DEER LODGE, MONTANA

We left Columbia Falls and headed for Deer Lodge on Sunday.  There were lots of small towns we had to weave our way through before we could get on the freeway just before Missoula.  Freeway travel is much easier with the RV.  We were making really good time to Deer Lodge but when we were about 30 miles out, Max’s “check engine” light came on.  We were out in the middle of nowhere so we just kept going, since the truck was running just fine.  I was really glad when we finally drove into Deer Lodge.  We checked into the RV Park and got camp set up and, since it was Sunday, we just stayed around camp. 

First thing Monday morning, Bob went to find a mechanic who could plug the truck into a computer.  The turbo sensor was faulty.  The closest place to get one was Butte.  The mechanic could get it during his lunch break since he was going to Butte anyway to pick up some other things.  He would call us when he got back and we could bring the truck in and he would put the new part in for us.  So, now what do we do??

Since we could still drive the truck we decided to just go to some of the local sights around Deer Lodge.  We had gone to the Grant-Kohl ranch when we were there before so we decided to hit the many museums in town.  We decided to do the Old Territorial State Prison first then see how our time went.

The Prison was a self-guided tour and we could walk around the grounds, through the administration building, and through parts of the prison at our own pace.  They had lots of pictures and information along the way.  It was not boring.  We walked quite a bit in the hot sun, then went inside where it was very cool and dark.  The prison was built in the late 1800’s and had been used up until 1979 when a new facility was built outside of Deer Lodge.  We found the whole tour really interesting but we were very tired when we finished.  Here are some of the pictures we took of the prison.

Front of Prison on the Main Street of Deer Lodge

Inside the Prison where all the outdoor activities were held

The sell block.  They had it open so we could wander around

A cell for two people.  They had a few open so we could actually step in and almost turn around

This was the cell that belonged to their most notorious prisoner (forgot his name).  It contained some of his personal belongings.

This is the theater and they had quite a list of celebrities who had given performances here.  But the main entertainment was the prison band. 

In the foreground is the “Galloping Gallows”.  The gallows were made to be taken apart and transported to any location they were needed for an execution.  Montana is the only state that still does execution by hanging and that is being questioned.  After not being used for 90 years, in 1980 they moved the gallows to a location where they were needed for an execution.  That execution never took place and the gallows went back into storage in some other location but when the Territorial State Prison was turned into a museum, the gallows were brought here for permanent storage.  There was a list of 10-12 men who “dropped to their death” on these gallows.  There are the traditional 13 steps up to the platform. 

The prison tour was interesting, gloomy and depressing, and spooky in some parts.  We went into some of the tunnels used by the guards to move around and keep an eye on the prisoners in places like the mess hall, theater, chapel and classrooms.  Those tunnels were underground and narrow, damp, dark and just plain spooky.  Little dim lights here and there.  I told Bob that I hoped there wasn’t a power failure while we were down there.  Spooky!

On the brighter side, we also went to an antique car museum.  Here are some pictures we took.

They also had some trains on display.  I remember when the locomotives looked like this…back in the dark ages.

Caboose

We went back to the RV and Bob took the truck to the mechanic and Maxie is now working great again.

Here are some pictures we took of our camp.

While we were in Deer Lodge, thunder storms were in the area and the wind blew so hard we thought the RV was going to tip over.  I was trying to type and my fingers kept going to other keys as the trailer rocked violently with some pretty powerful gusts.  Glad when that stopped.

We left Deer Lodge on Tuesday morning and went to Idaho Falls.  We didn’t take any pictures in Idaho Falls and didn’t do anything but grocery shop, take it easy, and get ready to leave on Thursday to go home. 

And here we are…at home and glad to see everyone again.

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

We had a very enjoyable trip between Post Falls, ID and Columbia Falls, MT.  Max hauled Birdie over several passes and then down some steep grades but Dad was loving his Allison transmission.  I took these pictures when we stopped at a rest area.

We got to Columbia Falls, set up the RV then drove into the Park for a little while that first night.  We went to Apgar Village but the visitor center was already closed so we walked around a little and drove around the village then went back to the RV.  The next day Dad wanted to take the shuttle bus to the top of Logan Pass so he could see the scenery.  The Going To The Sun Road is so narrow and windy that all he could see if he was driving was the road.  Besides, they were doing construction on the road and we didn’t want the many delays and the shuttle was free.

Here are some of the pictures we took that day.  Please remember that these pictures were taken on the fly as the shuttle whizzed along.

We got off the shuttle at Logan Pass so we were able to take some better pictures.

Lots of snow on Logan Pass

And little varmies

and people, motorcycles and tour busses.

There was a mountain goat along the side of the road, causing a traffic jam.  We almost got a picture of him before this car came along.

Otherwise, there were beautiful vistas

and waterfalls.  Some waterfalls were coming off the cliff above

the road and got our windows wet.

It was nice to get down off that narrow, windy road

with the very steep drop-offs.

We had to take a larger shuttle bus from Apgar Village to Lake McDonald Lodge, then we got on a small 12 seater to go up to Logan Pass.  After we got back down, we had to wait in the hot sun for about 30 minutes before we could catch a shuttle from Lake McDonald to Apgar Village.  It took us 4 – 5 hours to get back to the truck.  By that time, I was ready for some very serious air conditioning.  Afterwards we drove into Hungry Horse and had dinner and a piece of Huckleberry pie.  YUMMMMMMM!

The last day we were there we drove up the east side of Lake McDonald and stopped at the Lodge and took these pictures of Lake McDonald.

There was a forest fire in 2007 which burned most of

the trees on the west side of the lake.

Cool and pleasant in the shade.  The woman in the foreground, lower

right hand corner, was holding a one month old baby.

Inside the lodge

Lake McDonald Lodge

We were able to stop and take a beautiful

picture of the lake.

We drove around and tried to find the campground we stayed in on Lake McDonald when we were here before, which was probably more than 20 years ago.  Do you kids remember doing cannonballs off those big boulder into the lake?  They were just through the trees from our camp spot and a short walk down the beach.  If we found that campground, it was very different than I remember it and the fire had burned right to its edges.  That made us very sad.

After leaving the Park, we drove into Hungry Horse and had a slice of Huckleberry Pie.   YUMMMMMM!!

THE PLACE WHERE LITTLE GIRLS SIT

While I have a few minutes, I’ve wanted to post this since I took the pictures so here goes.  When Grace first went into our RV, she found this little step in the bedroom and said “this is the place where little girls sit”.  We took the picture of Grace and Charity and then when we were with Keri’s family, we took the picture of Laura and Emily.  We thought they were both so cute I wanted to put the two pictures together, so here they are!

Charity and Grace

Emily and Laura

Aren’t they just too cute?!!  Now we need to get a picture of Eleanor to add to our collection.

Which reminds me.  For those of you who might not already know, we are planning on being at Eleanor’s big birthday bash.  See you all then.

UPDATE WITH ELEANOR

We tended Eleanor one day when Steve was in a bind.  She was so good for us and we enjoyed the day very much.  Here are some pictures we took.

Eleanor – where little girls sit.

But Eleanor decided to take it further…..

The place where little girls stand….

The place where little girls fall.

She soon got tired of sitting, standing and falling and had lots more fun with our closet door mirror.

Playing with the baby in the mirror

She kissed the baby several times and now grandma doesn’t want to ever wash the mirror again.  What a difference between children and grandchildren.  Love them all!!!!

POST FALLS, IDAHO

We had a really good trip from Moses Lake to Post Falls.  It was not as long as some of our trips and it was a beautiful sunny day.  We passed through some beautiful farm land and felt like we were on top of the world until we saw the Rocky Mountain in the distance.  We started climbing and got into the pines a while before we got to Spokane as we started into the Rocky Mountains.  We got into Post Falls early afternoon and had time to do some shopping and get Max’s oil changed, etc. We stayed at the Suntree RV Park.  After dinner we drove around and found a really pretty park and took some pictures.  The next day we drove up to Sandpoint and Bonner’s Ferry.  There was so much construction, it took us about 1 1/2 hours to go the last mile into Sandpoint.  We had rainy and then sunny times but it was beautiful and now I know why Carolyn and Dad love the area so much.  Here are some pictures we took during our stay in Post Falls.

We had a very shady spot in this RV park

Falls Park in Post Falls

The actual Post Falls.  One of the town fathers was named Post and

he built a sawmill and gristmill on these falls.

Lake Pend Oreille (which is pronounced “pond-uh-ray”) on

the way to Bonner’s Ferry.  This lake is 43 miles long

and is the largest lake in Idaho.  Pictures are taken

from a bridge crossing the lake.

We enjoyed our few days in Post Falls.  A lot of fireworks on the Fourth of July.  Everyone was out enjoying the many lakes in the area.  We kind of took it easy and got ready to leave the next day.  We enjoyed the area very much, and could have stayed a few more days but it was time to move on.

MOSES LAKE, WASHINGTON

We left Packwood on Saturday morning and were very happy that it wasn’t raining that day.  We had to climb over a high pass with steep downgrades.  We were on a good highway but it was windy with some narrow bridges.  We were very glad to come down into Yakima where we could get on the freeway and once again have cell phone service.  We had been out of communication for a week.  Between Yakima and Moses Lake is wide open prairie looking terrain with miles and miles of cultivated fields and orchards.  It was very pretty and we crossed the Columbia River around Vantage, Washington.  We passed a little town called George, Washington.  Martha’s Inn was about the biggest building there.

We loved Moses Lake.  We were in a very nice RV Park.  We took a drive out and around the lake and found a Wal-Mart so we could get some groceries.  On Sunday evening we drove up to Soap Lake to a place called Sundial Bistro and had dinner.  We both ordered the salmon which had been covered with seasoned, chopped pistachios then sautéed and topped with a caramelized maple syrup.  It was SO GOOD!!!  Well worth the drive up there.  Afterwards we drove out to Soap Lake which is supposed to have medicinal qualities in its water and mud.  The mud is “black as a moonless midnight” and supposed to be as smooth as the finest cold cream.  People spread it all over their bodies and it is supposed to heal all sorts of ailments.  We didn’t do that.

Here are some pictures we took around Moses Lake. 

We watched them launch boats and jet skies

We had a good time in Moses Lake.  The highest thing in town was their water towers.  Moses Lake is 18 miles long and up to 1 mile wide at some point.  It was a fun place to stay and it was very busy with everyone enjoying the water.