Glacier

It is true.  We are still in Montana and finding out what it is like to stay in one place for a week.  The front window of the RV caught a big rock and our insurance is terrific-will pay all by $100.  However, it takes 5 days to get one sent to a repair shop-but, the insurance people find us the shop based on where we are. So we knew that we wanted to be close to Glacier and could quickly get back to Kalispell to have it put in.

This is our first long stay in one place since actually being on our own.  So I am learning how to operate in a slower mode.  Not so easy after these past 6 months of hustling.  Also, I am used to being of service and I am having to redefine myself.   Phone calls to girlfriends help, because we talk about this and my friends not only get me but expected this to happen.

The slower than planned travel time (we don’t like to drive more than 3 to 4 hours and often 2 hours is perfect) is also redefining our trip.  We realize moving north this late is good.  We have never been out of spring on this trip.  Glacier’s Highway to the Sun only opened a week ago and so Banff and Lake Louise in Canada are also getting late summer if any.  Wildflowers from spring are just opening as we move north and stay in the Rocky Mountains.

Russ thinks we will stay in the west and not move toward the east coast until spring.  So possibly the Dakotas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and winter in Tucson?  I don’t know.  Of course I love  the west, so we will see.  Glad we are not in the heat of the east!

Three days ago we took a shuttle up to Logan Pass on the Highway to the Sun and it was cloudy and cold.  Pretty impressive how deep those glaciers can dig out a valley.  Glad we did not drive ourselves, the drivers were all white knuckled and could not possibly view anything but the waterfalls coming down on the road!

Russ says he is having the time of his life.  By the way I did not put in my picture at the snow, where I stole his jacket.

Pictures are mostly taken through shuttle windows, so hopefully I can pull up some decent ones.

The Bitterroot Mountains in Montana

Methodist Church in the town of Stevensville near Hamilton MT

I find a place everyday to fall in love with and I also find the most delightful people to talk with.  It’s definitely a dream come true.  Also Russ and I are getting easier about the motorhome and about our jobs managing it and about our communication.  The Bickersons are no more-well for a while I suppose.

After leaving Salmon, Idaho we climbed forever to cross the Chief Joseph Pass.  He was the Nez Perce Chief that fought a huge battle high in the mountains as he tried to get away from the land the Americans had reduced in size by 9/10th and expected the Nez Perce to live on.  Great stories about him and his people  and there is a wonderful park preserved where the soldiers and volunteers practically wiped out his women and children.  The video reminded me of all my Idaho history and we are now seeking museums and walking tours all over this wonderful country. I think I forgot how much I love American History.

In Hamilton we loved the town and so I took pictures.  Great buildings lining the main street with the Bitterroot Range looking down still covered in snow.  The further north we go, the more recently all the passes have opened.  In fact, we learned that the Highway across Glacier Park only opened last weekend.

Did anyone else remember Marcus Daly, a great Irish immigrant rags to riches story?  Well we visited the summer home in Hamilton.  The best local guide and historian enthralled Russ and I for two hours, while the rains pounded outside on the car and in the car where the dogs were.  Lots of kleenex later we got on the road and found the highway torn up.  Thank God we found the way to Stevensville on the County Highway to bi-pass the mess today as we came up to Missoula. http://www.distinctlymontana.com/article/marcus-daly-mansion

I am including pictures of Stevensville,  In one hour a met quite a few women to exchange stories with.  The picture of the cafe with the two tables out front is where we met two dog women-one raised and mushed dogs.  The other groomed all the big dogs in the area-both had license plates that started conversations.  (Sno Doggs) and (4myK9).  Of course they loved our girls.  Then I glanced back into the cafe and saw that one woman at a table for 5(my age) had a haircut like mine.  I went in as if I knew her and said, “Do you get that done here?” and that led to so much laughter.  She said she had been eyeing me and thinking about my color!

My good friend Cynthia Meyers said she needed to get a map so she could follow us.  Well we are going slowly and not too many miles each time up Highway 93.   So here are some pictures.

Daly Mansion in Hamilton

The Masonic Hall and the Fire Department in Hamilton. The Masons are in all the towns. Interests me because of Dan Brown stories and because of my family being Masonic.

This is what it looks like from the valley up to the Bitterroot Mountains.

This old hospital in Stevensville is now a bed and breakfast

I knew all of these flowers!

Hamilton Main ST. Cars parked this way in the 1950's

Met Dog lovers and a group of women like my friends. The lady with hair like mine was also a retired schoolteacher

Scurrying All over Idaho

Russ, Izzy, Shadow and I are finally alone for a few days.  We saw the Hailey family which of course meant we saw Reagan at one month old.  So cute, but lost my camera, phone and latte machine.  Well not exactly-Karole and Ken(sister) will meet us at Challis this weekend for more 4 wheeling and camping-all are with them.

We are in Stanley Basin country in the great Sawtooth Range.  Could not be more beautiful-local pictures do not do it justice because the late arrival of spring means we are in green and flowery high mountain desert. The sun hurts your eyes.

I have stolen other’s pictures of this area to show you what I am seeing-and still in Idaho!

Looks just like this all around us

We stopped here coming over from Sun Valley and are camping at the bottomOur RV window looks at these three tipi s with a cresent moon above as the sun goes down each nite.

Grew up water skiing, hiking and swimming in this lake-today we sat on lodge porch in shade and just enjoyed the people

We look out RV windows at sunset and the white tipis and cresent moon jump out with mountains behind.