Glacier Bears!!

These two greeted us as we drove into the entrance at Many Glacier the other day…..

 

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

After our night in Salt Lake area we arrived here this afternoon and were able to get into the rooms early.  This lodge is just outside the entrance to Bryce so is very handy for sightseeing.  After a nice lunch we drove into the park and began to look at the beautiful area of canyons and hoodoos( the eroded columns of stone in the canyon).  Red soil and rocks are outstanding with the green pines and blue skies here in Utah.

 

A short hike at the very end of the park took us through pine forest and around the rim of the canyon.  Stunning views which I will post.  Because we wanted to hear a ranger talk on the sunset trail, we took a break at the lodge nearby.  The building was built in the 20’s and is one of the few original buildings remaining.  Log walls and cedar shingles make it very picturesque and  it would be wonderful to paint.  So far I’ve only sketched one day..bad girl!!  

 

The ranger talk was interesting with bits about the geology and park itself along the way.  In front of us the hoodoos were changing as the light waned with the setting sun.  Such colors in those rocks!  Tomorrow we are hiking down among the hoodoos early while it is cool and the sun isn’t too hot.  Although it isn’t a long hike it is up and down the mountain.

 

glacier

glacier

glacier

Glacier

Glacier

Photos will come later but we are here at Many Glacier Lodge for two nights. We stayed in St. Mary's last night and then spent the day in the park. Very smoky which reduces visibility. The mountains are not clear but only hazy shadows. It would be beautiful if we could see.

We hiked up about 1000 feet or 2 mi to a lake. A grizzly was on the distant mountain side. While we were at the lake he crossed the path below causing quite a stir among hikers and rangers. Later we walked along a creek with waterfalls amid a pine forest. Beautiful.

Lake McDonald Lodge was interesting and lunch was good. The red buses called jammers are Ford's.

Yesterday we hiked to Running Eagle falls. Before hiking we had a bear 101 lesson in how to use bear spray. Scarey thought as you can't look grizzly bears in the eye or run must back away slowly. Today a woman told of camping last night where. Huckleberry bushes attracted a bear to their tent site. The bear picked berries while she shook in fright hardly breathing. He left after her husband coughed. Another reason why I don't camp.

We have cancelled Canada and will go to Bryce and Zion instead. Boat on Grinnell Lake tomorrow and hike to glacier.

Glacier....

This is our third day in glacier park and have hiked several trails. Because of the smoke which obscures the distant mountains we cannot see all the beauty but close waterfalls and forest are lovely.

Here at Many Glacier Lodge we are enjoying the old architecture and beautiful location. This morning the lake was calm and air not too bad as we took a boat along lake Josephine then lake to hike up to lake Gilmore. A nice day!!

George and I enjoyed a snack lunch on our balcony facing the lake and watched others embark. Men's went to hike to another waterfall while we stay and enjoy the lodge a bit.

WiFi is spotty at best. Later in another location I'll send some photos.

Devils tower

Devils Tower

Wednesday at Devil's Tower

From Rapid city we drove to Devil’s Tower in Montana and stopped for a while to trek around the base of the monument about 1.3 mi.  It was up and down and the temp was rising to about 89.  The monument was interesting and we could imagine why the Native Americans felt this was, or is, a sacred place.

 

Driving through Montana was fast at 80mph but the scenery was pretty much the same.  Low barren hills with crops or livestock.  As we neared Billings there were oil wells and coal trains augmenting the views.  Mountain ranges came and went in view.

 

Our hotel is in Bozeman which is fairly yuppie looking.  The hotel looks over a Costco!!  Tomorrow we drive to Two Medicine around noon and will spend the afternoon hiking into the park.  Hotel is in Babb for the night.  We are hoping the fires are low and will not impede our stay in Glacier.

 

 

 

 

Struttin our stuff in Deadwood

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Wild Bill's Card Partners Deadwood

Spearfish and Deadwood

Deadwood...

We started the day today with a two mile hike to a beautiful falls in the Spearfish Canyon.  Tall pines to the sides of the trail and a meandering stream rushing to the other side.  Beautiful sunny day and getting warmer by the minute.

 

Across the highway there was another waterfall from the same stream, a little difficult to get to but worth the try.  While there we decided to have a nice lunch for a change rather than the picnics we have been having and tried out the Spearfish lodge.  The carnivores had trout with corn fritters and cheese soup.  Soup was my favorite but a very nice change from cheese!!

 

Continuing on the scenic drive through to Sturgis, a bit of a disappointment as it is mostly geared to motorcyclists and the big rally had been earlier in the summer.  On then to Deadwood where we took a tour around town and up to boot hill where Wild Bill Hickok was buried.  It was getting hotter and hotter so after the tour we found Saloon #10 and had us some beers!!  Changing tables so we could see the reenactment of Hickok’s death we got front row seats.  Dennis and George were recruited to take part in the play and played the other poker players at the table.  Wearing their hats and coats, they were fun to watch!!

 

All in all we had a great day touring the Black Hill area and are enjoying the beautiful weather.  Tomorrow will be hot again while we drive to Devils Tower then Bozman for the night then the temps dive for cooler weather.

 

Check out a few of the photos…..

FW:

 

 

From: designsbydale [mailto:designsbydale@msn.com]
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2015 8:44 PM
To: michele Buelow <kzooartist@sbcglobal.net>
Subject:

 

CUSTER STATE PARK ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE BLACK HILLS

 

 

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Monday-Wind Cave

Monday...a buffalo

Monday in SD..

Off to Mount Rushmore early this morning after a quick breakfast in the hotel.  It was a beautiful day with very clear blue skies and warm weather.  We visited the park and walked the viewpoints admiring the sculpture.  The movie and sculptors studio left us a bit awed at the project accomplished.  I would not want to  be the one hanging in midair planting dynamite or chiseling stone. 

 

Next to Custer Natl park and the wildlife there.  We saw a few buffalo but never the herd much to Dennis’s disappointment. Lunch today was at a visitor center with a real table.  A real improvement from the parking lot yesterday!! 

 

Wind Cave Nat’l Park was the last stop and down we went 450 steps into the cave.  It is very dry normally  due to the wind rushing through but dripped a  bit from the last rains.  I was pooped by the time we got back to ground level.

 

Custer monument was a quick pit stop for photos then on to a dinner place.  Our choice turned out to be at the Mt. Rushmore  complex and although the setting was nice with the presidents in view, the food was not.  We have promised ourselves a nice dinner tomorrow. 

 

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Badlands

Badlands.....

From Sioux Falls we traveled west to visit..the 1880 town, a collection of old buildings pre restoration condition, the corn palace…a building made of corn!!  Wall Drugs, a big giant tourist trap with a million souvenirs then finally the Badlands.  Lunch was a tail gate picnic in wall parking lot then we drove through the park and hiked a trail. One was enough! 

Dinner tonite was at the Firehouse Brewery downtown Rapid City. Beer great food not so much. We should have had a burger.

Lunch break day one...

A quick picnic stop had us eating at a nice roadside area holding down our paper plates as the wind blew with gusto.  There were many wind turbines in the surrounding countryside and the rest stop was dedicated to wind and solar power.  Along the highway we passed a turbine traveling in pieces to it’s new location, and boy are they big when seen up close!!

 

Dale will be sending photos to this blog as well  as we travel..enjoy!!

First day...

We are here in Sioux falls,SD after a long day of driving. Taking 80 was a good decision as traffic was smooth and fast.

Picnic breakfast and lunch gave us the ok to have a nice dinner. From that AAA. book we picked out Carneval Brazilian because of a huge salad bar and interesting way of serving the entre. Gauchos came to the table bearing skewers of various meats and carved off what you wanted. The guys had that specialty, small version, and Dale and I had only salad....and wine of course!!

Now for a nice shower and prep for the next leg into Rapid City and Mount Rushmore.

So far a great trip!!!!

Carnival Brazilian

T-day minus one

We are taking this small netbook to use while traveling so today I test to make sure all is functioning as it should.  Lovely to have a keyboard rather than two fingers even though it is small.


As usual, I am about ready to close the suitcase and George has nothing in his at all!  Hopefully he will gather his clothes today although putting up an antenna and towing the boys tubing is higher on his list.  We'll be ready to roll on Saturday in any case.


First stop is Souix Falls, SD after a long travel day.  Nothing too exciting in Iowa but lots of corn fields.  Then we drive into Rapid City and will spend three nights there while we visit all the sights.  I expect then to begin my photography project.


We will keep up with Paint the Beach, our plein air competition in Florida, but now have only three spots on the waiting list and not much to worry about.  Hopefully the wifi will be good throughout this adventure.


So stay tuned!!!

Getting out the suitcases again.....

Days are numbered now until we take off for the wild west with friends Dennis and Dale.  This is the third big trip we've done with them and planning has been as much fun as the trip will be.  It takes a whole year to get all the details right.  Dennis took the lead on this one and has a binder that would earn him an A+ in any classroom. 

Because we are staying in national parks the reservations had to be made months in advance.  We have a detailed outline of where we will be and what to see.  It will all be beautiful and I'm looking forward to amazing.  From here to S.D and the Badlands to Glacier, Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, and then back to the US and Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and lastly Jackson Hole.  I plan to post while traveling and hope that Wi-Fi is good everywhere.

For now the puzzle is packing as we expect to have a great variety of weather.  This time it is much easier as we can fill the van and don't need to worry about weight or suitcase limit.  And what a load we will have too...cameras galore, my paint kit (I hope to have some time), food, (even a coffee maker for those early morning starts)and boots, along with the usual pjs!!

Right now I'm tearing the house apart looking for my beading kit, which I had planned to take.  It seems to have disappeared much to my chagrin.  Rarely do I loose things and it seems I've really done it this time.  Several projects were inside as I am beading for the wedding shower prizes.  Sure hope it turns up.

While we travel the kids will enjoy the last of summer here at the lake as it is beautiful now here in Michigan.

Snacks on the patio, a little gin rummy and the grandsons....lovely!!   Funny about the snack tray, a tradition I started when the grandchildren were little. Now they still ask and look forward to it.  What makes crackers more special when served by Granma in a special dish???? 

Everything but....

Making art!!!  Spending time with my grandsons, reupholstering chairs, gathering supplies for western trip has taken most of my time these days.

I did travel to Mayo with Kris and Mitch to visit the doc. He will have his final surgery on Sept. 18.  I will be caring for Ethan and the dogs while they are away for almost two weeks. I'll get out of the car and right back in it to to their house!! Timing is to get M healed and ready for baseball in the spring. No sports until then.


I will be taking some art equipment on the journey west and hope to get a bit of time to paint what I know will be beautiful sights. We should have thousands of photos as well.

A  photo of the sailboats here on our lake will be the inspiration for a canvas I plan to donate for the FMBAA raffle in Nov.