Wednesday September 4: The night was chilly and autumn colors are becoming more pronounced. After a morning walk along the lake, it is warm enough to sit in the sunshine to write in the journal and send pics to my family.
Morning walk by the lake
My daughter Katie calls to see if I will come to the sibling and friends gathering in Wallace, Idaho. I had thought I would not go, but it is worked out for me to meet up with my daughter Ang and her friend Rama to ride partway with them. It will be good to see kids and grandkids that I might not otherwise get to see on our travels.
Autumn Colors
In the afternoon, I continue with editing Ang’s book Princes and Priests. Later, Clifford and I go to the laundromat in the town of Seeley Lake. After the baskets of clean clothes are loaded in the Suburban, we cross the highway to the gift shop for a really good ice cream cone. Back at camp, after dinner and cleanup, we both read/study until bedtime.
Wednesday September 5: Clifford is up earlier today, so I sit out in the morning sunshine to chat with him and then we tend to some CI email. For both of us, it is a day of our usual activities: Clifford works on the CI Legacy Project, plays his dulcimer, and listens to his ham radio; I edit, write blogs, play viola, and read. Dinner is simple and we are happy being here.
Sundown at Seeley Lake Campground
Thursday September 6: This morning I make a campfire instead of going down to the lake. Nice to sit here with my coffee and journal.
Campfire, coffee, and journal
After breakfast I pack a bag to take to Wallace. As I’m getting my car tidied up, I meet the neighbor across the road, an artist currently living in a tent as she does large colorful lively paintings out in the open. She is quite an interesting and friendly woman, with a great idea for a foundation to help other artists.
Stormy wind ruffles the water
I do my walkabout
this afternoon as a storm is moving in with a bit of a rainbow. By
time I get to a spot clear enough to get a shot of it, the rainbow
has faded, but it was still exciting to see.
The fading rainbow
Breakfast burritos for dinner and then I tidy up our cozy space before heading to bed.
Saturday September 1: Clifford didn’t feel well in the night, but fortunately he is okay this morning. I go down to the lake first thing this morning for photos. I love the ambiance of the mist rising off the lake.
Mist on Seeley Lake
Rising Mist
Chat with Rollie before he heads out to attend a bluegrass festival.
Rollie and his rig
I
drive into the town of Seeley Lake to look for local honey, browsing
through gift shops, and end up buying local raw honey at the market.
Stop for photos of water lilies on the way back to camp.
Lily pond on the shore of Seeley
Lily
In the evening I do some editing of Princes and Priests for my daughter Ang and then edit photos from my outings today.
Sundown at Seeley Lake
Sunday September 2: It is a beautiful morning here with the mist on the lake again. After the mist lifts, I sit outside in the sunshine with my cup of coffee while I write in the journal.
Mist on the lake
Shore hidden from view
Today
is a day of calls: some business calls and some family/friends calls.
I play my viola and do more editing today, as well as start reading
another novel. Nice to have time to read, along with all the other
things that I like to do.
Monday September 3: I make coffee and then go sit by the lake to muse on things while I sip at my coffee.
Sitting by Seeley Lake to muse
Back at camp after breakfast, I send photos of the lake to all the family. The afternoon is more editing and reading and playing fiddle tunes on the viola. Life is good!
Friday
August 31: My brother Rollie and I are up early and make coffee in
his motor home here in Sun River, Montana, before we start packing up
for the return trip over the mountain and back to the campground at
Seeley Lake. My son Matt joins us for breakfast and we say our
good-byes. It was a good visit and I’m glad we had time for fishing
ventures yesterday, as well as sharing meals and chatting.
It is a windy drive back to Seeley Lake, not only across the prairie foothills on the east face of the Rockies, which is usually windy, but even into the mountains. It makes the journey back harder for the Rollie and the motor home.
East Face of the Rockies with mountains in the distance
Approaching the MIddle Fork of the Dearborn River Crossing
Rocky Mountains of Montana where prairie meets mountains
We arrive safely at the Seeley Lake Campground in time for me to make lunch for the three of us (Clifford had stayed to hold down the fort – Cougar).
Return to Seeley Lake Campground
We
make a campfire, and Rollie and I play some bluegrass tunes. Dinner
is a left-over baked trout, as good as the one we shared with family
at dinner last night in Sun River. It was a good trip, but I am glad
to be back to our campsite with Clifford and Cougar.
Thursday August 30: Today will be the fishing day on the Sun River, but to start the morning, my brother Rollie and I have coffee in his motor home, parked in the town of Sun River, Montana. About a mile from here is the farm where I raised my family, and this little town was where my kids went to school and where some friends from those days still live. This area was my home for twenty years, and my son Matt and his kids still live here. Sun River has become more and more run down in the twenty years plus years since then, partly due to laws that limit rebuilding after flood damage. It is sad to see.
Matt and his friend Lexie join Rollie and me for breakfast in the motor home and we make our plans for the fishing trip. Rocky Reef on the Sun River will be our destination. We decide to forego a picnic and will just return to the motor home for lunch when everyone gets hungry.
Sun River upstream from Rocky Reef
Rocky Reef is a rock formation that juts out into the river creating a deep pool at its base. Although the river is low this year, the pool remains deep. While the other three – Matt, Rollie, and Lexie – fish, I wander the banks and climb the rock formation to take photos.
Downstream looking toward Rocky Reef
The fishermen fishing at Rocky Reef
Sun River looking downstream from Rocky Reef
Sun River looking upstream from Rocky Reef
Rollie and Ninja catching fish
Rollie, Matt, and Pandora fishing
Rollie on the bank below Rocky Reef
Matt catches fish
Matt is an outstanding fisherman and he is the only one who catches fish. Three good-size trout will make a tasty dinner tonight.
Saying good-bye to the Sun River at Rocky Reef for now
After meeting Matt’s
boss (Matt works near here and his boss let him have the day off for
my visit), we head on back to the motor home for lunch. The
fishermen will try a different fishing hole this afternoon, and a
decision is made to just walk down to the river from here rather than
driving somewhere else.
Matt and his chainsaw angel
Pandora, Matt, Angel, Carol
Rollie, Matt, Angel, Carol
Back at the river,
fishing continues. Rollie has to catch his hat after it blows into
the river and I stack rocks to amuse myself before heading back to
the motor home.
Fishing for a run-away hat
In the early
evening, my grand-daughter Aurora and her friend Alex come join the
rest of us for baked trout dinner. As dinner is cooking, Rollie and
I play a few of our bluegrass tunes for them, and after dinner we
make tea and chat until late.
Grand-daughter Aurora; Son Matt, Aurora’s friend Alex, Carol, Brother Rollie
It was a good visit.
Tomorrow Rollie and I will head back to Seeley Lake.
Saturday August 18: It is less smokey this morning and very pleasant sitting outside writing in the journal.
Later, when the
temperatures warm up and the flies become bothersome, we set up the
screen house over the picnic table, giving us place to eat, write,
and play music without the pesky flies.
Sunday August 19: A walk in the forest is a lovely quiet time for me this morning.
A quiet walk in the forest
In general, the day has the usual things going on: writing, reading, editing for daughter Ang, and taking photos (Carol); ham radio and CI Legacy Project (Clifford), with the addition of being stung by a wasp (Carol) and going bike riding around the two loops of the campground (both of us).
Monday August 20: It is hard to tell overcast from smoke haze this morning. In spite of the somewhat dreary sky, I walk around both loops of the campground. We are the only people here; even the hosts are gone.
Smokey morning walk
In the afternoon,
there is a knock on the door and we are surprised to see my son Saul.
We invite him in and I make tea for the three of us. He is headed to
an organic farm and has stopped here to spend the night. We have a
nice visit and after he gets his camp set up, he joins us for dinner.
Since he travels a lot, we get out the atlas and share thoughts about
where he and we have been and where we all might be going in the
future. Maybe our paths will cross again.
Late afternoon light at our campsite at Cabin City
Tuesday August 21: I walk about taking photos in the mist this morning. Then we invite Saul for breakfast and chat a bit more before he heads out.
Walking in the mist
Today I am going to Wallace to visit Katie and her family. Katie, her daughter Justice, her mother-in-law Sue, and I go to lunch. Really nice to visit with all of them. Being in Wallace also gives me a chance to go to the laundromat, my favorite second-hand store, and the market before I drive back over the mountain for a late dinner with Clifford.
Katie and Jeremy at the Wallace Coffee House
Wednesday August 22: After my morning quiet time and breakfast with Clifford, I start cleaning out my car. Katie needs to have our remaining stuff moved out of her basement, so yesterday I put as much as I could into my car. It it is too much to take back to Monticello, so I will be sorting and getting rid of books and other items. I find it hard to get rid of books, but in reality, it is not likely I will ever have time to read all of them.
Later, Clifford and
I work on the back-up camera issue and find a spot where we can put
the receiver (adhered to an aluminum pizza plate stuck in the
bathroom door) so that the signal carries all the way from the back
of Cougar to the monitor on the Suburban dashboard. It takes a bit of
jury-rigging, but it works.
Afghan for great-grandson Oliver
I finish the knit afghan for the newest member of the family, great-grandson Oliver. Bicycle, dinner, viola practice, and reading complete the day for me. Clifford continues with his projects and is up until the wee hours, as is normal for him.
Thursday August 23: It is smokey again and we have caught another mouse. Did it come with us from Bass Creek or are the mice a problem here? When camp host Susi comes around, I ask her about the mice and it does appear they have been a problem the last couple of years.
Smokey drive
Today Clifford and I go to St. Regis again, as there is wifi at the Visitors’ Center. I send the completed Princes and Priests synopsis to Ang, while Clifford downloads a big music file. We have lunch at a cafe here, but it is not nearly as good as the meal we had at the $50,000 Bar&Grill earlier in the week.
In the evening, I
make plans with Rollie regarding a trip to Sun River (near Great
Falls, Montana) to visit my son Matt. Clifford will stay with Cougar
at Cabin City.
Friday August 24: I make coffee and sit outside for awhile before getting ready for our trip to Couer d Alene. I have another doctor checkup, and once that is finished, we run errands in CdA.
Smokey Couer d Alene Lake
On the way back to our campground, we stop in Wallace so Clifford can help make decisions about what to do with the rest of our stuff in Katie’s basement. We fit what we can into my car and the rest will be given away. Katie is cooking steaks on an outdoor grill, but due to the lateness of the hour, we have to head back to camp rather than staying for dinner. She sends a juicy steak home with us, which we thoroughly enjoy.
Tuesday August 14: Today is moving day. Although we like where we are at Bass Creek Recreation Area in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana, we are heading to Cabin City, a campground on the Montana side of Lookout Pass. This will allow visiting with my daughter Katie and her family in Wallace, Idaho, without pulling Cougar over the pass.
Forest fire smoke as we drive from the Bitterroot Valley to Cabin City
When we arrive at Cabin City, there is almost no one there, but the spot we would have chosen is already taken. Oh well, that is the way it goes sometimes. We pick another nearby spot that will allow both shade for the RV and access to the sunshine for the solar panels, a bit of a challenge in this forested campground.
Forest setting for Cougar
After we get set up,
we have tuna sandwiches for lunch and proceed with our usual
activities. In the evening, the hosts, Susi and Tom, come around and
we chat with them for awhile. We met them here a couple of years ago
and discovered at that time that Susi is the youngest sister of a
really good friend of mine from high school days. “Small world….”
Wednesday August 15: Pretty light on the forest this morning, in spite of the forest fire smoke.
Morning light at Cabin City
Today we are going to Wallace to visit Katie and her family; my son Saul is there, also, doing some work for Katie. My wellness visit is in Kellogg, just 12 miles down the road. The doctor at the clinic there was my doctor when we lived in Wallace and I still want to see her, but it will be the last time, as she is moving to Texas and I am one of her last patients in Idaho.
Forest fire smoke extends into Idaho
Saul house painting in Wallace
After the doctor visit, Clifford and I go to dinner with Katie and her friends. There are several conversations going on at once, so it is hard to talk to Katie to see how she and her family are doing. We’ll be back next week, so will visit more with her then. It is late by time we get back to Cabin City, but I read until midnight before heading to bed. Clifford, as usual, stays up with his projects until the wee hours.
Thursday August 16: Today we take care of the mail that we picked up in Wallace yesterday, having forwarded it there. Later, we make a trip to post office in St. Regis, the nearest town with a post office, and then dinner at the famous $50,000 Bar & Grill at the nearby Haugan exit. The food is plentiful and the gift shop has lots of fun stuff. I buy a top for myself and a T-shirt for Clifford, kind of a splurge, but worth it.
Driving by the “Moose Pond”
Back at camp, I walk about taking photos and then read most of the afternoon. While it might not be the most productive way to spend time, it good that I have the option to do just that.
Monday August 6: We are glad to be camped at Bass Creek Recreation Area in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana. After a walkabout in the early morning sunshine, we invite my brother Rollie over (he is camped across the road from us) for tea on our patio. It is a nice time to sit out and chat.
Cougar setting
Today Clifford and I
go to the Stevensville library, about six miles away, as it offers
both power and free wifi. We get caught up on email and Clifford
takes care of downloads that are too big for our hotspot wifi at
camp. For lunch, we share a sandwich, sitting on a bench in the
sunshine, and then continue with our projects.
Back at camp, Rollie
joins us for chicken and rice dinner.
Tuesday August 7: Today I head into Missoula to have lunch with dear long-time friends, Ken and Shelley Anne. Ken and I have known each other since 7th grade when we were both in the cello section of the Missoula youth orchestra. We have a great visit and then I run errands. As I’m leaving my last stop, my car won’t start, which is disconcerting, and I can’t get hold of Clifford, which is also disconcerting. Eventually it starts, much to my relief, and I make it back to camp.
In the evening, my
sister, Nancy, comes out for a visit. Really nice to see her.
Wednesday August 8: After a walkabout down to the creek and sending photos to family and friends, Clifford and I sit out on our patio for tea; nice way to start the morning.
Bass Creek
Clifford and I work on our projects and later in the afternoon, after Rollie returns from his gig in Stevensville, we sit out in the shade and play music together. Later Rollie joins Clifford and me for dinner.
Thursday August 9: This morning I walk the entire campground loop, and then join Clifford for tea on the patio. Since texts work here, I send photos and arrange time to meet with some of my kids and my siblings. In the afternoon, I start the synopsis for Ang’s book, Princes and Priests, as we are going to seek a literary agent. Learning how to do a query properly is a big project.
Flocks of butterflies hover in the trees
In the evening, my
friends Ken and Shelley Anne come out. After they get set up in a
campsite just down the road from us, we have time to sit out and
visit awhile, making plans for a drive up the mountain tomorrow.
Friday August 10: I’m up at 7:30 and start getting ready for the hike with Ken and Shelley Anne. As I’m rushing about, Ken suggests that I take time to do what I need to do. What a great concept – Take Time to Do What I Need to Do! I realize I seldom do that, with the needs of others taking priority… so much so that it is just a habit.
Ken, Shelley Anne, and I are going to Joseph’s Ridge, a rather slow drive up the mountain due to the winding and somewhat rough road. At the pull-out/picnic area, after finding a parking spot, we get our hiking sticks and water, and head up the ridge trail. Ken hikes on ahead of Shelley Anne and me, as he seeks quiet, while we ladies are eager to visit and share what’s going on in our lives. We all end up back at the picnic area about the same time and share a picnic lunch with a fabulous view all around us. Back at the campground, we say our good-byes.
Joseph Ridge Trail
View from the Joseph Ridge Trail
Hiking with Shelley Anne
After Ken and Shelley Anne head back to Missoula, Clifford and I go to the Stevensville library to take care of our business there. In the evening, Clifford, Rollie, and I meet with some of Rollie’s bluegrass friends who live near the campground. I am not a traditional bluegrass musician, so am limited in how I can join in with the others, but we have a good time playing music together anyway. Snacks and visiting afterward is quite fun, also, and it would be great to do this again, if time allows. Back at camp, it is late enough that I get right to the bedtime routine and off to bed.
Friday August 3: We finish moving out of Terry (our 30-year-old RV) and into Cougar (our new-to-us RV) in the Bretz RV parking lot in Missoula, Montana, where the two are parked side-by-side. We wait for my daughter Ang and her friend Rama to arrive, as they are taking Terry to give the old gal a good home and keep her in the family.
It is afternoon by time Clifford and Cougar are ready to head across town, while I follow in my Forester. Reserve is a very busy main street across Missoula, and we get separated when I stop at a red light. It is a bit nerve-wracking for us, as Cougar is a lot big bigger than Terry, and the backup camera is not working. Due to the traffic, it takes us a good long while to get across town, but finally after Clifford has made it highway 93, I catch up to him and we continue southward down the Bitterroot Valley, arriving at the Bass Creek Recreation Area in late afternoon.
Coming into a popular campground on a Friday afternoon is not the best timing, but unavoidable in this case. There is only one spot available and we are grateful that it is a big pull-through. There is not much shade at this site, but the sun will be good for the solar panels and since we now have have an awning, we will be fine. Our view is a good-size meadow with a hillside of trees across from us. By time we get set up and have dinner, it is quite late. We are happy to be here.
We set up Cougar for the first time
From our patio, we have a view of a meadow and trees
Saturday August 4: I spend much of the day putting things in place, unpacking and relocating, trying to find room for everything. In the afternoon, I hike a ways up the trail, but decide not to go too far alone since a bear and cub have recently been seen in the area.
Tumultuous Bass Creek
By evening, everything is pretty much in place. We sit out on our patio, enjoying the warm evening air and the view. Bed before midnight.
Sunday August 5: I go for a walkabout first thing this morning and take a few photos. This campground is one of my favorites, being in the mountains with a creek nearby and a good hiking trail.
The meadow
In the afternoon, Clifford and I meet Ang and Rama at the Lumberjack on Graves Creek Road for a late lunch. It is great to see them, and the hamburgers here are quite good.
Returning to Bass Creek, we see that Rollie and Ninja have arrived and he is setting up in the spot right across the road from us, which will be handy for getting together to play music.
Rollie and Ninja set up across the road from us
After Rollie is set up, we hike up the trail a ways to that sweet spot where the creek is calm. Sure is good to be here.
Reflections on Bass Creek
Back
at camp, I organize and reorganize, still figuring out where things
go in our new space, and then catch up on my journal, as writing got
behind last week as we moved from Terry into Cougar. That was a big
deal and other activities were pushed to the back burner. Before
heading to bed, I finish reading the James Doss book that I started a
few days ago.
Tuesday July 17: Although we like Divide Bridge Campground along the Big Hole River in southwest Montana, we are on a time schedule and leave fairly early.
Raining as we leave Divide Bridge Campground
Montana – Big sky, big mountains, big rivers
Clarkfork River as we approach Missoula area
We arrive at the Lolo Creek Campground north of Lolo, Montana, about mid-afternoon. This is a great location, relatively close to siblings in the Bitterroot Valley and kids on the west side of Missoula, as well as friends in Missoula. The drawback is that there is no cell service, so we have to drive back to Lolo to let everyone know we are here and begin making plans for getting together.
This is home at Lolo Creek Campground
Later, my brother Rollie and his pal Ninja drive up to see us and we play music – first time together since March. Since we are going to be doing a “gig”in a few days, some practice time together is a good idea.
Rollie and Ninja play the mandolin
We share a late dinner and I wrap up the day with the usual evening routine of reading, journal writing, and so on. Clifford works with his ham radio since we will be here long enough for him to set up his big antennas.
Happy to be here, happy to be in Montana, and soon I’ll be seeing my kids and my other siblings. Montana, here we are!
Wednesday July 18: Today is a day of settling into our spot, as we will be here for two weeks. We walk to Lolo Creek, just a short ways away, but other than that, we hang around camp, enjoying a relaxing day.
Clifford on the bridge over Lolo Creek near the campground
Lolo Creek – western Montana
Clifford is focused on his ham radio communications and playing his dulcimer. I finish getting the inside of Terry set up, read, and write in my journal, having gotten behind while traveling.
A big bug joins Clifford on the dulcimer
In the afternoon, my brother Rollie comes out to play music and have dinner with us. A peaceful day, and it sure feels good to know that we do not to have to pack and be on the road in the morning.
Thursday July 12: Today we are leaving for Montana. I have spent several days getting the camper packed and things ready for us to leave, but there are always last-minute things to take care of. Clifford has to pack lab items and he has a call with a CI consultant. It is 4:00 in the afternoon before we are finally on our way.
Castle Rock north of Monticello on Highway 191
Wilson Arch south of Moab on Highway 191
After a brief stop in Moab, we continue on north. The route between Moab and Price, Utah, being rather barren, is not my favorite part of the state and I’m glad when we reach the Price Walmart where we’ll spend the night. We set up in the back lot with a tree beside us, balancing between the hiss of the street light and the rumble of a semi engine. We pick up a few supplies, then opt for an easy soup dinner tonight.
Friday July 13: We finish stocking up and get a much earlier start today, winding our way through the scenic canyons of Utah south of the Salt Lake City complex.
Canyon country north of Price, Utah
Wasach Range
We arrive at Diamond Campground south of Spanish Forks in early afternoon. Although most spots are taken or reserved, we find a pretty spot with shade and privacy.
It seems quite hot here after having gotten used to the cooler elevation of Monticello. After a tuna sandwich, we take naps, avoiding the pesky bugs for awhile. Later on, we play frisbee, which I’m not very good at, but it was fun. After dinner, I have my usual routine of reading and writing in the journal before bedtime. Clifford always has books to study and his ham radio gear to work with.
Saturday July 14: We are spending the day here at Diamond CG so as to make our run through Salt Lake City on a Sunday morning. It is quite delightful having a day to hang out – reading, writing in the journal, playing viola, playing frisbee and going on a walkabout on the nature path with Clifford – like a real vacation!
The crest of the hill behind the campground
Sunday July 15: We are up at 8:00, and soon packed and on our way. It does help to get across Salt Lake City on a Sunday morning, but even so, it is my least favorite part of any trips we have made north and south. Sure wish there was some other efficient way to get from Montana to southern Utah.
We arrive in Idaho Falls, Idaho, in the later afternoon and get set up along the stretch of grass and trees bordering the side parking lot at Walmart. After getting a few supplies, we go to Panda Express for dinner, as I am too tired to cook tonight. It is too hot to feel like doing much. This sure would be a good time to have a picnic table in the shade!
Walmart boondocking
Monday July 16: We leave Idaho Falls about 10:00 a.m. and it is always exciting to cross over into Montana.
We stop in Dillon to see my cousin Bill and his wife Sally. Sally has a small, but gorgeous yard. We can’t stay long, as we need to reach our next camping spot and get set up, but it was nice to see them for a little while.
Southwest Montana
When we reach Divide Bridge Campground, I am excited to see a spot available by the Big Hole River. This is exactly the spot I was hoping for, but when I get out to help guide us in, I find that the mosquitoes are abundant and voracious. So, we drive to the far side of the campground away from the river, but don’t see any spots that we like. The compromise is the row of sites in between the dry side and the river. It is nice here with lawns and shrubs, but not so many mosquitoes. We find a spot with a tree and after getting set up, we sit out at the picnic table with cool drinks.
Camping at Divide Bridge Campground
Big Hole River
I am happy to be in Montana, and soon I’ll be seeing my kids and my other siblings. Montana, here we are!
