Glacier Trip Part 2

Day 7 Saturday September 18
We cleaned and straightened out the motor home in the morning in anticipation of Judy’s old friends coming for lunch. They came and we had a fun time talking about old times. A very nice afternoon. Judy and I then went for a short drive before dinner. We drove West on Hay 2 to see what had changed out that way. Came home and Judy made a nice chicken dinner.

Day 8 Sunday September 19
We drove up into the park on the Road to the Sun road which was open today. We stopped at Lake McDonald and strolled along the beach and enjoyed the view. The Road to the Sun had been closed for snow for two days and will close tonight this side of Logan Pass for the season so road renovation can be done. It was mostly cloudy and with some sprinkles but still went on a three mile round trip hike to Hidden Lake. Very foggy on the way down the mountain and a big thunder storm. Stopped at several sights along the way.

Day 9 Monday September 20
We went visiting again seeing some of Judy’s friends who own a flower shop. Then we went to the local museum which featured the local history. Very good. Went shopping and found a fabulous bead store with great buys. We went out to dinner to one of Judy’s friends who used to work with her when she ran the nursing department at the Lutheran Home here. Fun time.

Day 10 Tuesday September 21
We slept in late because we stayed out late. Went to the Conrad House which is now a museum. The house was built in 1895 and owned by one of the early successful pioneers in the area. Conrad’s daughter spent some of her last days at the Lutheran Home when Judy was nursing director. The family donated the house to the city in 1975 loaded with all the original furnishing, clothing etc. Fantastic place to see as well as hear the story of the family who lived there. Judy helped with some of the fundraising to restore the mansion when she lived here. After dinner we did a little shopping. It rained hard this morning, had some sun in the afternoon and then rain in the evening.

Day 11 Wednesday September 22
We went to the Hockaday Museum but the exhibits were being replaced. Met a photographer who was taking down his exhibit which had 100 pictures of Glacier Park in celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the park. After lunch we drove to Hungry Horse Reservoir dam which is the highest in the state, then drove the East side road stopping several times along the lake. Nice day, no rain and lots of sun. For dinner we roasted some meat over a campfire. Yummy! (We do have a convection microwave in the motor home.)

Day 11 Thursday September 23
We drove about 50 miles East of Kalispell on hwy 2 to the Thompson Chain of Lakes to a 2000 sq ft waterfront “cabin” of one of Judy’s old friends. Ate a nice lunch of fresh caught perch, took a ride into the hills and around the lake on their Ranger Polaris 4 wheel vehicle, then had a nice boat ride where we were shown the best fishing spots. We saw lots of deer today. Fun time.

Day 12 Friday September 24
We went to Glacier park today. We drove hwy 486 from hwy 2 to Polebridge which is an very remote little “town” which has a very old store. After leaving the store we crossed the North Fork of the Flathead River into Glacier park and drove the six miles to Bowman Lake on a narrow, rough, muddy road. The drive was worth it as the lake was beautiful. We decided to drive the 15 miles to Kintla lake over an equally difficult road. The lake was nice but did not have the rugged mountains around it. We drove a narrow road back to West Glacier and then back home getting back late. A very fun day.

Glacier Trip Part 1

Day 1 Sunday, September 13 41744
We got up early, packed the few remaining things in Goldie and headed for the motor home. All packed and ready to go by the motor home decided to have its breaks lock. Called friend Bill and he suggested I release air from the accumulators and that might help. Well I did that and sure enough the breaks were free. Off we went to Olympia, then 512 through Puyallup, to 167, then I-405 to I-90. Drove all the way to Ritdzville and spent the night at Cedar Inn and RV park.
Drove 290 miles today.

Day 2 Monday September 14 42034
Left Ritzville and continued East on I-90. We filled up with diesel just outside Spokane. We should now have enough to go to Glacier and back home. Stopped for a break at Lookout Pass which is the border between Idaho and Montana, left the motor running as usual, but when I push the button for drive, it blinked and beeped, same for reverse. ????? Got the manual out but nothing like that in the diagnostics. Then did what most computer people know, shut off the motor and started up again. Thing worked fine. Good. Stopped at the Lincoln 50000 Silver Dollar Bar and Café and had lunch just 16 miles into Montana. People just give a dollar and it is put on a board with their name. Drove to St. Regis and spend the night at Nugget Campground space 29, a very nice place, one of the better parks we have stayed in..
Drove 186 miles.

Day 3 Tuesday September 15 42220
Left St. Regis and headed north on scenic road 135. Just before Paradise took hwy 200 to US 93 north. This road goes along Flathead lake. Went to Spruce Park On the River space C10 just East of Kalispell and got the motor home set up. We then called Judy’s long time Kalispell friends Linda and Matt. We went over , had dinner and spent the rest of the evening reminiscing. Great time.

Day 4 Wednesday, September 16
Slept in. Went to Matt and Linda’s to put some stuff in their freezer. Drove around Kalispell a little viewing places so familiar to Judy. We then went to Lakeside, just South of Kalispell and tried to find the place her mom and dad used to stay. Mostly gone now. Talked with several people who knew some of the old timers Judy knew when she lived here. Ate lunch in the local café then headed up into the mountain to get some of the “world famous” Montana huckleberries. Found a few, but unfortunately the season is over. They are selling around here for $50 a gallon. We saw deer, wild turkey’s and a rabbit today.

Day 5 Thursday September 17
Slept in again today. I have had the funk for a few days. After breakfast, went to the truck repair place to ask about fixing the breaks. Will bring the motor home in tomorrow am. We drove down to Big Fork via hwy 35. Stopped at Kehoe’s Rock Shop. Lots of neat stuff. In Big Fork looked in a few shops then headed for the lake to eat our picnic lunch in a state park. Found a good camp spot for the motor home in the state park for later. Left Big Fork and went back North on 35 to see the “family” homestead. It was pretty much as Judy remembered. It was where her great grandparents homesteaded and where her mom was raised.

Day 6 Friday September 18
We got up early and took the motor home to a truck shop to look at the brakes. Turns out the “locking” problem will occur once in a while because the air brakes pulls the brakes off the drum so somes times the brakes stick to the drum. They did find a leaky air valve and a leaky front wheel seal which they fixed. Judy and I visited where she used to live and work which was fun for both her and me. We ate lunch at Whitefish Lake then headed into the mountains to find some huckleberries. The season is over. The weather is cool and there was fresh show in the mountains at 5500 feet. Suppose to be this way until next week.