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!

Montana!

We have been having way too much fun here in Montana and I have been lazy with updating the blog.  We are currently in Fort Benton which is in central Montana and pretty darned close to Canada.  In my next life I want to be born in Montana!  I love it here.  Actually, getting to spend part of my summer here is almost perfect.  When we left Henry's Lake in Idaho we went to Livingston and spent a week there visiting with Kirby's cousin, Melani.  She has lived there for over 10 years...a California escapee!  While in Livingston Kirby got outfitted for some trout fishing and we have been searching for that big boy ever since!

We have seen some beautiful country on our travels and Montana is probably one of the very best!  From Livingston we went a whole 75 miles north to White Sulfur Springs which sits just south of Lewis and Clark National Forest.  It is a tiny town that is quiet, quiet, quiet!  The RV park was our favorite this year.  We walked to town and back many times, drove all over dirt roads searching for that perfect fish, picniced and played tourist at a home that has been converted to a museum.

I loved the simplicity of this old abandoned farmhouse.  I found it interesting that the white paint was still so white.  I have to wonder what brand of paint they used to last so long! There was no vinyl siding when this house was built.

Kirby found us this canyon to check out.  It was all rock and gorgeous. 

We were just driving down the dirt road minding our business when I spotted these two deer sitting under a tree.  Kirby slammed on the brakes and backed up.  I started taking pictures and walking closer to them very slowly.  They let me get quite close before the bolted off.  I felt so fortunate to get so close to them.  Their antlers were gorgeous!

This was one of our many picnics.  Convenient tree stump to use wouldn't you say?

Why do I take pictures of cows?  I have always done it and I am not too sure why.  Maybe because they are there.  This young one didn't know yet that you DON'T sleep in the middle of the road!

One day there were lots and lots of butterflies and they each had a thistle.

Driving a big truck and pulling a 38 foot trailer can be a bit of a challenge.  We had no idea this was waiting just up the road for us.  The picture is no where near as awful as the real thing was.  Lumpy, bumpy and very narrow.  I was so proud of Kirby!

This is the house museum that we visited - Bair Family Museum in Martinsdale, MT.  There really is no more Martinsdale - only a handful of people still living in the old houses but it used to be a nice little town full of people  that the sheep rancher, Charles Bair, employed.  The house was furnished by his two daughters throughout their lives with travels to Europe to purchase antiques.  It was pretty gaudy with all the big picture frames and gold gilt on everything but I fell in love with the kitchen.  It was remodeled in the 1960's and stayed the same thereafter.  Isn't the color incredible.  That would wake you up pretty fast each morning!

Gallatin National Forest, Montana

The day called for rain but we headed out anyway for a little road trip to explore Gallatin National Forest.  We left Idaho, entered Montana and then back to Idaho.  We even made a stop in West Yellowstone for lunch and a brew at the Slippery Otter Pub and a stop at the grocery and local hardware store for some light bulbs.  But the best was the views of course.  This is a gorgeous national forest.  So come along with us to explore!

We really didn't know what to expect when we started out.  The skies were cloudy and it was cool so we decided to bring Jake, our yellow dog, with us.

Kirby always reads the boards while I take pictures.  Then he has to tell me what he has read.  This is Earthquake Lake.  It was formed in 1959 when an earthquake happened and the result was a blocked canyon, much destruction and many lives lost.  It was interesting to think that something like this happened so recently.  It was like looking at the always changing earth in slow motion.

In this picture you can see how the mountain just slipped into the canyon below.

The earthquake happened so recently that the dead trees still stand along the shores of the newly formed lake.

This is an incredible view of the Madison River as it exits Earthquake Lake.

Thanks for coming along with us!

One Incredible Day!

Days like this don't come around that often!  And so often, you just can't plan them.  This day began with a little bit of a plan. We originally were not going to stay in Jackson Hole so long but when I looked at the calendar I realized that my sister and her husband were going to celebrate 54 years of marriage on the 26th so of course we had to stay to help them celebrate.  And of course, we celebrated even more than they did!

We started the day early with a Lion's Club breakfast at the Jackson County Fair.  Kirby and I have not eaten "white things" in over a year but darn, we fell off the wagon and had pancakes!  We ate our breakfast outdoors in the cool morning air waiting for the Horse Show to begin.  Two of their granddaughters were to be in the ring competing.  Rachel, who is 17, and Megan who is 12 both competed in Horsemanship.  I was so excited to watch them.  This city girl has never been involved with horses and I don't know much about them.

This is Rachel who took a 2nd in her class.

 

 

 

This is Megan and she took Best In Class.

Congratulations to you both!  You made me so proud and gave me a wonderful, wonderful day!

Now doesn't that sound like just the best day?  It was, but it wasn't over.  My nephew Flip and his wife, Kelley (the girls parents of course) invited us on a float trip on the the Snake River.  I opted for the "Green" water trip verses the "White" water.  I have had that White Water excitement and just wanted to enjoy the day, the river and my family.  My sister and her husband decided to pass and so we would see them again later in the day.

 First thing that happened was a "Shoe Overboard" exercise.  We dropped Megan on the shore and she managed to retrieve it, we got her back in the boat and set off again.

 It was a perfect afternoon.  Not too hot, not too cold and no wind.  Flip was the perfect handler/captain/skipper - whatever the person with the oars is called.  He certainly knew his business and there were no frightening moments!

Once they told us that we could beach the boat and walk up the hill to a store for cold drinks we just had to do it because, as Kirby said, we had never done that before!  The walk was short, the store had all kinds of choices and we all got something cold and I ATE ICE CREAM!  Oh, my but it was good!

The river ride took 2 or 3 hours - I don't remember because time was standing still.  It was just the BEST!

We went home and got out the game of Apples to Apples and sat on the back porch and played a game or two and next thing we knew it was time for dinner.  Just down the road was a place called The Bird.  It was packed since it was a Saturday night during Fair Week but we had a great time anyway celebrating Joan and Red's 54th!! Management gave us each a Popsicle to celebrate with.  I liked that much better than cake!

Lander, WY and Don and Vicki

Many of our winter Yuma friends live in Wyoming so we made a stop in Lander so that we could visit with some of them.  Don and Vicki have room near there home for an RV so we stayed right there next to them.  We barely got there when they first fed us lunch and took us out to view Lander and some of the surrounding area.  We also enjoyed the company of Mary and Jerry and Robynn and Daryl.  Mary and Jerry hosted a great breakfast the next morning and then it was more touring around the area.  I am tired but it was such a great time seeing everyone!

After finding the town of Kirby it was really fun to find this creek named after Kirby's family!

These are our gracious hosts, Vicki and Don.  They have lived in Lander most of their adult lives and know the area like the back of their hands so we had great tour guides.

This is the Popo Agie River as it enters the mountain.  The water flows into a cave in the side of the mountain, wanders around inside the mountain and about two hours later it re-emerges down the hill a bit.

 Red Canyon Wildlife Management Area

 We drove through the old mining town of Atlantic City and saw the old gold mine as well.  There is a lot more out in those hills than one would think!

Crossing the Missiouri River

This is the way we travel.  I really didn't pay any attention until Kirby wanted me to plug in the tire pressure monitor and I could hardly find the cord.  Plus there is the GPS, the phone and sometimes an inverter and an MP3 Player.  This is what we have all come to isn't it?  All our little gadgets.  And of course I have my camera bag and a bag with my Kindle and some food in it.  And sometimes my computer.  Our front seat is always a bit crowded.

 We crossed the Missouri River and then drove almost all the way across South Dakota to the small town of Wall.  Our RV Park, Sleepy Hollow is right in town but has one of the largest grain elevators/silos we have ever seen.  They are right on the railroad track just as we are and yes, I did hear the trains last night but mostly I was able to make them a part of my dreams.

Sioux Falls Park

We stayed an extra day here in Sioux Falls, South Dakota just to be able to visit the falls.  And all I can say is INCREDIBLE!  I am so glad we took the time!  I have never seen anything quite like it in all my life.  I love the surrounding stone and can imagine the Indians living right here many years ago.  A couple of people told us that we should have seen it a week or so ago after they had big rains.  I can only imagine!  Tomorrow we will head on west to the other end of South Dakota and Mount Rushmore!

There is a tower in the Visitor's Center (with an elevator) so you can see the whole city. 

On the Road to Minnesota

Yea, we are moving west!  I never, ever dreamed I would one day be in Minnesota.  Now, granted, we are not touring, just passing through but it is more than just stopping at the airport.  I can really, really say I have been here.  We are in a very small park in Welcome, Minnesota and it is so nice.  Very quiet and simple.  I like it.

The country here is lovely with big farms all over the place.  Like Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, there is corn growing everywhere.  But in Minnesota the corn is a bit shorter, just like the growing season.  You've got to hand it to the people who live here and endure those long winters.  I could never do it!

We crossed the Mississippi River again, going west this time, and found no pretty bridge, just construction.  The day was misty and dreary but cleared up later.

And we fueled up.  This is a daily occurrence when we are traveling.  About $100 a pop. Not a fun part of our travels!