Last night we went to a grocery store to buy provisions and had the good fortune of chatting with the check out lady. She mentioned that Saturday was open house at Glacier National Park and that “it would be a zoo.” She said that every year open house resulted in bumper to bumper traffic and just a general mess. That made our minds up; we decided to go on Friday. Bright and early we headed north toward the Canadian border. Just a word of advice to any of you that travel. Three years ago Jeannie and I were in Arizona for the National Championship game. Following the game we were driving through the desert in California and decided to visit Joshua Tree National Park. The lady at the ranger station said that admission was $25.00, but for $10.00 anyone 62 years of age and older can buy a life time pass. The pass is good for an entire car load of people. We purchased the pass and what a deal it has been. Just show the pass and your identification and any national park, national monument, forest or campground is free. Now that all of the parks have gone to a $25.00 entry fee, buying the pass is a no brainer.
I have uploaded the pictures of Glacier National Park and they speak for themselves. The park has hundreds of water falls. There are large mountain lakes and rushing mountain streams complete with cataracts, rapids and water falls of several hundred feet. Mountain meadows filled with wildflowers are everywhere. There are black bears, grizzly bears, wolverines, wolves, mountain lions and mountain goats and big horn sheep. The main thoroughfare is called “The Road to the Sun” it is a fifty mile trip over the Continental Divide. There is one section of the road called “the Weeping Wall” it is over a mile of continuous water falls ranging from torrents to gentle streams. There are snow caves right by the road; Just like our last trip, Jeannie, once again assaulted me with a snow ball. The trip can be made in two hours; we spent nine hours and could have stayed much longer. Glacier National Park is a magical place.
Today, Saturday, we toured the Flathead Valley. Flathead Lake is the largest natural fresh water lake west of the Mississippi River. The lake reminded Jeannie a great deal of Lake Tahoe. The water is the same deep cobalt blue and is surrounded by snow capped mountains. The community closest to our cabin is Bigfork, Montana. Anyone that has been to Carmel, California would see the similarity to Bigfork. It is a wealthy community with a lot of coffee houses, boutiques, and community theater and art galleries. In physical appearance, the village is striking. Flowers are everywhere, the varieties and numbers have to be seen to be believed. I do not know what their nursery bill is for plant upkeep, but believe me it is significant. We went over to Kalispell and had a pleasant picnic in a City park. Driving the perimeter road around Flathead Lake we drove through several communities celebrating their annual cherry festival. I don’t remember ever seeing a cherry tree before and I know I have never tasted freshly picked cherries. They were surprisingly sweet, I don’t know what I expected but they were better. Later we went to two State Parks near Swan Lake and at each we talked to some local residents. My advice to everyone I meet is always the same, secede now.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the night sky. We are on the side of a mountain over looking a large mountain lake. There are no cities or towns within ten miles and at night there is zero ambient light. There is no pollution hence Montana skies are crystal clear. Jeannie and I have been trying to think of how to describe how the stars up here. The sky is so black and there are so many brilliant stars and the Milky Way is so vivid you wonder if it is even the same sky.
Jeannie is spending the last few minutes of our final night in the porch swing. We are in the middle of a forest of Blue Spruce, Douglas Firs, Red Cedars and Pine. The air outside the cabin smells like Christmas inside of a cedar chest. Just the act of breathing is refreshing.
We will leave Sunday morning for the Grand Tetons and Wyoming. Reluctantly, we will be departing Montana, for in the words of the Blackfoot Indians, not only is the Flathead Valley the Great Spirit’s own chosen country, it is where the Angels come to sing.
I have uploaded the pictures of Glacier National Park and they speak for themselves. The park has hundreds of water falls. There are large mountain lakes and rushing mountain streams complete with cataracts, rapids and water falls of several hundred feet. Mountain meadows filled with wildflowers are everywhere. There are black bears, grizzly bears, wolverines, wolves, mountain lions and mountain goats and big horn sheep. The main thoroughfare is called “The Road to the Sun” it is a fifty mile trip over the Continental Divide. There is one section of the road called “the Weeping Wall” it is over a mile of continuous water falls ranging from torrents to gentle streams. There are snow caves right by the road; Just like our last trip, Jeannie, once again assaulted me with a snow ball. The trip can be made in two hours; we spent nine hours and could have stayed much longer. Glacier National Park is a magical place.
Today, Saturday, we toured the Flathead Valley. Flathead Lake is the largest natural fresh water lake west of the Mississippi River. The lake reminded Jeannie a great deal of Lake Tahoe. The water is the same deep cobalt blue and is surrounded by snow capped mountains. The community closest to our cabin is Bigfork, Montana. Anyone that has been to Carmel, California would see the similarity to Bigfork. It is a wealthy community with a lot of coffee houses, boutiques, and community theater and art galleries. In physical appearance, the village is striking. Flowers are everywhere, the varieties and numbers have to be seen to be believed. I do not know what their nursery bill is for plant upkeep, but believe me it is significant. We went over to Kalispell and had a pleasant picnic in a City park. Driving the perimeter road around Flathead Lake we drove through several communities celebrating their annual cherry festival. I don’t remember ever seeing a cherry tree before and I know I have never tasted freshly picked cherries. They were surprisingly sweet, I don’t know what I expected but they were better. Later we went to two State Parks near Swan Lake and at each we talked to some local residents. My advice to everyone I meet is always the same, secede now.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the night sky. We are on the side of a mountain over looking a large mountain lake. There are no cities or towns within ten miles and at night there is zero ambient light. There is no pollution hence Montana skies are crystal clear. Jeannie and I have been trying to think of how to describe how the stars up here. The sky is so black and there are so many brilliant stars and the Milky Way is so vivid you wonder if it is even the same sky.
Jeannie is spending the last few minutes of our final night in the porch swing. We are in the middle of a forest of Blue Spruce, Douglas Firs, Red Cedars and Pine. The air outside the cabin smells like Christmas inside of a cedar chest. Just the act of breathing is refreshing.
We will leave Sunday morning for the Grand Tetons and Wyoming. Reluctantly, we will be departing Montana, for in the words of the Blackfoot Indians, not only is the Flathead Valley the Great Spirit’s own chosen country, it is where the Angels come to sing.
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