Toad River, BC, Canada June 29, 2010

After a 337 mile drive we made it to the Toad River Lodge, Motel and RV Park. Also gas and diesel pumps, propane, ice and an airfield across the road. Up here there really is only one road to get from Dawson Creek to Alaska, The Alaska Highway. As we rode along we finally saw elk by the road, two here and one there, too quick to get a photo. the road is two lane and variable for speed, many hills and curves around hills. There is a lake right next to the RV Park and in the evening and morning we saw a moose cow feeding on grasses at the shoreline. Ernie got some photos and I had this short video.

Northern Lights RV Park, June 29, 2010

This morning we are in Dawson Creek, BC, Canada at the Northern Lights RV Park. Dawson Creek is the milepost 0 of the Alaska Highway, first developed in 1941/1942. Here we put our clocks back one hour to match Pacific Time. So, when Donna and Kay went out to walk/run on the nearby highway at 10 PM, we still had daylight. I think it stayed somewhat light all night but we didn't stay up to check on Northern Lights.
Ernie doesn't unhook his pickup when we are staying one night at a RV Park. That makes getting ready in the morning easier.
On the way here we passed through Beaverlodge, Alberta. Here is their mascot. This is for Rich.

Each morning we have gathered to read one day's entry from a little book I found called, "Undiscovered Country" by Raymond Baughn. He was a Universalist minister and published this book in 1948.
Then Donna says a short prayer after each of us gets a chance to speak about anything on our minds. That gets us off on a positive note.

Glowing Embers RV Park June 28, 2010

Last night we were outside Edmonton, AL, Canada at a RV Park with over 288 sites, plus storage of trailers and RVs. It was HUGE. And only one set of bathrooms way up at the office and we were in the "back 40", the last row. Good for us the Griffins RV has a bathroom with shower stall. Soon after we got set up we went to look for a Safeway Market. The skies opened up, lighting and thunder and a deluge of rain. We didn't find the store, faulty directions from the office.
OK. Back to the park and a "raid the refrigerator" supper. It rained most of the night with a thunder storm mixed in from time to time. We were dry and warm.

St. Mary, MT to Edmonton, AL, Canada June 27, 2010

In the previous post I wrote about passing through customs into Canada. That was the start of a long boring ride to the RV park west of Edmonton. The let-down of leaving Glacier National Park and that area only intensified with the flat straight highway, Rt 2, that goes through Calgary to Edmonton.
We stopped for fuel and used the restrooms at a chain grocery store about 11 AM. While Ernie finished getting his diesel fuel, the rest of us went in to the store. This set of pumps had cement/iron pillars protecting the pumps on either side, front and back. Ernie didn't realize that the front area was too short to let him pull completely clear of the pump area brfore swinging around to the parking lot. He just scraped the back corner of the 5th wheel and took off a little of the rubber strip. Another customer then helped him back out of the pumps as we came out of the store.
Not a nice welcome to Canada.
Along the highway there were no rest areas as we are used to in the states on the interstate highways. This Rt 2 is a divided 4 to 6 lane highway, sometimes with an access road on each side.
Any signs for the small turnout rest areas were placed too close to the exit to be very useful and many of the areas were only pulloffs with trash cans. No services at many of them. When we approached an exit where there would be a town with services the names of such services or businesses were crammed onto one sign that we could not take time to read.
One time we actually stopped alongside the highway to use the bathroom in the RV with traffic going by at 110, that's K/ph, about 68 mph at least.
Later we turned off at an exit marked "Rest Area". The next sign pointed to "Rest Area" with an arrow. we followed it. Then another sign with an arrow to turn. We followed it. Then we were on the access road on the opposite side of the highway going south. "Where is it?" we asked each other, we do have a walkie-talkie set to use between vehicles.
There was a closed up restaurant/lounge with a large parking lot so Ernie pulled in there to reconnoiter our situation. As we came out of that lot there was a "One Way" sign on the access road pointing south. Hey, there's got to be a way to get back the way we want, eh!
Well there was, 10 K back and then around the clover leaf and back north. a half-hour wasted. The signage here lacks information beyond the bare minimum or more than you can take in as you speed by.
More later.

Leaving Glacier Park June 27, 2010

Because the internet connections are slow I fall behind on the blogging.
As we packed up to leave the RV park we looked around at the mountain peaks on three sides and wished once again that we could stay in one area longer. But, we must continue on our way to Alaska.
Tonight's stop is at an RV Park just west of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We crossed at a small customs station north of St. Mary and Babb, MT. When we got there the Griffins went through first with their RV and were passed through. Then we pulled up to the window where a young Canadian officer asked for our ID, asked about our destination, how long we would be in Canada. He could certainly crosscheck our answers with the answers that the Griffins gave on those topics. Then he asked if we were bringing anything that we would be leaving with anyone on our journey. Donna said, "Just a gift for a friend's nephew", not realizing he didn't mean leaving it in Alaska.
"What's in the gift?", he asked.
"I don't know", said Donna, "we just picked it up the morning we left home".
This set off alarms in the officer's brain, I'm sure.
"Just pull ahead and into the shed", he told us. "I'll be right out. You get the gift out so I can see it".
So we pulled into the space, Donna opened up the back door, reached in and got the gift bag out from behind the seat and set it on a counter. She opened the ties and took out the tissue paper. The officer still hadn't come out, he probably had a camera on us.
Donna looked in the bag and said, "It's a gun".
"Come on, that can't be", I replied.
Reaching into the bag she pulled out a Nerf Gun that shots foam of some kind.
When the officer came out she showed it to him.
"Well, you did have a firearm and told me you didn't".
He quickly showed his good humor and then said, "Don't ever take packages for anyone else into another country unless you know what's inside."
Yeah, I've seen "Locked Up Abroad" on TV. Anyway we were soon on our way again with something for the blog.
Otherwise I've not been impressed about Canada, Alberta, Calgary, Edmonton or Canandians in general. More later.

Going to the Sun Road Part 5

Here are photos of the views we saw. The snow field is one of the glaciers and the stream is the MacDonald Creek.
Kevin, our guide and driver, said the water was the highest he had seen due to the heavy snows of winter and recent rains.







If you watch closely you will see Kay at the beginning of the video at one end of the platform and then at the other end. I think she flew over me.

Going to the Sun Road Part 4

The tour came to Lake MacDonald and the lodge there for a lunchbreak. Everything is rustic looking, but thoroughly modern. We got a table and our waiter, Lindley was a young man from Oregon. we have noticed here and at the KOA that employees nametags have their home state listed also.
Kay ordered a Buffalo Burger, Donna, a chicken sandwich, Ernie, pulled pork sandwich and I had a Wild Game Sausage Sampler. Our alloted time was one hour for lunch and by the time ours was served we had 20 minutes to eat and get back to the Red Bus.
We returned along the Road and stopped at different turnouts, one where we could see Mt. Goats way up on the rocks. Too far up to photograph, but we had agood time trying to describe which ledge everyone should look to. "The one with the bushy front." "There where the light rock turns to dark". OK. We all claimed to have seen them so we could move on.
At a construction site we stopped and Kevin saw a Big Horn Sheep just over the retaining wall on the downslope side, the side our bus was on. We went by too close and even at a slow speed nobody got a photo.

Going to the Sun Road Part 3

As I wrote earlier, our driver and guide was Kevin. He told us true tales and tall tales of the Park. When we responded to his tall tales and asked questions about his true tales he showed his lighter side. Later on our drive down to Lake MacDonald Kevin trusted us to pull a prank on the other travelers on the road. He said he wouild pull over at a turnout and we should all stand, the canvas top was rolled back, and point up the slope as if we saw a bear. "Yah, let's do it!", cried Kay and everybody got into the spirit. We had a good laugh when other cars slowed, stopped and gawked right along with us, at nothing but hillside. Later at a lakeside stop we did have this mule deer come quite close.

Going to the Sun Road Part 2

On the way up to Logan Pass, the highest point of the road, we passed numerous little waterfalls on the upslope side and steep dropoffs on the other side. The Goning to the Sun Road is referred to as "the Road" by locals, even as far away as the Great Falls newspaper. It was only opened for through traffic on Wednesday so we will be among the first of the season. At Logan Pass the parking lot was next to the information and gift shop, they were open. The restrooms were not open and in the parking lot were a row of porta-potties. Along the road the snowbanks were high and dense. At some spots near the top the snow reached 70 feet this year. This pass is the continental divide where waters flow to the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico depending on which side the rain or snow falls. The wind was quite strong at times and here at the pass most people put on their coats and sweatshirts if they hadn't already, temp was down and wind chill was effected accordingly.

Going to the Sun Road - June 26, 2010

Today, after Donna and Ernie went walking and Kay went running on the road outside the KOA, we gathered at the office at 9:40 AM. The Red Bus was waiting for us with seven others from the KOA already on board. Since there is room for 17 people and the driver we had extra space. Donna and Kay choose one of the middle seats and Ernie and I went to the rear seat. We made one other stop for two people. Still extra room for us. The weather was clear and cool and very windy, as well as having the canvas roof opened on the Red Bus. There is a loud wind noise on the videos at Glacier.

Glacier National Park - Friday, June 25, 2010

Today we went to the KOA camp office as the clerk last night suggested. We hoped we could get seats on the Red Bus Tour leaving at 9:45 for the "Crown of the Continent" tour of Glacier National Park. At the office the clerk was doubtful but said she would call the Red Bus office for us. No luck. The tour had already left and even there were seats open the driver couldn't take our fares.
When I asked the KOA clerk about booking for tomorrow, she again called and then handed me and then Ernie the phone for our info and credit card nos. Well we're on for Saturday's tour on the "Going to the Sun Road", which just opened Thursday.
Looking over the map of the park we decided to drive up Rt. 89 to Babb, MT where there is a park entrance to "Many Glaciers".
This area is only 12 miles from Babb and the road winds around following the Swiftcurrent River. Again there are many turnouts with scenic views and signs warning about "Bear Country". We passed by an earthen dam on the river and behind the dam was Lake Shelburne. The road followed the shore of this lake for a few miles and we came to "Many Glacier Hotel" off on a side road at the head of Swiftcurrent Lake. Continuing on the road we arrived at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn (and gift shop). We parked there and stretched our legs while admiring the towering rock cliffs on either side.

Through Montana to Glacier - part 2

After fueling in Conrad, MT, the Four Amigos started into the foothills of Glacier National Park. US 89 enters the Blackfoot Reservation and stays in the reservation all the way to the park. Here we saw more large ranching areas and few people. Passing through the town of Browning was an eye-opener. The four largest buildings were; a church, a pawn shop, a IGA store and a casino. The casino was the newest looking of the lot and the rest of the town's buildings were shabby.
From that point the road became more curvy and hilly. The speed limit on Montana's state highways is 70mph/day-60mph/night. on this section we saw a lot of these.

It also is a good idea to look for livestock anywhere on the road. Several times we passed horses just standing on the shoulder with no one around. They did have brands so were not totally wild.
As we got closer to St. Mary, MT evidence of forest fire damage was on each side of the road and up the hills.

Through Montana to Glacier - Thursday 6-24-2010

The part of Montana from Big Timber to St. Mary starts out as grazing and ranchland. Many large areas with few human signs except fencing and some cattle. Ever since we went to the Badlands in South Dakota we have seen "Cattle Guards" at entrances and exits from public roads. These are grates set at road level about 5 feet wide across the entrance. Metal bars about 2 inches wide span the distance of the opening and there is no gate. The bars are separated by about 3 or 4 inches. This is to prevent hoofed animals from getting out or in the protected spot. Vehicles can drive over them, sounds and feels like "rumble strips". Here in Montana we see less sagebrush than in SD or WY. In many fields there are irrigation sprinkers mounted on wheels that move as they water them. Some are mounted to pivot in a semi-circular pattern and others move across the fields on multiple wheels in a straight line. Almost every town that we saw had grain elevators or bins for storage of crops.
I saw this truck carrying a cow and calf to market. LOL.

into Montana - Wednesday, 6-23-2010

The route for this day's drive is back into Cody, then north on WY Rt 120 and in Montana Rt 72 Where we picked up I-90 towards Big Timber, MT. This was only 165 miles or so and we arived about 4 PM to set up the RV relax before supper. Here is Donna at the first rest area in Montana. Along the route we came across this big wind turbine farm. None of the turbines were moving. The RV next to us had a couple from Alabama who were part of a two RV caravan, the other couple was on the other side of them. We chatted a bit about where we had been and were headed. The big question was, "Is the 'Going to the Sun Road" open through Glacier National Park?" We had checked websites but got no sure report, only that the clearing of snow was proceeding as it had been for some weeks. After supper, Ernie and Kay went for a walk out on "old US 10", the road that parallels the interstate. when they returned they told of meeting a woman who with her husband has a horse and cattle ranch. She invited them into the pasture to meet the ponies and they did. This is the view of the "Crazy Mountains" from the Old US 10.

Leaving Yellowstone, Wednesday, June 23, 2010

This, our last morning at the Yellowstone Valley Inn, dawned like the others, bright, sunny and cool. Our drive will be a reatively short one to Big Timber, Montana and the KOA just east of that city.
We've enjoyed our stopover here in Wyoming, it was good to get a break from the traveling and have a place to return to each day.
Before pullong out we stopped at the front of the Inn for a few photos with a friend, the only kind of bear we've seen so far.

Tuesday 6-22-2010

A quiet morning, just went to Cody again after Donna and Kay had their regular walk/run on the highway, it has a wide shoulder so it's fairly safe. On the way into Cody we stopped to look at the Buffalo Bill Dam, formerly the Shoshone Dam. It is used for irrigation water retention and hydropower. Built between 1905 and 1910 it was the tallest dam in the world. The gorge is narrow there and steep sided.

Monday in Cody June 21, 2010

Today we had laundry to take care of so we went 20 miles east into Cody, WY. This city has built itself up since 1896 and now every business sign connects to Buffalo Bill Cody or something similar. on the main drag there is a visitor center and across the street is the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. $$
The laundromat was very clean, three attendants, double and triple load washers, free coffee, chairs and tables to sit at while waiting. Ernie commented that it was nice and cool, compared to most laundromats. $
As the wash was started I took the van next door to a self-service carwash and at least got the surface dust and some bugs off the front of the hood.
When I went back to the laundromat I talked to a couple from California whose RV coach had broken down. They were waiting for a transmission to be shipped from
Canada to Billings, MT and then to Cody. Meanwhile they were hooked up to utilities at the repair shop and had their "tow car" to get around in. We wish them the best.
the rest of the afternoon we spent at a restaurant, an Albertson's grocery and a Sierra Trading Post outlet store. $$$$.
Donna commented that she could live in Cody, of course if the weather stayed the same that would be even better.

Sunday Supper at the Inn 6-20-2010

Rather than having to prepare supper in the RV, we had already decided to eat in the Dining Room/Restaurant at the main building. Of course, the decor is rustic western with western scene paintings that are for sale on the walls. We each ordered steak, Wyoming is Beef Country, Ernie and I had the 21 oz. ribeye and the ladies had filet mignon, 8 oz. Everything was very good, nobody had room for dessert, not even Ernie.

at the Inn 6-20-2010

When we got back to the Inn and RV Park it was about 7:30 PM. The Inn has a main building with registration, saloon and lounge and restaurant. Also a swimming pool, hot tub, motel units, real clean bathrooms and showers for the campers, free firewood, separate cabins. In the back is the North Fork of the Shoshone River, which we can hear when the wind quiets down and there is quiet in the park and highway.

Back to Yellowstone Valley Inn 6-20-2010

On the way out of the park, we backtracked the same route and stopped at a couple of the turnouts beside Yellowstone Lake. The individual storm clouds were still over the lake and beyond in the hills. I took some video and Ernie took photos. Throughout the ride in the park we did not see any wildlife except for some pelicans, ducks and the Marmot. Oh yes, we did find the egress. In the valley we passed by some steep slopes of patchy grasses and shrubs. Kay startled us by crying out, "Oh my God, something's up there". I was driving and the animals were on the right side of the road. Not wanting to miss the sight I turned into a parking lot and went back. When the others directed me to the right area we could all see them. Three Mountain Goats,(Oops, they are Big Horn Sheep), two females and a baby. As we sat the baby seemed to be nursing from its mother, real cute. I took video and Ernie and Donna took photos again. After about 3 minutes we got back in the van and returned to the Inn and RV Park.

On To Old Faithful 6-20-2010

After a rest stop at the Fishing Bridge Lodge (and buying souveneirs) we pressed on around the southern loop road to Old Faithful Geyser. when we parked and walked to the viewing area about half of the bench seats around the geyser were taken. Donna, Kay and Ernie choose seats and I set up my camcorder at a spot where there were no benches. As the minutes passed more people gathered and I heard one say to another, "It's supposed to erupt around 4:37, give or take 10 minutes. So I waited, it was now about 4:25, and chatted with another onlooker, who came from Texas. We swapped lies about the beauty of our respective home territories. Then, at just about the predicted time a small plume rose up from the geyser. It started out going about 5, then 10, then ever higher. White spray gushed out and the mist floated away and disappeared before it reached the crowd on the far side. One bystander opined that it was 140 feet high. Not having any other way to tell different, I believed him. The high eruption lasted about 3 or 4 minutes, I have the video to time it when I get it edited. Slowly the spray subsided and stayed at about four to six feet high for a few more minutes. Since we didn't know the schedule but did know it might blow every 90 minutes, we were fortunate to be there that close to the eruption. Otherwise we would have had to spend more time and money in the gift and souveneir shop than we did.

Around Yellowstone Lake, 6-20-2010

Along with the views of the steep canyon walls we saw many areas of dead trees, some with grasses growing at the bases of the trunks and some with still blackened ground. In the information on the park it explained how some of the recent fires started, burned and were partially guided or controlled by the fire crews. The item went on to tell how the forest regrows the trees over a span of up to 300 years. In the distance we could see water between two hills and Ernie said it was Yellowstone Lake and it was over 400 deep feet at points. Gradually we could see more and more of the lake until it showed itself as we reached the shoreline. From our perspective it looked sizable, and it is, 20 miles across one way and 14 miles the other. Over the water there were dark clouds and we could see the rain coming down from them. The rain seemed to just pop up and then dissipate quickly. Sometimes lightning and then thunder were present. At one point we stopped to record the rainshowers and storms over Yellowstone Lake. The turnoff had fumeroles (smoking vents) right down the slope toward the lake. I guess they're old enough to smoke.

Yellowstone National Park June 20,2010

We had a leisurely start this Father's Day morning, not leaving the RV park until 12:30 PM. The drive to Yellowstone is almost due west, passing through the little settlement of Wapiti,(pronounced, WAP-a-tee) in the valley of the North Fork of the Shoshone River. The valley is below the steep sides of red stone cliffs, every section showing a different formation. There were ranches and resorts along the way, mostly up in the cliffs and we could not see them from the road. Trail rides are advertised along with camping and dining.
Again the weather was clear and warm. The distance to reach the East Entrance of the park. is about 20 miles and at the end the road rose into the forested area. My Senior Pass again admitted our car with no fee.
Our goal was to see Old Faithful geyser, and to see it erupt. Now it is generally on a 90 minute cycle so we would need to be there as soon as possible in case we had to wait the full interval.
From the park entrance the road went up and up, around curves and turnouts about equal in number. We pulled over at a turnout that had a nice solid rock wall, some had no wall over the edge of the canyon. Other people were there looking over the edge. Down about 50 yards there was a corkscrew dam or bridge or something built at the bottom. On the other side of the wall was a little critter, probably a Marmot, they inhabit rocky areas.



Kay posed in front of one of the smaller patches of snow on the slopes.

Yellowstone Valley Inn June 19, 2010

We stopped for a late lunch in Cody, WY before the last 20 miles to the Yellowstone Valley Inn near Wapiti, WY. Cody is a real tourist town with a rodeo advertised for every night, June to September. Lots of Western themed businesses, motels, restaurants, etc. Heading west from Cody there are tunnels at the edge of Buffalo Bill Lake and Dam.
Donna took these photos of the tunnels.


Rain clouds had passed around us for the last two hours of the ride and when we arrived at the RV Park there was a rainbow over the valley.

Right out the window at the table in the RV is this scene of the spines on the ridge. Left over from the dinosaur age?

Sheridan to Wapiti Part 3

Leaving Sheridan, Wyoming, we got on State Route 14 at Ranchester, WY. Even there we could see the snow topped peaks of the Big Horn Mountains. In Wyoming the snow fences are much sturdier that we see in New York or in the Midwest. This photo is one example.

Crazy Horse Memorial June 17, 2010

In my rush to catch up with our activities I admit I skipped over our stop at the Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills.


It's hard to tell from the distance but the hole under the arm is tall enough for a ten story builing to fit in. The dimensions are far bigger than the faces on Mt. Rushmore
This statue is being blasted out of granite and will be the biggest statue in the world. It was started in 1948 at the request of The Lakota tribe elders to show the White Man that the Indians have great heros too. Private donations pay for everything, no government funds have been asked for. You should google "Crazy Horse" for the complete story.
There are long range plans to make it the site a center for Native American education and culture.

Sheridan to Wapiti Part 2

As we traveled along the mountain highway, speed limit; 65 mph, we couldn't see enough. There were vistas on both sides, ahead and behind. Snow at the highest elevations, some alongside as we drove along; a mountain stream far below, still eroding the bottom of the gorge; multi-colored rock walls stetching out ahead of and above and below us. Over-stimulating to our eyes. Donna and I took many photos and video cuts of this drive. Any image we post cannot do justice to the actual experience.

Sheridan to Wapiti June 19, 2010

Another beautiful day. As you look at the photos on the blog I hope you can appreciate the wonderful weather we've enjoyed. The morning temps may be in the 40s or 50s and then warmer, to the 70s and 80s during the daytimes. Since we crossed the Missouri River it's been like that, even though that one storm hit in Rapid City that was after we had had our full day. Today's drive was relatively short, less than 200 miles. if you google the drive though you'll see a squiggly line between Ranchester, WY and Greybull WY. That's right, it was up one side and down the other of the Big Horn Mountains. The highest peak is over 13,000 feet and the pass we went through was over 9,000 feet. On the way down we pulled over at a turnout and let the brakes on the RV cool down. Ernie had to get down to 1st gear and Donna to 2nd gear to ease the load on the brakes. Here we are celebrating the trip down. On the way up to the pass we saw three moose, or is that meese? here's one.

Into Wyoming June 18, 2010

This day would see us leave South Dakota and arrive in Sheridan, Wyoming. If we had planned to stay in the Badlands/Black Hills area for a week we might have been satisfied. Besides all the commercial tourist places the natural attractions were just amazing. We could have stopped at dozens of turn-outs and seen just as many different aspects of the wildlife and foliage. Our itinerary must be followed to get us to each RV Park where we have reservations for one or more nights. Starting back in February the Four Amigos had begun planning what we wanted to see on this summer's trip to Alaska and back. Ernie did so much of the route planning and calling and emailing to set it up that I think he should go into the tour business now that he is retired from JC Penney. A short distance into Wyoming we turned off the interstate highway and went on a side trip. The Devil's Tower is an igneous upthrust that stands over 1,200 feet above the plain below and is the nation's first National Monument, approved by President Teddy Roosevelt.

Custer State Park Part 3

Still going south through the Park we could see pronghorn antelope and mule deer off the road.