We are in Albuquerque, and Vera is getting ready to fly to Miami to catch her cruise. Charlie and I will .... do absolutely nothing .... for a day or two ..... and then we will start exploring. I will try to find a nice campground up in the Sandia mountains. You can see the mountains all along the eastern edge of Albuquerque.
Today as we went out on erands (car wash, dry cleaners for Vera, hair cuts, etc), a huge dust storm came up. I'm talking very strong gusty winds and reduced visibility because there was so much dust in the air (it reminded me of school days in Lubbock, TX); and THEN ... it started to rain !!
Now, actually, I wasn't too shocked by this ..... because back in Lubbock I've seen it start to snow in the middle of a dust storm. no kidding.
Later, Marilyn
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Arches / Canyonlands
Change of plans: intended to go thru Ouray, Silverton, Durango down to Albuquerque; However, a very large rainstorm, (projected for a couple of days) hung out over our heads and our path southeastward ..... so we backtracked a little and are back in Utah, seeing Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
We've been in Moab a couple of days, and now we will head south again.
The thing about this beautiful country ..... it is BIG .... desolate ..... beautiful .... it just goes on and on. Mostly what we see are the red rock canyons and cliffs, and some of it was a minature Grand Canyon. We drove for thirty something miles to get out on the end of a triangular mesa whose point looks down (2000 feet below) on the confluence of the Green River and the Colorado River. From there the Colorado makes its way southwest and then southeast to the Grand Canyon. We really want to come back here and do some of the water activites: rafting, jet boat tours into the canyons, etc.
The first afternoon we got here the campground office suggested a scenic drive up into the foothills behind the campground .... and so as soon as we got things settled we started out about 7pm. Two major mistakes (which you are warned never to do): we didn't have a map .... and we neglected to ask how long the loop was.
So over an hour later we were still thinking the loop was going to come out on the main road, when we saw a little sign that said Moab 42 miles. And it was getting dark fast. We looked on the other side of the sign and it said Moab 22 miles (in the direction we had just come). Well, obviously it was a no brainer decision: we made a quick turnaround and raced the darkness back to the campground. When I say "raced" it is really a misnomer: there were switchbacks and 's' curves and most of them were marked as 20 mph or even 15mph .... and the road was really narrow and backcountry. Did I mention we only saw about 5 or 6 other cars .... Yeah, I know, not smart! Next day we got some good maps before we started out.
Leaving in the morning, probably will make it to somewhere near Gallup, NM.
Later, Marilyn
We've been in Moab a couple of days, and now we will head south again.
The thing about this beautiful country ..... it is BIG .... desolate ..... beautiful .... it just goes on and on. Mostly what we see are the red rock canyons and cliffs, and some of it was a minature Grand Canyon. We drove for thirty something miles to get out on the end of a triangular mesa whose point looks down (2000 feet below) on the confluence of the Green River and the Colorado River. From there the Colorado makes its way southwest and then southeast to the Grand Canyon. We really want to come back here and do some of the water activites: rafting, jet boat tours into the canyons, etc.
The first afternoon we got here the campground office suggested a scenic drive up into the foothills behind the campground .... and so as soon as we got things settled we started out about 7pm. Two major mistakes (which you are warned never to do): we didn't have a map .... and we neglected to ask how long the loop was.
So over an hour later we were still thinking the loop was going to come out on the main road, when we saw a little sign that said Moab 42 miles. And it was getting dark fast. We looked on the other side of the sign and it said Moab 22 miles (in the direction we had just come). Well, obviously it was a no brainer decision: we made a quick turnaround and raced the darkness back to the campground. When I say "raced" it is really a misnomer: there were switchbacks and 's' curves and most of them were marked as 20 mph or even 15mph .... and the road was really narrow and backcountry. Did I mention we only saw about 5 or 6 other cars .... Yeah, I know, not smart! Next day we got some good maps before we started out.
Leaving in the morning, probably will make it to somewhere near Gallup, NM.
Later, Marilyn
Saturday, August 27, 2011
lots of space
A fellow traveler said today: "what strikes me about this country is there's so much space between places". Very true ..... and all of it beautiful.
We landed today in Grand Junction, Colorado and discovered we can look from our campsite across the valley to the south and see the beginning edges of Colorado National Monument with its gigantic sculpted masterpieces.
To the north the Bookcliffs run back into Utah: white colored eroded cliffs with a flat plateau above.
To the east is The Grand Mesa, the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. It is called the "10,000 foot high island in the sky". It is covered in pines and aspen, with meadows, over 300 lakes, and just below the rim is Powderhorn Ski Resort for the cold weather fans (not me) :)
We will explore these places tomorrow, then on to Ouray.
Later, Marilyn
We landed today in Grand Junction, Colorado and discovered we can look from our campsite across the valley to the south and see the beginning edges of Colorado National Monument with its gigantic sculpted masterpieces.
To the north the Bookcliffs run back into Utah: white colored eroded cliffs with a flat plateau above.
To the east is The Grand Mesa, the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. It is called the "10,000 foot high island in the sky". It is covered in pines and aspen, with meadows, over 300 lakes, and just below the rim is Powderhorn Ski Resort for the cold weather fans (not me) :)
We will explore these places tomorrow, then on to Ouray.
Later, Marilyn
Thursday, August 25, 2011
flat curvature
Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah
We traveled today across the northern Nevada desert toward Salt Lake City. The mountains are very different, quite arid; but the colors are just fantastic.
Just at the border of Utah, we crested some mountains and suddenly the white salt flats stretched before us completely from left to right and as far as is visible. Only two features marked the wide, white expanse: IH 80 going east, and IH 80 coming west. The two tracks were away out to the left of the view, looking toward the east; and the remainder of the entire horizon showed the earth's curvature ! It was a real "WOW". Gives a whole new meaning to "flat" ..... and I thought West Texas was flat !
We are in Wendover, Utah tonite, elevation 4100 feet (the air mattress should sleep good tonite - not too high, not too low).
Later, Marilyn
We traveled today across the northern Nevada desert toward Salt Lake City. The mountains are very different, quite arid; but the colors are just fantastic.
Just at the border of Utah, we crested some mountains and suddenly the white salt flats stretched before us completely from left to right and as far as is visible. Only two features marked the wide, white expanse: IH 80 going east, and IH 80 coming west. The two tracks were away out to the left of the view, looking toward the east; and the remainder of the entire horizon showed the earth's curvature ! It was a real "WOW". Gives a whole new meaning to "flat" ..... and I thought West Texas was flat !
We are in Wendover, Utah tonite, elevation 4100 feet (the air mattress should sleep good tonite - not too high, not too low).
Later, Marilyn
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Virginia City
What a pleasant surprise! Going north from Tahoe to Reno, we did a detour over to Virginia City, which was an 1860's - 1870's mining boomtown; and has been preserved in its original buildings. Of course all the businesses are now tourist oriented, but the buildings are quite interesting. The Saloons all look like they probably did back then, and the bank, which is now something else, still has its original vault that held all that gold and silver. There are two original churches, one a Catholic Cathedral which is really beautiful.
They have tours into one of the defunct mines which was interesting.
The town itself is built on the side of a very steep small mountain/large hill and when you come around the last turn in the road and see it on the hillside, it is quite enchanting. There is almost nothing modern or commercialized (except a couple of gas pumps at the edge of town).
The second thing that was quite a surprise was how absolutely beautiful the desert mountains were on that back road detour. They are actually some of the mountains that surround Reno, and we would never have gone up into them except to go to Virginia City. By the way they do not look like the Bonanza tv series showed them - surprise, surprise.
The trivia for today is about the drinking water in Virginia City: it is piped in (I forgot where from), but it is probably a hundred miles at least (we saw the map). The pipe was layed back in those boomtown days because the ground contains arsenic and water wells are not an option. The map displayed showed all the mining claims from the records of that day, plus the water supply, plus a ventilation shaft used by all the mines which came out the side of the mountain, and cost 4 million dollars to build (4 mil back then).
So, then we got on IH 80 and headed toward Salt Lake, and got as far as Winnemucca for tonite.
Later, Marilyn
They have tours into one of the defunct mines which was interesting.
The town itself is built on the side of a very steep small mountain/large hill and when you come around the last turn in the road and see it on the hillside, it is quite enchanting. There is almost nothing modern or commercialized (except a couple of gas pumps at the edge of town).
The second thing that was quite a surprise was how absolutely beautiful the desert mountains were on that back road detour. They are actually some of the mountains that surround Reno, and we would never have gone up into them except to go to Virginia City. By the way they do not look like the Bonanza tv series showed them - surprise, surprise.
The trivia for today is about the drinking water in Virginia City: it is piped in (I forgot where from), but it is probably a hundred miles at least (we saw the map). The pipe was layed back in those boomtown days because the ground contains arsenic and water wells are not an option. The map displayed showed all the mining claims from the records of that day, plus the water supply, plus a ventilation shaft used by all the mines which came out the side of the mountain, and cost 4 million dollars to build (4 mil back then).
So, then we got on IH 80 and headed toward Salt Lake, and got as far as Winnemucca for tonite.
Later, Marilyn
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Too-o-o BEAUTIFUL !
Lake Tahoe is wondrous! When I got the first glimpse of it I literally gasped. Some parts are so glorious (Emerald Bay) that all I could do was stand there and drink it in. The central eastern shore reminds me of the Southern Oregon Coast. Emerald Bay was formed by a glacier pushing down the canyon and breaking out into the lake crater area.
And then the history of the lake is so interesting. Many murals and enlarged photos from the early 1900's are on display in a lot of public places. You can see it from the early Native American huts on the shore, to the mule trains of workers and supplies that built the roads, to the steam boat that connected the shoreline before the roads, to the early presidents and dignitaries who vacationed there.
I think I rank Tahoe right up close to Glacier Park for pure scenic beauty. We did not make it to Crater Lake this trip (because Marilyn got weary of driving in the mountains), but I hear it is exceptionally beautiful also, and even more blue than Tahoe (it is deeper than Tahoe).
One interesting trivia item about Tahoe: the water volume in the lake if spilled onto an area the size of California, would cover it to a depth of 14 inches.
Tomorrow, on to Winnemucca, Nevada.
Later, Marilyn
And then the history of the lake is so interesting. Many murals and enlarged photos from the early 1900's are on display in a lot of public places. You can see it from the early Native American huts on the shore, to the mule trains of workers and supplies that built the roads, to the steam boat that connected the shoreline before the roads, to the early presidents and dignitaries who vacationed there.
I think I rank Tahoe right up close to Glacier Park for pure scenic beauty. We did not make it to Crater Lake this trip (because Marilyn got weary of driving in the mountains), but I hear it is exceptionally beautiful also, and even more blue than Tahoe (it is deeper than Tahoe).
One interesting trivia item about Tahoe: the water volume in the lake if spilled onto an area the size of California, would cover it to a depth of 14 inches.
Tomorrow, on to Winnemucca, Nevada.
Later, Marilyn
Monday, August 22, 2011
Too-o-o far south
Reno is hot ! I know, just can't satisfy us -- picky, picky. But we have come up with a new slogan: "we don't have to be anywhere we don't want to be" ..... and this is too far south for this time of the year. (We are SO blessed to be able to say that; especially considering how our friends in Texas are suffering so from the heat.)
So-o-o we have decided to re-chose our original projected path farther north: up to Salt Lake City, then over into Colorado. We have about nine days left before we need to be in Albuquerque for Vera to go to another class reunion (this time it's nursing school). Charlie and I hope to find a nice campground up in the mountains to stay about a week while Vera flies off to go on a cruise. (That's a bad habit she's getting into: always flying off to somewhere :)
We were delayed an extra day in Reno because I (Marilyn) got food poisoning some place. Tonite we are in Carson City, and will take the car down around Lake Tahoe tomorrow. Then ..... northward, ho !
Later,
Marilyn
So-o-o we have decided to re-chose our original projected path farther north: up to Salt Lake City, then over into Colorado. We have about nine days left before we need to be in Albuquerque for Vera to go to another class reunion (this time it's nursing school). Charlie and I hope to find a nice campground up in the mountains to stay about a week while Vera flies off to go on a cruise. (That's a bad habit she's getting into: always flying off to somewhere :)
We were delayed an extra day in Reno because I (Marilyn) got food poisoning some place. Tonite we are in Carson City, and will take the car down around Lake Tahoe tomorrow. Then ..... northward, ho !
Later,
Marilyn
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Enough mountain roads
It took us 2 days to travel 300 miles across the bottom of Oregon .... very narrow lanes, very slow, very high mountain passes (lots of them), very nerve-racking ( I should have improved stomach muscle tone because they were tense for hours on end).
The positive side was it was beautiful. But I was so tired of mountain passes that I turned south and dropped down to Reno, Nevada. The "high desert" is very beautiful. Actually I read that Lake Tahoe elevation is above 6,000 feet. We'll go there in the next few days..... meanwhile we've accumulated about two tons of laundry that needs doing, a tire balance /or bubble problem that needs to be inspected, and the transmission is due for servicing. One of those mountain passes we traveled 13 miles in a steady climb.... (that's when I thought to check the service schedule) - duh ! But the engine has been performing exceptionally well.
Since we are farther south than I originally planned, we will eliminate Salt Lake City from our route and head straight for Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Arches, etc, etc.
Later, Marilyn
The positive side was it was beautiful. But I was so tired of mountain passes that I turned south and dropped down to Reno, Nevada. The "high desert" is very beautiful. Actually I read that Lake Tahoe elevation is above 6,000 feet. We'll go there in the next few days..... meanwhile we've accumulated about two tons of laundry that needs doing, a tire balance /or bubble problem that needs to be inspected, and the transmission is due for servicing. One of those mountain passes we traveled 13 miles in a steady climb.... (that's when I thought to check the service schedule) - duh ! But the engine has been performing exceptionally well.
Since we are farther south than I originally planned, we will eliminate Salt Lake City from our route and head straight for Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Arches, etc, etc.
Later, Marilyn
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Surf that crashes
Tonite we are in a campground, parked facing the shoreline which is not more than 150 feet away right out our front windshield ! Couldn't be more beautiful. Gives a whole new meaning to the term 'crashing waves'. They really do !..... crash .... that's the only way to describe it. It is quiet for maybe four seconds between waves, then it sounds like a hurricane out our window. Really cool. Can't wait to see the colors in the morning. (Hope for no tsunamis).
We are in Brookings, almost to the bottom of Oregon; and tomorrow we will turn back east. We will save California for our next trip in late winter/spring.
Later,
Marilyn
We are in Brookings, almost to the bottom of Oregon; and tomorrow we will turn back east. We will save California for our next trip in late winter/spring.
Later,
Marilyn
Dune buggy
The Oregon Coastal Dunes Park ecology and geology is so-o-o-o interesting. The dunes are several hundred feet high (as much as 500 feet) and extend up to a mile inland (and stretch for 40 miles along the coast).
Source of the sand is from sediment deposited at the mouth of rivers, then the ocean currents pick it up and move it south until it hits a projecting head of land, then it starts to build up and the wind carries it inland.
There are forests growing in AND on it. There are several phases of forestation but the most interesting is the old forest which still grows from the floor of the valley (under the dunes) and out the top of the sand. We're talking about maybe 100 feet down in the sand; branches have turned down into the sand and become roots, and new green growth is maybe another 50 plus feet above the sand surface.
Then there is the new forest which has grown on top of the sand once the sand has stabilized.
There is much ATV and dune buggy activity as you can imagine, but a good portion is trails thru trees just like any forest trails, only the sand is hundreds of feet above the beach elevation.
We chickened out on the individual ATV rentals, but took a tour in a modified suburban type vehicle .... which was much more exciting and hair raising than if we had driven our own. We got about half an hour of just riding the dunes .... fast..... and steep. I think just because we are three 'old ladies' we got the special roller coaster version.
It was fun ! ..... right up there with whitewater rafting.
Later,
Marilyn
Source of the sand is from sediment deposited at the mouth of rivers, then the ocean currents pick it up and move it south until it hits a projecting head of land, then it starts to build up and the wind carries it inland.
There are forests growing in AND on it. There are several phases of forestation but the most interesting is the old forest which still grows from the floor of the valley (under the dunes) and out the top of the sand. We're talking about maybe 100 feet down in the sand; branches have turned down into the sand and become roots, and new green growth is maybe another 50 plus feet above the sand surface.
Then there is the new forest which has grown on top of the sand once the sand has stabilized.
There is much ATV and dune buggy activity as you can imagine, but a good portion is trails thru trees just like any forest trails, only the sand is hundreds of feet above the beach elevation.
We chickened out on the individual ATV rentals, but took a tour in a modified suburban type vehicle .... which was much more exciting and hair raising than if we had driven our own. We got about half an hour of just riding the dunes .... fast..... and steep. I think just because we are three 'old ladies' we got the special roller coaster version.
It was fun ! ..... right up there with whitewater rafting.
Later,
Marilyn
Friday, August 12, 2011
Oregon Coast; Very spotty wi-fi
Vera has had a difficult time this week with her teaching responsibilities because of very inconsistent internet availability (cell phone also). And grades are due .....
We have traveled liesurely down the Oregon Coast from North to South, are about 2/3 the distance down to the California border. This is a country like no other ! Vastly different from anywhere else .... a different type of view around every corner: 500 feet tall sand dunes, inland lakes on one side of the road, beach on the other, high cliffs with rocks below in the surf, valleys sloping down to wide beaches, lighthouses on points jutting out into the water, .....
Tonite we are in North Bend, near Coos Bay, Oregon. A 40 mile stretch of the coast just north of here is the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. As we drove down the coast highway there were many places the dunes have overtaken and covered portions of the forest, many very tall tree tops are sticking out of the top of the very tall dunes. Pretty awesome.
Tomorrow we are going to rent dune buggies to play in the sand.
Later, Marilyn
We have traveled liesurely down the Oregon Coast from North to South, are about 2/3 the distance down to the California border. This is a country like no other ! Vastly different from anywhere else .... a different type of view around every corner: 500 feet tall sand dunes, inland lakes on one side of the road, beach on the other, high cliffs with rocks below in the surf, valleys sloping down to wide beaches, lighthouses on points jutting out into the water, .....
Tonite we are in North Bend, near Coos Bay, Oregon. A 40 mile stretch of the coast just north of here is the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. As we drove down the coast highway there were many places the dunes have overtaken and covered portions of the forest, many very tall tree tops are sticking out of the top of the very tall dunes. Pretty awesome.
Tomorrow we are going to rent dune buggies to play in the sand.
Later, Marilyn
Pacific Ocean, Oh Joy ! (Mon.Aug.8)
The Lewis and Clark journals record their jubilation at finally seeing the Pacific: "we have the ocean in view, oh joy".
It is quite remarkable. It is also a little unreal to think we are actually where we are. We have visited all the Lewis/Clark historical places around here (Seaside, OR), so we will move south. The Ocean here seems a lot calmer than I had anticipated .... but then we have been mostly on a bay, or mouth of rivers, etc.
Marilyn
It is quite remarkable. It is also a little unreal to think we are actually where we are. We have visited all the Lewis/Clark historical places around here (Seaside, OR), so we will move south. The Ocean here seems a lot calmer than I had anticipated .... but then we have been mostly on a bay, or mouth of rivers, etc.
Marilyn
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Columbia River Gorge
I am back in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark .... I plan to follow them all the way to the Pacific Coast. We are in Rufus, Oregon tonite, only 300 feet above sea level (had to put air in the Sleep Number Air Mattress; we have to add or take air out depending on the elevation ... one of those things the manufacturer probably doesn't even know .... how many people take their mattresses on long trips anyway?).
Our campsite is on a small hill on the side of this 1000 foot bluff going from the river up to the prairie above. It is Very Windy, but serene.... the only sound is the wind and the tall grasses blowing. And down below the Columbia River sparkling .... snow capped Mount Hood is off to the south.
Tomorrow we will pass thru Portland and camp just north of there in Washington.
Later, Marilyn
Our campsite is on a small hill on the side of this 1000 foot bluff going from the river up to the prairie above. It is Very Windy, but serene.... the only sound is the wind and the tall grasses blowing. And down below the Columbia River sparkling .... snow capped Mount Hood is off to the south.
Tomorrow we will pass thru Portland and camp just north of there in Washington.
Later, Marilyn
Thursday, August 4, 2011
mooses
We have seen a lot of wildlife the last couple of weeks... EXCEPT moose. I don't know why there do not seem to be any moose available for viewing. Maybe they are all on vacation.
But it has become a joke with us.... about where have all the 'mooses' gone. So last night we stopped for dinner at a restaurant called the Rusty Moose, which had two bronze statues of moose at the entrance to the restaurant ..... and we got our pictures made with the moose. So, now I guess we can let it rest.
Great Falls, Montana is a wonderful place. We spent all the time we could at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center which is overlooking the River that Lewis and Clark came up. It is a wonderful place and the waterfalls are really something.
Later, Marilyn
But it has become a joke with us.... about where have all the 'mooses' gone. So last night we stopped for dinner at a restaurant called the Rusty Moose, which had two bronze statues of moose at the entrance to the restaurant ..... and we got our pictures made with the moose. So, now I guess we can let it rest.
Great Falls, Montana is a wonderful place. We spent all the time we could at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center which is overlooking the River that Lewis and Clark came up. It is a wonderful place and the waterfalls are really something.
Later, Marilyn
Glacier National Park
Glacier is unbelievable. Simply the most awesome place I could ever imagine ..... it even surpasses Alaska for me. Did Not Want to Leave !!
We are now in Spokane, Washington spending a few days doing 'chores': laundry, new electrical cable connection between motorhome and car, dogs bathed and treated for ticks (again), dusting the motorhome and car with tick/flea powder, shopping for some decent hiking boots at REI, motorhome to Freightliner Truck Service Center for new alternator, etc. etc.
Probably will be leaving Saturday for the Columbia River Gorge. We will then head south down the Oregon coast; and save the rest of Washington state for next year when we go to Alaska.
We are now in Spokane, Washington spending a few days doing 'chores': laundry, new electrical cable connection between motorhome and car, dogs bathed and treated for ticks (again), dusting the motorhome and car with tick/flea powder, shopping for some decent hiking boots at REI, motorhome to Freightliner Truck Service Center for new alternator, etc. etc.
Probably will be leaving Saturday for the Columbia River Gorge. We will then head south down the Oregon coast; and save the rest of Washington state for next year when we go to Alaska.
cave, rock, fencepost
Montana is wonderful; it is Lewis & Clark country too .... I am a BIG fan of their story and trail.
Today we are in Great Falls, visiting the Missouri River and falls that L/C took 11 days to portage around. Actually there are 5 falls, most of which have been damned up for electricity, so the actual camping spots and landmarks of the Corp of Discovery are under water. But just to see the rolling prairies with the river winding thru is awesome. Their dairies were so complete that we know the actual dates they passed certain points. It was almost exactly 206 years ago this month that they passed <around> Great Falls.
We went to the see the confluence of the Three Rivers that go into the Missouri .... it was a beautiful plain with meandering streams of water everywhere. Lewis/Clark had to decide which one to follow .... the 33 men with them all voted on a different one, but the two captains made the decision and it was right.
We went to the L/C cavern State Park and went thru the cave .... all four of us. BUT, you don't realize the significance of that phrase "went thru the cave" ..... it was at least 9 or 10 lighthouses !
First we drove almost to the top of a hill which was 6525 feet elevation; then we hiked for 3/4 mile UP the side of the hill for another 300 feet rise in elevation. Then we entered the cavern and hiked 3/4 mile DOWN thru the cavern ..... actually sometimes sliding down 'chutes' .... and sometimes almost crawling thru passages. We can't figure out what possessed us to do it .... but since we survived, we feel absolutely elated that we did !!!!!!!
Back in the parking lot of the visitor center, I ran over a rock (well, actually a boulder), which lodged up under the motorhome and in front of the rear wheels. I had already called for a wrecker, when Charlotte and Charlie flagged down two young guys (one of which was our guide thru the cave). We raised the motorhome up on its jacks and the guys rolled the rock out .... wow !
So by this time it was dark and we were many miles from our campground for the nite. Took a wrong turn (we're talking very narrow barely paved country roads) and couldn't find a place to turn around. Finally decided to back the motorhome into a gravel side road to turn around ... Charlie backed the car down the lane first to give me some light from the cars headlights .... and backed right into a fencepost ! (the car, not the motorhome). So, after much laughter, we got headed right.... but couldn't find our campground, so we parked in a city park parking lot right in the middle of town in Whitehall, Montana (not a very big place). The next morning we just walked across the street for breakfast at the town's main cafe. The town had a series of Lewis and Clark murals on about a dozen of it's commercial buildings. They were really nicely done. So it turned into an unexpected but fun adventure.
Actually all of the events we experience we consider to be fun adventures ... expected or unexpected.
Marilyn for the Three Travelers
Today we are in Great Falls, visiting the Missouri River and falls that L/C took 11 days to portage around. Actually there are 5 falls, most of which have been damned up for electricity, so the actual camping spots and landmarks of the Corp of Discovery are under water. But just to see the rolling prairies with the river winding thru is awesome. Their dairies were so complete that we know the actual dates they passed certain points. It was almost exactly 206 years ago this month that they passed <around> Great Falls.
We went to the see the confluence of the Three Rivers that go into the Missouri .... it was a beautiful plain with meandering streams of water everywhere. Lewis/Clark had to decide which one to follow .... the 33 men with them all voted on a different one, but the two captains made the decision and it was right.
We went to the L/C cavern State Park and went thru the cave .... all four of us. BUT, you don't realize the significance of that phrase "went thru the cave" ..... it was at least 9 or 10 lighthouses !
First we drove almost to the top of a hill which was 6525 feet elevation; then we hiked for 3/4 mile UP the side of the hill for another 300 feet rise in elevation. Then we entered the cavern and hiked 3/4 mile DOWN thru the cavern ..... actually sometimes sliding down 'chutes' .... and sometimes almost crawling thru passages. We can't figure out what possessed us to do it .... but since we survived, we feel absolutely elated that we did !!!!!!!
Back in the parking lot of the visitor center, I ran over a rock (well, actually a boulder), which lodged up under the motorhome and in front of the rear wheels. I had already called for a wrecker, when Charlotte and Charlie flagged down two young guys (one of which was our guide thru the cave). We raised the motorhome up on its jacks and the guys rolled the rock out .... wow !
So by this time it was dark and we were many miles from our campground for the nite. Took a wrong turn (we're talking very narrow barely paved country roads) and couldn't find a place to turn around. Finally decided to back the motorhome into a gravel side road to turn around ... Charlie backed the car down the lane first to give me some light from the cars headlights .... and backed right into a fencepost ! (the car, not the motorhome). So, after much laughter, we got headed right.... but couldn't find our campground, so we parked in a city park parking lot right in the middle of town in Whitehall, Montana (not a very big place). The next morning we just walked across the street for breakfast at the town's main cafe. The town had a series of Lewis and Clark murals on about a dozen of it's commercial buildings. They were really nicely done. So it turned into an unexpected but fun adventure.
Actually all of the events we experience we consider to be fun adventures ... expected or unexpected.
Marilyn for the Three Travelers
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
no phone/internet service ???? !!!!
I'll make this short and expand on our activities later.
We have been in Glacier National Park (THE most beautiful place on earth), for 6 days, with no wireless connection to the outside world.... Wow, it was beautiful !
Did I say it was beautiful ? .... totally unbelievable !
Yesterday we drove up into the eastern Glacier mountains to Many Glacier, took a boat the length of Swift Current Lake, hiked 1/2 mile over a glacial moraine hill, took another boat the then end of Lake Josephine, then hiked for an hour to Lake Grinnell, which is accessible only by trail.
The side story is that second lake is also accessible only by trail .... so how did they get the boat to it ?
Well they hired a crew of college guys to haul/ and or roll it (on styrofoam logs) up the 1/2 mile creek into
the middle lake.
Anyway, today we are on our way to Spokane. Charlotte, Charlies friend will catch a plane there. We are stopped in Kalispell, Montana at a Walgreen's store to get prescriptions refilled and we have internet and phone service.
More later,
Marilyn
We have been in Glacier National Park (THE most beautiful place on earth), for 6 days, with no wireless connection to the outside world.... Wow, it was beautiful !
Did I say it was beautiful ? .... totally unbelievable !
Yesterday we drove up into the eastern Glacier mountains to Many Glacier, took a boat the length of Swift Current Lake, hiked 1/2 mile over a glacial moraine hill, took another boat the then end of Lake Josephine, then hiked for an hour to Lake Grinnell, which is accessible only by trail.
The side story is that second lake is also accessible only by trail .... so how did they get the boat to it ?
Well they hired a crew of college guys to haul/ and or roll it (on styrofoam logs) up the 1/2 mile creek into
the middle lake.
Anyway, today we are on our way to Spokane. Charlotte, Charlies friend will catch a plane there. We are stopped in Kalispell, Montana at a Walgreen's store to get prescriptions refilled and we have internet and phone service.
More later,
Marilyn
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