark first explored it. There are no access roads to the shores along the river. There are a few day use and camping areas, but everything is accessible by boat only.

At one point we stopped for lunch at Indian Creek Village. All of the cabins/homes in the primitive and isolated area were built by hand, having each material and tool brought in by boat. Supplies for the restaurant are delivered by boat as well. The menu was very limited: cheeseburger or cheeseburger! The female owner is the only worker, so service is slow, but the cheeseburger is worth the wait.

Add caption

Following lunch we headed up to Hauser Dam where we would stop to swim….or in my case, watch others swim! I am spoiled having had 80 degree water in Florida to swim in. It would take me a long time to get the courage to jump into the 60 degree water!

On the way back to the boat launch we were able to get a good look at some Native American Indian hieroglyphics painted on some of the rocks on a canyon wall. I had never seen anything like that before and found it fascinating! (Picture shown)


Pizza dinner followed at Gary’s mother’s place. Bruce and I stopped to pick up a chocolate cake for Maizy’s birthday celebration at Costco…but remembered that dogs can’t eat chocolate…so we human’s were forced to help out and succeeded in making a big dent in it!!??