Day 6 - Glacier (the aborted mission and the wildlife)

 Remember the perfect weather yesterday?  It's the opposite today.  We were up late last night packing our backpacks for a full day of hiking the strenuous Highline Trail from Logans Pass.  We got up at 4:30 a.m. so we could leave by 5:00 to get a parking space.  Parking is limited, and word on the street (or the mountain, in this case) is that if you're not there by 7:00 a.m., you won't get a parking space.  It's only 29 miles up Going to the Sun Road, but it takes an hour and a half, because the road is winding and narrow, and the speed limit is 25. 

So Mike started the day at 4:30 a.m. by accidentally popping the safety cover off my can of bear spray.  I was nearby, packing food, and I hit the deck.  Thankfully, no spray escaped, and we took off in the dark for GNP.  It started raining on the way.  There was only a 20% chance of rain, so we didn't really think it would.  At one point, a grizzly bear stepped out onto the road right in front of us.  It was dark and raining, and I was startled so I didn't get a picture.  I was thrilled to see it, because my goal was to see bears and moose. 

By the time we got to Logans Pass, it was 37 degrees, windy, and sleeting.  Miserable hiking weather.  We got a parking spot, but after we parked, we just sat there.  Neither of us got out or spoke.  We looked at each other, and it was clear that we were going to abort this mission.  While we were sitting there, making a new impromptu plan, the sun hit the fog at an angle that made it look like heaven opened up and poured out its pink glory.  

It only lasted a few seconds, and then it was gone. That, combined with the grizzly bear sighting, made it worth getting up so early.  

We decided to drive the rest of Going to the Sun Road until it closed 12 miles up the road because of stupid COVID.  We were driving along in the cold rain/fog, talking about how beautiful the scenery would be if the sun were shining on it, when Mike hit the brakes and said, "What was that?" He was looking on my side of the road, but I hadn't seen anything.  He said he saw something "big and brown" and thought it was another bear.  He backed up and announced that it was a moose, but I still didn't see it.  Finally I spotted her, and she was looking right at us.

She was way far off, down in the trees, and I was amazed he saw it, because he was driving and was on the opposite side of the road.  I told him his Indian name would be Moose Spotter, and mine would be Moose Misser.  

We saw what's left of Jackson Glacier.

We made it to St. Mary's Lake and had to turn around because of the closed road.

More driving through the cold rain and fog:

And then, the highlight of the day:  a mother black bear and her 3 cubs playing in the woods right next to the road!

I didn't get many pictures, because I was too busy watching and videoing. 

We stopped for groceries and gas on the way back, and we're going to crank up the fireplace and take a nap.  

GAS at Junction Gas in Columbia Fall, MT.  8.4 gal x $2.23/gal = $18.83.

Day 5, Glacier

 It took us five days, but we finally made it to our ultimate destination: Glacier National Park!  Worth the trip.  It is gloriously beautiful. But let us start at the beginning...

8:30 a.m. Leaving hotel.  I thought Montana, being so wide open and not densely populated, would be the least masky place we visited.  But no, it's been the maskiest.  Masks required everywhere.  Dug our hiking boots out of our suitcases this morning, because we plan on needing them this afternoon.  We're talking about why our hair is so flat and unattractive on this trip.  

9:30 a.m. GAS at Elliston Country Store in Elliston, Montana.  (I'm highlighting these so I can find them easily to calculate total gas cost at the end).  We actually drove past this one and turned around and came back, fearing this might be the last station before we hit Glacier National Park. 15.7 gal x $2.39/gal = $37.62.  Pretty drive, but they're big on casinos and saloons around here. No interstate driving today.  

11:00 a.m.  GAS at a Conoco at Seeley Lake, Montana (I think).  Had to top off because it's probably the last station before GNP.  2.7 gal at $2.39/gal = $6.53.  Very crowded in there.  Lots of traffic on the road too.  I had expected Montana to be more desolate.

12:45 p.m. GAS at Junction Gas, Columbia Falls, Montana. Had to stop, because surely this must be the last station before GNP.  3.9 gal x $2.29/gal = $8.62.  I made Mike pull over so I could take a picture of an eagle, but I couldn't zoom in far enough to get a good shot of it, so I just shot the whole beautiful scene. 

1:10 p.m. Entering GNP with a herd of other people.  

Visitor Center is closed due to COVID, so we just got our boots on the ground and started hiking.

We hiked the John's Lake Loop trail, about 2 miles and saw 2 waterfalls and gorgeous scenery.  Perfect hiking weather: no wind, no rain, not hot, not cold.

4:30 p.m. Arriving at the VRBO where we're staying for the next 3 nights.  It's fantastic!!  There's an outdoor hot tub with a fire bowl!

 We sat in the hot tub and watched the clouds float over the mountains.  We saw a hamster turn into a shark in the clouds.  Our place has a fireplace!  We're sitting here in front of it with the windows open to let in the cool, fresh, mountain air.  Absolutely wonderful.  We even saw a deer and these beautiful berries on the mountain ash trees.

 

Day 4 - Little Bighorn

 9:00 a.m.  GAS at Holiday in Sheridan, Wyoming.  9.54 gal x $2.14/gal = $20.51.  Driving through Wyoming is boring.  Everything feels desolate, dry, brown, dead, barren, and harsh.  

9:45 a.m. Little Bighorn.   Visitor Center was closed due to COVID, but we walked around and looked at the memorials and the battle site.  What a sad, sad place.  Makes me ashamed to be white. 

Mike reflected in Crazy Horse's picture.

10:35 a.m back on the road.  GAS at Crow Nation Express in Crow Agency, Montana. 2.24 gal x $2.29/gal = $5.16.

2:45 p.m. Wingate Hotel in Helena, Montana. Best room we've had.  Pool too crowded for swimming. Went out for Mexican tonight. 

ERT - day 3, Black Hills and Custer

 Friday, 8/28/2020

7:45 a.m. leaving tiny hotel room. This is our view of Mt. Rushmore from outside our room.

The hotel includes a free hot breakfast buffet in normal times, but in COVID times, it's been reduced to picking up a brown bag at the desk.  Inside is a muffin, granola bar, and apple.  

It's a crisp, cool morning, perfectly beautiful weather for a gorgeous drive through Black Hills National Park.  We drove through this tunnel and there was Mt. Rushmore in the distance and deer in the forest.  

Mike is wearing his content face, which usually only appears in Colorado, but this place reminded us a lot of Colorado. 

Rushmore is behind us in the distance.

9:00 a.m. Entering Custer State Park.  We saw signs that read, "Buffalo are dangerous. Do not approach." Also "Danger of forest fire very high today" and "Wildlife At Large".  How exciting!

Drove through more tunnels, some bigger than others.

We drove the Wildlife Loop, where we saw deer and prong-horned antelope. 

What we were really hoping to see was a big herd of buffalo.  We saw this one by himself near the visitor center.

We also saw wild burros on the road and got out to feed them our sad-looking apples from breakfast.

We were nearing the end of the Wildlife Loop when we finally encountered the herd. They were right by the road. It was amazing.

The teenaged ones look like cows.

We sat and watched them for a long time.  The guy behind us got out of his car and was walking toward them, and a big bull charged him and he ran back to his car and drove away. 

We drove up to Coolidge Fire Tower Lookout at 6000 ft elevation and saw a fire.

We could see Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse in the distance, but it was too hazy to see much of anything.

I like this sign. Good advice for life.  Mike is following it.

Then we drove up Needles Highway. Great views.

Quick stop at Sylvan Lake, and then back on the road.

2:15 p.m. GAS at 4-Way Gas N Go in New Castle, Wyoming.  $2.29/gal x 13.5 gal = $31.06.

4:40 p.m. Baymont Hotel in Sheridan, Wyoming.  Went to dinner at Cowboy Cafe, which had a surprising array of vegan options, then walked downtown a little, came back to watch the sunset.  A lovely day all the way around.