Missouri Headwaters State Park

The Missouri River runs right behind this ridge of mountains that were formed over 75 million years ago by a volcano eruption.

We are further south in Montana now and heading back toward Arizona – but it will take us a while – at least 4 weeks, maybe more.  We don’t want to get there when it is still terribly hot or my body will go into shock.  This morning it is 50 degrees out, we ran the heater and I have on sweats!

We left Fort Benton for a quick trip to Great Falls and some shopping.  We hadn’t seen a Sam’s Club in quite a while and we needed some staples.  Of course I always look for microbreweries wherever we are and we were in luck.  We found Bowser Brewing not too far from where we were staying.  We settled in with our brews (which were excellent!) and a tin of dominos to play some Mexican Train.  Didn’t work!  We should have counted the doms before we began.  Doubles of some of them and others were just plain missing.  You can’t play a real game that way!  Should have brought along our own but we didn’t know what to expect.  At least the ales were really good and we did have fun!

We are going to miss this nice spot at Missouri Headwaters State Park.

We are now at the Missouri Headwaters State Park not too far from Three Forks, MT.  It is a very quiet little park with not too many people and we have a fantastic site with a yard for Jake.  He is going to be pretty upset later today when we move on.  (if the weather will allow – heavy skies and it rained all night)

There is a great paved trail that runs right by the park and goes into Three Forks.  We got our bikes down and headed out.  Through bribery Kirby was able to get me to ride all the way into Three Forks – lunch was the reward.  We ate on the patio at Three Forks Café.  Can’t say it was the greatest meal ever but it sure was fun.  And I can now say that I can ride 10 miles.  Of course there were NO hills and very little wind so it was an easy ride.

 There are a few trails around the park and we have enjoyed those.  We also had a fire in the firepit yesterday morning.  It was cool and crisp out and the fire was perfect.  Sure wouldn’t work today as everything is soaked with rain. 

The Madison River flowing north to meet up with the Gallatin and the Jefferson.  These three rivers become the Missouri River.  I think it should be called the Montana River since it originates here but of course there was no Montana when the Missouri was discovered.

If we can get the rain to stop we will hitch up and got to Three Forks Campground for a few days.  We stayed there last year and know that we like it. (We will have full hook-ups and laundry there.)  Then we don’t know where we are going but it will be south!

Henry's Lake State Park, Idaho

This is the campground at Henry's Lake State Park and we are in love with this place. OK, there are mosquitoes at certain times and the wind can howl but when those two things are gone, this is perfect! There is hiking and limited biking. We don't fish but there sure are a lot of fisherman out there all the time. The campground has a boat ramp. Most of the camping sites are water and electric but there are eight with full hook-up and we have one of them. The new section has paved sites and are wonderful!

So, yesterday when we took our hike I remembered my camera! I was stopping constantly because it was so beautiful!

I am not certain of the purpose of this cool looking gate because one could just go around (through the brush) but it makes a nice beginning to our hike.

Jake likes to lead and he was busy sniffing when Kirby passed him up.  He had to rush to get back to his spot!

This is a badger hole.  We saw quite a few of the holes but no badgers.

It is a fabulous hike and and easy one for old ladies like me!

Custer State Park - Wildlife Loop

Our last day at the park.  We will move north just a little bit today and I am trying to figure out why we are going north when it is mid July and 47 degrees outside.  We are experiencing a cold spell!!  I guess so!  Way too cold for summer!  We need to go south!

Anyway our day on the Wildlife Loop was also incredible and I took too many pictures again.  So, I use little collages to try to give you some of everything,  Now come along with us -

Wildlife Loop - we didn't see that much but we did get up close and personal with this Bison.  Shot from the car window!

Pronghorn Sheep

Prairie Dog

The Pronghorn Sheep photo was out the windshield and the Prairie Dogs just kept popping back into their holes as I got closer so the photos aren't very good.

This is what a lot of our trip looked like.  I loved it!  But I sure wouldn't want to be there in the cold!

A roadside stop

Then we saw the sign for the Lookout and both agreed that we wanted to go.  How stupid could I have been.  I can NOT handle heights!  By the time we wound our way up the cliffhanger narrow road I was almost in tears with my eyes shut.  I was on the outside the whole way up which was one mile and the longest mile in my life!  Thankfully we didn't meet a car coming the other direction or I know we would have gone off the cliff and died.

This is the lookout tower that I did not climb.

After our picnic lunch we followed a little trail that we thought might take us to the Badger Clark Home.  It wound around this little lake and did indeed take us where we wanted to go.

Badger Clark was the Poet Laureate for the state South Dakota in 1937.  He is the author of the famous "Cowboy's Prayer".  His home in the mountains is still there just the way he left it.  I thought it was beautiful!  I could live there.  No indoor plumbing, no running water, no electricity.  It would so peaceful - for a bit of time and then I would want all my modern conveniences again! After touring the house we took his trail around the property and enjoyed the same mountain views that he enjoyed for over 20 years of his life.

This is my normal view when we take walks!

Hooten Hollow Trail

Norris Dam State Park, TN

The trail was very steep and constantly going down as we began our hike this morning at Norris Dam State Park and I was a bit concerned about the return trip!  UP, UP, UP!!  But we were lucky and found another trail that turned the whole thing into a nice loop.  Now come along with us....

That's me!

Twice on this trip I have seen trees just fall.  Last week we were sitting in our chairs enjoying the forest when I saw a large branch just fall off the tree.  We were glad it didn't land on our camper and our solar panels.  I know this is the way the forest lives and dies and nurtures itself and it amazes me when I think of the millions of years it has been doing this.

My view on our hikes - always.  This was toward the end of our trek and Jake is slowing down.  He loves it when he doesn't have to be on a leash and he just runs and runs.

You have to look closely at this photo.  I was walking on the trail when I looked down and notice this red brick.  Why is there brick on the trail in the forest?  Oh, I want to know answers to questions like that so badly! So, I make stories up to go with the brick.  Again, we decided it must have been a moonshine still!

This is in the campground.  Kind of speaks for itself I think.

Ugly and beautiful at the same time.  They were all over the trail.  What are they????  They are about two inches long and very eye catching!

Morning Walk in the Forest

 Pisgah National Forest, Lake Powhatan Campground

I just beat Kirby at Mexican Train so we are taking a break for a few minutes.  I am loving these quiet stay at home days we are having.  And it looks like quite a few of the weekend campers are leaving today.  Let’s just hope they go soon and take the 25 or so children that are on our loop!  I know the kids are having fun and it is really cool that they get to experience the outdoors but they are just so noisy!  Tomorrow should be even better!

We headed out this morning for another walk in the forest.  There are many, many trails but most of them are too long and too steep for me.  I always accuse Kirby of trying to kill me on our hikes because he is such a stronger hiker than I am and we go up and down the hills and I get so tired and he just keeps on trucking.  But he has been doing this to me since our beginning.  The joke is that I will ask how much further and he will tell me it is just around the corner or just over the next hill.  It is always further!

Here are some pictures from this morning’s walk where we were almost run over by a couple of young men on mountain bikes.  Oh, my but they were going fast as they came around that corner and of course I screamed as they startled me so much!  It took a while to calm my heart down.  

Lake Powhatan

In a busy campground how do you make certain that you will be the only ones on the trail?  We don’t like crowds and we don’t like other people on our trails when we hike.  So we have found the answer.  First, go early.  Second, go in the rain!  It works.

We knew that there were heavy clouds overhead and we could hear some thunder in the distance but decided to go anyway.  It was early – we wanted to beat the busy weekend crowds.  And of course it rained on us.  But it was OK.  Some of the time the rain went away, some of it we were under trees or a shelter, and some of the time it poured!  And by the time we were about to head home – it was gone.  Only bad part was that it was hard to get photos!  I had my camera wrapped in a big trash bag to keep it dry.  So here are some pictures from our rain hike.

The rain had not started yet when we reached the trail from our campsite.

You can't see the little raindrops on the water in this picture but this is where I first noticed it.

We made it to a very small shelter (really just an outdoor bulletin board with a roof) just when it began to dump!

By the time we made it around the lake the sun was beginning to shine.

Final Days at Buck Hall

We just took our final bike ride on the Palmetto Trail in the Francis Marion National Forest.  The rains have gone and the forest actually seems to be drying up a bit.  We need more rain already.  But tomorrow it will no longer be our home.  It has been the most fantastic two weeks walking and biking the trail, walking along the Intracoastal Waterway and watching the spring migration of the boats that spent the winter in Florida and the Bahamas.  Jake, our yellow dog, has become quite proficient at chasing the squirrels up trees.  We have become good friends with our camp host, Pat Crawford. You can read his blog HERE.

I am trying to remember what all has kept us so busy.  I had a nice Sunday Brunch with my daughter, Christie.  We went to Mosaic, a small place in Mount Pleasant, and had great food.  I was able to have Shrimp and Grits – Yea!!  It was wonderful!

Linda and I ate lunch.

 I also had lunch with my old high school friend, Linda.  Linda and I re-found each other on Facebook about five or six years ago and have developed a wonderful friendship outside Facebook!  Would you believe that she moved to Mount Pleasant a few months after we left.  Timing is everything isn’t it?

Me on the left and Lucy on the right.

 We met friends Ray and Lucy at Smoky Oak Taproom in James Island and had lunch.  Now talk about food!  Oh, my but that food was incredible.  Kirby and I shared a platter of pulled pork and the best ribs I have ever had in my life!

That is the owner/founder on the right.

We managed to get to Coast Brewing in North Charleston.  They make such great brews and we have been fans for years.  It was fun to see how much they have grown.

We were so pleased to see so many people at Coast enjoying the awesome brews.  Kirby's favorite is Hopart and I like the stout.

Brendan, Carey, Christie, Michael and Kirby (leaning in to get in the picture per my instructions!)

We were invited to have dinner with the family at Brendan and Carey’s new apartment.  Wow, they sure didn’t build apartments like that when I was living in them!  Granite countertops, stainless appliances, trak lighting!  Small but incredibly beautiful.  We had our dinner in the common area, using the grill provided.  The weather was perfect for outdoor eating.

On Sunday we traveled back to the old neighborhood and visited with a few folks.  Arlene, who used to be our next door neighbor provided lots of yummy eats and some fruity sangria.  It was fun seeing everyone after a year on the road.

Ray, Lucy, Jack and Juanita managed to get spaces here at Buck Hall for one night so of course we had to have a small party and dinner together.  We sat in Jack and Juanita’s yard and they had an incredible view of the boats going by.

Yesterday my friend, Linda, came out for a walk in the woods and dinner.  It was so wonderful to get to spend more time together.  Hopefully we will meet up again at our Fifty Year HS Reunion in August!

Sunrise

As I write, Kirby is outside breaking camp.  It is sad.  Jake is probably going to go into a funk for a few days.  He really believes that we live here now.  I think this has been his favorite place too.  Next stop – Lake Hartwell State Park!