Montana ...

means wide open spaces to some people, to me it means Maggie. Years ago she and I worked together and we established that rare kind of friendship that happens seldom in life. We can see each other once in three years and still get right to the meat of life in conversation. Oh yea, I like her husband, Rocky, too. Over the weekend, Mike and I enjoyed a couple of beautiful days at their ranch near Bozeman. The four of us enjoy one another's company and it was a relaxing, albeit quick, side trip as we work our way to Minnesota for the summer.

When we left Oregon on Thursday morning, we drove through all kinds of weather. We encountered snow at 3000 feet, which seemed awful low for this time of year. At one wayside rest there was even ice on tree limbs, I never did figure that out as it really was not that cold... Mainly, it was a beautiful drive, with striking scenery and skies.

Interstate 90 at its best!

We spent the night at a truck stop in Missoula and around lunch time the next day, what should be find but a good Montana Bakery - loved their sign... and it is true.

And before we know it, we are at the ranch. Over the bridge with the motorhome always makes me hold my breath, although I am not sure what good it does.

And through the entry gate

And we are there.

These are the views from our parking spot. Mike spent some of Saturday just sitting in the front seat of the motorhome watching dozens of elk on the neighboring hills. What a joy to just look out the window!

Although I am not a horse person, I can still appreciate a couple of beautiful animals. They are very observant!

This is what you see when you look down the driveway.

And this magnificent scene changed every few minutes as the clouds and snow system moved in and then away. This picture was taken from the front window of the motorhome - told you it was a beautiful spot!

After dinner on Saturday night, we took a drive and spotted buffalo, elk and deer. These are buffalo (low light doesn't make for a very good picture).

On Sunday as we were driving east we saw antelope. What a treat! I am only sorry that my camera isn't always ready at the right time.


We left Maggie and Rocky's piece of paradise on Sunday morning and headed east. Along the way, we encountered Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument and decided to stop. Years ago, we saw a reenactment of Custer's Last Stand that took place at this spot but it was in Harding which is north of the actual battle ground.

This sums it up.

The location of the final battle was atop a ridge.

Many lives were lost on both sides. This National Monument originally only honored Custer and the soldiers who were killed. It now honors all who fought.

This is the sculpture, erected only 10 years ago, that honors the Native Americans and the life for which they were fighting.

I will end this entry with some quotes.

And one that really spoke to me.

"Advice from a Buffalo"

from http://www.yourtruenature.com/

* Stand Your Ground

* Have a Tough Hide

* Keep Moving On

* Cherish Wide Open Spaces

* Have a Strong Spirit

* Roam Wild and Free

* Let The Chips Fall Where They May

Ahhh, Seattle

Yep, it is rainy! We were there for four days and every one of those days it rained a bit - sometimes just a drizzle and sometimes a downpour. We did have sun and sometimes it rained when the sun was shining... very interesting weather. I'm afraid this was not Mike's favorite spot; his arthritis was bad with the dam(p) weather. But we did see the sites.


Years ago, when I worked in North Branch, I based a year's theme on a video produced in Seattle at Pike Place Market called F.I.S.H. - it dealt with attitude in the workplace and putting some fun in your work. Ever since then, I have wanted to visit the fish market and see if I could catch anyone frowning...


This first thing I noticed was the prices.

And the fish, yikes I had never seen so many fish in one place.

And not only were the employees smiling but they really did seem to enjoy themselves as they threw the fish around the market stall. I may have caught one frown. We did get to sample some salmon jerky and it was wonderful! Afraid our budget didn't allow us to buy any of the salmon.

I loved the whole market experience. The flowers

and the fruits and vegetables,

and the people.

Later in the day when we returned to the market, Mike and Barry both bought bouquets for their ladies. Mine looked beautiful in the motor home window.

We also visited the Space Needle. I was shocked to find that it was the 1962 Seattle World's Fair for which the Needle was built; it didn't seem that long ago. Anyway, we were told that is the same year the microwave oven and touch tone phones were introduced; gosh, am I getting old? (Don't answer that!) We took the elevator to the top and I enjoyed clam chowder while taking in the 360 degree view. One more thing can get checked off my "bucket list".

The very best part of Seattle was our visit with my old friend Sue and her husband Bruce. She and I worked together in Moorhead years ago when I was in college; I haven't seen her for almost 25 years and she hasn't changed at all. Sue is still a calm and warm person and her husband is as gracious as she. We enjoyed a dinner together and then went to their home to continue visiting. Mike and I always marvel at "homes". Sometimes we get jealous of those who live with a foundation under them. Sue and Bruce have a beautifully landscaped home in an established neighborhood and it is decorated with very tasteful touches; I could live there... Ahhh but maybe not in Seattle - the rain you know... Anyway, it was great to catch up and I hope we can see each other again, a little sooner than in 25 years!


The last day we were in the Seattle area, we visited Snoqualmie Falls - I had driven over there the day before when it was rather dreary; what a difference a day makes. But the falls was beautiful both days.

Also on our last day in the area, we went in search of Mt. Rainier, since the sun was shining we thought we might actually get to see it. I think I may have captured the snow covered peak in these pictures.

You have to look way in the back by the clouds... I think it is there...

As we got closer to Mount Rainier National Park, the weather had deteriorated and we encountered overcast skies followed by sheets of rain. So all chances of us getting a better view was wiped out. But, we did enjoy a very good lunch at a small town along the way. The waitress was also the chief cook and bottle washer and she did a good job of it all.

Today we split up with Bonnie and Barry and we headed east to Maggie and Rocky's place in Montana. We will rejoin B & B in Pierre, SD for some fishing in a few days. Till later...

Just One Day

Saturday was one of those days where I had to pinch myself periodically to make sure what I was seeing was real. I often say that our life is a charmed one, and Saturday was especially so.

We got up around 7 cuz the guys wanted to do a little fishing before we left The Columbia River area. While the fellows fished, Bonnie and I took a drive up the mountain. She hadn't been with us the day before and I wanted to show her Mount Hood. In the morning light, it just seemed to preside over the river and the vineyards. (Try as I might, I could not find one angle where I could shoot the river, the vineyards and Mount Hood.)

After a quick brunch, we were on WA 14 heading west again; we were off to our next stop, the town of Castle Rock, up north on I 5. What a beautiful drive. I definitely recommend that if you are coming out this way, you drive the WA side. Some of the tunnels make it more challenging with big and tall motorhomes, but it is worth it. And I caught one more magnificent view of Mt. Hood.

When the sign says 13', I get nervous especially when we meet a fifth wheel.

It had to have been opening weekend of some kind of fish; the inland waterways along the road where full of boats.

When we arrived at the campground, it took us all of one hour to disconnect the cars and hit the road again. By 2:00 we were headed up 504 towards Mount St. Helens. I don't think any of us really knew what to expect.

Just a short ways from town, we stopped at the first visitor center and got our first glimpse of this infamous mountain.

We also discovered that it was 30 years ago on May 18th, that this volcano made history as the first to "blow its top" in North America. And blow it did, the statistics about this event are staggering and to see it in person... WOW. (If you want to read lots about this milestone, the May 2010 National Geographic has Mt. St. Helens as the cover story.)


We were all very impressed with our first glimpse and wondered just how close we were going to be able to get since we were only a few miles down the 47 mile road... Another stop showed us the trickle that used to be a flowing river. The silt and ash and lava is what you see on the banks of that small creek; it may look like all water until you look closely.

Our next stop seemed not to make much sense; a viewpoint for a bridge. Well, once we read about what Weyerhauser had lost when Mt. St. Helens erupted, then we realized what a major feat this bridge was, to say nothing of all the trees that are now growing on many of the hillsides.

Soon we reached the actual National Monument; at this point we still had 12 or so miles to go to the end of the road (at least from our direction). When you look at the mountain in this picture, you can begin to see the crater, on the right, from which the lava flowed. This mountain lost 1300 feet when it exploded. The ash was reported in 11 states and 57 people were killed by the mud, ash, rock and trees during the explosion. It "blew" with a force of 700 miles per hour.

As I just stood and stared, it was easy to imagine what the area looked like in the weeks and months after the Mount St. Helens erupted; the total devastation and the effort it has taken to come back are mind boggling.

The one above and the one below show that the area looks like; these were taken just over 4 miles away from the mountain peak. You can very definitely see how the lava flowed and imagine what the mountain looked like with another 1300 feet of soil and rock on top.

A close up of the mountain. We were fortunate that the clouds stayed away as much as they did during our day there.

The clouds began to move in as we made our way back down the road.

This is a most impressive sight! Oh, and it is so far along in its recovery that Elk graze in the valleys - I know, I saw them! And speaking of elk, that is what Mike and I had for dinner last night - elk burgers... tastes like hamburger to me.

One last thing. I heard on the news that Mount Hood has been having earthquake activity...

Mount St. Helens had earthquake activity for weeks before it erupted... better take another look at that peak on Hood.