Monday, September 1, 2008

AUGUST 29

The "Flying Pig" and her weary occupants are back at the "Pig Pen". After a thorough clean up, she will be put to bed for a short rest. Plans are already underway for an October trip to the Great Smokey Mountains.

We had a FABULOUS trip!

We hope you enjoyed the blog. If I ever get all the photos labeled on onto a site, I will let you know.

We have enjoyed your comments and welcome more!

(This posting covers from August 14Th to 29Th)

Love to all,

Jan and Mark

AUGUST 28


Other than overnight accommodations we only made one other stop...(1). Almost a perfect record!
Mark felt and heard something amiss and upon inspection found that the right tire on the "PIG" was balding on the inside edge. Apparently it was out of balance. We let the "pros's" switch it out for the new spare.(Hey, have you ever tried to switch rims?!)

AUGUST 27






Happier thoughts!!

A stop at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota !

Mitchell has been decorating its Corn Palace with local corn, grain and grasses since 1892.(1,2)
The planning process is very precise.(3) We even saw part of the process they use putting it up. (4)
Inside is a performance venue. They also advertise for the local Model Car Museum...do you see a familiar vehicle?(5)(Top,Far Right)

AUGUST 26


Traveling across South Dakota on I-90, we made a quick stop at a deactivated Minuteman Missile Launch Site.
This is a remnant of the cold war. Very interesting!

AUGUST 25 (PM)


Mt. Rushmore, in the Black Hills of South Dakota is one of our nations symbols of Democracy.(1)
The story of its design and completion is fascinating.
We toured the entire monument and then stayed for the evening program. Patriotic music, the entire audience reciting the pledge of allegiance, and finally, the lighting of the monument.

AUGUST 25 (AM)



We arrived at Devils Tower around 9 PM last night. We could see the dark outline of the tower in the dark. Strange!(As is Close Encounters of the Third Kind!)
The scientists have not agreed on what formed Devils Tower, but the most popular opinion is that it is the hardened remnant of volcanic magma.(1)
The local Indians consider the area sacred and tie prayer cloths to the limbs of trees surrounding the tower.(2)

AUGUST 24


Traveling east across Montana we made a stop the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. This is where Custer made his last stand. (Did you know that Custer graduated last in his class at West Point?)(1)
The area had a very somber feel to it, knowing that so many lives were lost her.

AUGUST 21,22





We slipped back into Glacier National Park for a couple of nights. We hiked to Avalanche Lake(1), via the Trail of the Cedars(2). We walked along a quickly moving stream(3) for a good bit of the hike.
At Avalanche Lake we watched a black bear cub feeding along the shoreline.(4)

AUGUST 19,20

Our destination is West Glacier. Bruce and Judy fly back to Jacksonville tomorrow. We have had a BLAST with them here. They even put up with our "tree hugging" tendencies!
Thanks to them for joining us!

AUGUST 19




Time to start back toward Montana! Our return route starts on the Icefields Parkway. It was one of the very few rainy days we had on this trip. Oddly, the weather provided some beautiful views of the mountains.(1,2,3) The weather also seemed to bring out the wildlife. We saw a small grizzly bear cub walking along the roadside. Sorry, we were moving in traffic and I missed the photo opp!

We stopped over night a Radium Hot Springs, where we enjoyed a long soak in their Olympic size hot pool. No photos permitted due to a prior agreement with all involved!

AUGUST 18





We did something very uncharacteristic while we were in Jasper National Park. We rode a gondola. Mark has serious issues with heights,but insisted on doing it!(1) The gondola took us up to Whistler Mountain, which offers a fabulous view of Jasper.(2) Picture number (3) is of Mark on the way up. Picture number (4)(the smiling one!!) is on the trip down. Quite a different state of mind!

AUGUST 17






On to the Columbia Icefields!!
This may not be one of the most attractive pictures, but it is very descriptive of the glaciers' rate of receding.(1)
The second picture is the Athabasca Glacier today.(2)
I just love the contrast of the flowers,rocks and ice.(3)
We stopped at Sunwapta Falls(4) ad Athabasca Falls(5), before arriving at Jasper National Park.

AUGUST 16



We traveled the Trans-Canada highway to Lake Louise today.(1) The beautiful jade green lake with Victoria Glacier hanging above it must be one of the most photographed views in Canada!(2)
The crowds here were larger than anywhere else we have been!

AUGUST 15





Waterton National Park is the Canadian portion of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.
We were told that the best way to view the parks majestic landscape, was to see it from the Waterton Inter-Nation Shoreline Cruise.(1) We cruised up Waterton Lake,back into the United States, all the way to Goat Haunt in Glacier Park. The jagged glacial peaks that surround the lake are breathtaking.(2,3)
The view of the historic Prince of Wales Hotel from the water was fantastic!(4)

AUGUST 14










Today we travel to the Two Medicine area of Glacier Natl. Park, but first Bruce gets his first opportunity to "do the dump!"(1)
After setting up camp we took a short cruise on Two Medicine l
Lake aboard the Sinopah.(2) The lake is surrounded with beautiful glacial mountains.(3)

Dinner is cooking, firewood is chopped...must be time for a group picture!(4) But my favorite picture is of Mark and Bruce doing the dishes!(5)

Monday, August 25, 2008

AYGUST 13 Late Afternoon






After a stop at the Huckleberry Ice Cream Shop(no kidding,Huckleberry's are a hot item here!), we hopped in the truck for a ride on the Going to the Sun Highway.

This narrow (constantly under reconstruction) highway, bisects the park. It climbs to the Continental Divide at Logan Pass(6,646 feet). This road is one fantastic view after another!!
I'll let the pictures talk!!
Mountain peaks(1),mountain goats on the road(2),mountain goats off the road(3),big horn sheep(4),and deer(5).
What a great way to end a day!

AUGUST 12-13






Tuesday

Bruce and Judy have joined us for a jaunt through Glacier National Park and the Canadian Rockies.
The first thing that the guys have to do is make sure that the RV is ready to hit the road!(1) You can see right over Bruce's head, that Judy is busy getting her kitchen organized.

Wednesday

The first activity was a "4 Wheeling " trip. We took a 4 hour trip into the mountains outside of Glacier National Park. Don't we look like "Hell's Angels!!"(2) The views were spectacular. We saw a beautiful hidden lake(3),spring flowers(with butterflies)(4),and mountain ranges all around.(5)
We also ate about a pound of trail dust!!

AUGUST 5-9






Tuesday

Sadly, Catie had to fly back to New York today. We enjoyed every minute she was here!

We took another “vacation from vacation” day after delivering her to the Sea-Tac airport.
Time to do laundry, groceries and a little reorganization. We head off to the North Cascades on Wednesday!

Thursday, Friday, Saturday

The North Cascades are known for their alpine character, with high mountains and cool temperature. Well, the Stillwell’s arrive and a heat wave begins! Good thing we know real heat! We settled in to a great campsite, had dinner, and attended a very bizarre campfire program that was supposed to be about the history of the park but instead started with the creation of the earth and moved forward very quickly! (like something Mitchner would write!).

We followed the 129 mile North Cascades Scenic Highway. This road offered opportunities for hiking in the woods (5) viewing waterfalls (4), glaciers (3), and glacial lakes. Add to that beautiful cascading waters everywhere you looked (2) and the glorious mountain peaks (1) and you have more than enough to keep your eyes busy!