Malmstrom Air Force Base Fam Camp - Montana

Left Glacier National Park in time this morning to pick up the UGA football game on XM radio.  Sic 'Em Dawgs!  It's a good day to be a Georgia Bulldog.  We had a most boring drive through rolling hills and ranches in Montana even though we were listening to the GA bulldog game.  We couldn't find a place to eat or use the "facilities" along the way so we finally had to break down and pull off the side of the road for a quick lunch and bathroom break in the RV.  Also got educated on the Blackfeet Indians and buffalo since the marker was right outside our RV front door.  Something this morning has bitten poor Maggie on the top of her nose and it is quite swollen, so I gave her half of a Benadryl tablet when we stopped.  I took her picture because this is the only picture we have of her when she is too tired to hold her ears up.  Billy is happy since our parking place at the Fam Camp has a clear view of the southern sky so he can get a good satellite signal.  When we get set up I am off to the Commissary and PX to buy some necessities.  Stores are REAL hard to come by here in the great North West.  We are spending one night here in Great Falls and then heading to Lewistown, MT to visit with Archie and Charlene, old Army buddies of Billy's.  "Life is Good Today"

Manny Glacier

You can double click on the photos to enlarge them.

We had a leisurely breakfast of bacon/egg sandwiches this morning and then took off for Manny Glacier.  Darn the bad luck but we had to drive The Highway To The Sun again.  The water in the lake was still just as blue as it was yesterday.  When Billy stepped over a rock wall yesterday to get a better photograph a Park Ranger approached and scolded him.  After the scolding Billy asked him where to find the most critters.  He suggested Manny Glacier because the bear were fattening up for the winter there.  We were in luck.  We were able to see a Mommy Grizzly with her two cubs only about 50 yards away.  If you look carefully, you can see one cub.  It's not the best photo in the world, but she turned and started to walk toward us and a nearby Park Ranger was getting excited.  Yes, we had our bear spray, and we were a close jog to the truck.  Again, I saw so many beautiful wildflowers.  It just seems that the most prolific flowers are in spots I can't access to photograph.  I was able to find a jewel of a spot that had wild huckleberries.  I admit to eating a few, but I left plenty for the bears.  We stopped at Two Sisters outside of Babb, MT for lunch.  It had a lot of personality as well as homemade soups and pies.  Children, please take note of the sign on the roof of the restaurant.  They also had the can of bear spray that Jack Hanna used last month on the Grizzly that charged him.

After the drive back over the Highway to the Sun I cleaned the camper to prepare for breaking camp tomorrow.  We have XM radio in the truck so I won't be missing the opening football game for the UGA Bulldogs.  Sic 'Em Dawgs!  Woof!  Woof!  "Life is Good Today!"

Highway To The Sun - Glacier National Park

We lazily crawled out of bed this morning and fixed ourselves a picnic lunch and launched out for a drive on the Highway To The Sun!  It is a 50 mile drive that took us all day because the driving was slow, and oh my; there were soooooo many Kodak Moments.  George Bird Grinnell was a naturalist, hunter, founder of the Audubon Society, and is considered the "Father of Glacier National Park."  Grinnell said in words so much better than my own -   "No words can describe the grandeur and majesty of these mountains, and even photographs seem hopelessly to dwarf and belittle the most impressive peaks."  The opaque quality of the water is due to the high content of finely ground rock dust suspended in the water, evidence of past glacial activity at the head of the valley.  Billy and I had camera in hand hunting for that elusive critter, but today our hunts resulted in memories of beautiful glaciers, mountains, rocks, wild flowers, lakes, waterfalls, clouds, moss, and ferns.  We did see a Big Horn Sheep through the binoculars but it was too far away to photograph.  On the way out of the park we stopped at a "grocery market" looking for fresh huckleberries and fresh cherries.  No such luck.  Then we drove Maggie by the buffalo statue so that she could bark at it.  Came back to the camper and had dinner, and now I am curling up with my book after I take Maggie out to read her P-Mail.   Surely, "Life is Good Today!"

West Glacier KOA - Glacier National Park

We broke camp in Lolo, MT this morning with on and off rain.  What was supposed to be a 3 1/2 hour drive to Glacier National Park took us about 5 hours because we had heavy rain most of the way.  Not a problem; however, because the scenery on the drive up was beautiful.  We have a great camping spot at the campground in the back of the park with mountains and trees all around us.  I'll be keeping a sharp lookout with binoculars for "critters."  We loaded back into the truck and went to the national park which is just a short distance away.  The glaciers in the park were awesome but I wasn't able to get photos of them because of low hanging clouds.  Naturally, we found our lonely one lane dirt road and started our steep climb up.  It was a beautiful drive; however, the forest had been burned here which distracted from much of the beauty.  We drove up 25 miles short of the summit and had to turn around because of impending darkness.  Stopped off at Glacier Rawhide, Inc and had a quick dinner.  Billy had rainbow trout with huckleberry pie for dessert.  I enjoyed a hamburger and fries and gave Maggie May the left overs.  She was a happy puppy. 

The gold to be found in these hills lies in the diversity in the plants and wildflowers.  I am itching to find a book to identify the varieties that I don't recognize.  My friend, Fran V. would be in awe.  Floods, fires, and storms shape the land today just like they have done over many years.  Recent fires continue the long history of the forest's dependency on fire.  One reason for the diversity of species in the parks is the differing ages of forests throughout the region.  I observed that the wild flowers were more abundant where there had been a recent forest fire.  Ice still carves the mountains, although the glaciers are fewer today than when the first explorers started to publicize this land. 

Billy is frantically trying to set up the satellite dish so he can have TV.  Think I will take Maggie for a walk to meet her new friends and then I'll call it a night.  Wearing shoes, socks, and coats all the time now.  It IS cold up here.   "Life Is Good Today!"

 (I got the satellite dish working by putting it in the bed of the truck.) - Billy
Note the last photo added.  It appears that Cousin Eddie has arrived.  Jane

Dinner with Friends

Yesterday we were really lazy and cold.  We went into town in search of what else, Wal Mart.  Bought a few groceries and sundries and then I "encouraged" Billy to stop at a Consignment Shop on the way home.  Now I am outfitted with a new to me pair of real cowboy boots to keep my feet warm.  Maybe I shall get a cowgirl hat, too.  Also purchased three more 3M Command hooks to put on the walls.  The 3M Command hooks are just the best for hanging dog leashes, hats, coats, bath robes, pot holders, and just about anything on the wall.  It was a cloudy, rainy afternoon so I curled up with my book before preparing to go to dinner at Al and Connie's.  Al Boehm worked with Billy at the Crime Lab and they have not seen one another in years.  Connie prepared a Five-Star Montana steak dinner for us and a good time was had by all.  Photos will be posted later.  "Life is Good Today"

Lolo, MT

We broke camp in West Yellowstone this morning in the rain - not too much of a problem.  What was supposed to be a 4 1/2 hour drive took us 6 hours; however, we stopped at a diner for lunch.  The sign on the diner said "Stop here for food or we both will starve."  The state of Montana is beautiful with a mixture of rolling hills with trees and without trees, wooded mountains and rock mountains.  We traveled through the city of Missoula, MT and whoopee I spied a Safeway grocery store and a Wal Mart.  We are now set up in the Square Dance Center and Campground.  They sell square dance clothing at the campground office.  I have hopes of getting Billy into some.  I'll take photos.  We have had dinner of pork chops, mashed potatoes, and brussel sprouts.  After I take Maggie around the park to meet her new friends I am curling up with The Diaries of Covered Wagon Travels.  Our sign is hanging outside our camper and "Life Is Good Today!"

Our Last Day at Yellowstone and Lazy

Maybe I really was not lazy.  Went to the laundromat this morning and caught up on the laundry.  Since it has gotten so COLD, and we have the heater, socks, shoes, and coats on I decided to put away my summer clothes and dig out the winter clothes.  See, when there is little storage space items get stuffed into strange places.  After washing the dishes and making the bed presentable I went into town in search of warmer clothing.  Ended up with two pairs of WARM socks and a hat.  Folks downtown are still muttering about the tornado yesterday.  After returning to the camper and Billy glued to golf on the TV set, I curled up with my book for a bit.  It is so interesting to read the diaries of the women who came over in covered wagons during the gold rush.  Picked up our new signs today.  They say - Hornsby's

                                                                               "Life is Good Today"
Most of the folks moved out of the campground today; however, we currently have a big diesel pusher moving in next door.  Hope they know that snow is predicted this week.  I will certainly miss the "Buffalo Parade" down the middle of the highway at dusk every night.  Above are photos of only two that we ended up behind on the highway.  We will break camp tomorrow morning and drive 4 1/2 hours to Lolo, MT where we stay at the square dance campground and visit with one of Billy's buddies.  Think I can get Billy to square dance with me?  I do so love to square dance, and it has been years since I have been Do-Si-Do ed!  "Life is Good Today"  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.