Washington / Montana / Glacier National Park

Once back in the lower 48 from Alaska we moved the rig the next day to Lake Goodwin Resort in Stanwood WA which was only about 3 miles from where we parked it for the trip.  We were in need of some serious down time before moving again.  

For the first few days we were parked next to this unusual camper.  When my girlfriend Karen goes camping she refers to her camper as a cottage, maybe she should trade her camper in on a true cottage complete with a back porch.

For the first few days we just rested, did laundry and unpacked.  The campground was located on the lake so there was lots of activity especially on the weekends.  Adjoining the campground was a state park with a swimming beach that was packed everyday.  So we got out the metal detectors in the mornings and looked for lost treasures.  I did find a small silver ring and Mark found a silver quarter, not bad but we are still looking for a huge gold ring with an even huger diamond!

  

When we roll into to a new town and know we will be there for a bit we look on craigslist to see if there is anything interesting.  Well we came across this post for help wanted at the Aquafest in Lake Stevens so we checked it out and got hired by Davis Shows Northwest to sell game tickets. 

After four days and all the people we were happy to check off being a Carney.   I really give those folks credit, especially when the show closed on Sunday at 5 pm they immediately started tearing it down as they would be pulling out the next day to do it all over again in another town the following weekend.  It was a cool experience and really gave us an insight to the carnival world.  So after resting up from that gig we started packing things up getting ready to head to Montana.

We have friends that we worked with in Mesa AZ that live in Polson MT and they invited us to stay on their property.  So for now our destination is Polson MT.

The first night on the road we stayed at the Grant County Fairgrounds in Moses Lake WA.

This was a huge fairground with over 500 sites and very nice, cost was $15 for electric and water.  When you are looking for a short stop over always check the fairgrounds in the area, as you may get lucky like we did.  I have to comment on the amount of agriculture in the western part of WA, it is almost like Iowa with corn fields everywhere.  We have never seen so much hay, hay bails were everywhere with huge storage facilities all along the interstate.

Normally we don’t travel over 200-250 miles a day but we weren't that far from our destination so we pressed on.  We were only in Idaho for a short bit than into Montana.  Once we turned off the interstate we followed the Clark Fork River for a while which made for a beautiful drive.

We arrived at our friends Jim and Linda Hadley’s home in Polson MT that evening.  Got the caravan set up with full hookups next to their garage and then enjoyed a nice meal while we got caught up on what we all had been doing. 

The next day we all went into town for breakfast and then they showed us some local sights.  Polson is located on the southern shore of Flathead Lake which is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River and one of the cleanest in the populated world for its size and type.  It was raised 10 ft by Kerr Dam. 

 A few days later we ventured out to Glacier National Park, which is our nation’s 10^th National park.

Known for is glacier-carved jagged peaks, turquoise and emerald lakes, and U-shaped valleys it is a must see.  Established in 1910 with its lowest elevation at 3,150 feet and its highest at 10,466 feet at the summit of Mount Cleveland.  At any national park that you may go to in the summer they are always packed with people so if you plan to camp you better make reservations the year before.  Since we didn't have reservations to camp we spent the day seeing the points of interest on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Our first stop was Lake McDonald being the largest lake in the park at 10 miles long and 1 mile wide.  The water is so clear but oh so cold.

 At the end of the lake is McDonald Falls.  It was calm and pleasant but early spring visitors see a thundering torrent carrying trees and boulders.

Avalanche Creek has beautiful blue colored water caused by glacial silt.

One way you can see the park and leave the driving to someone else is taking a tour on the famous Red Buses considered to the oldest fleet of touring vehicles. 

I was glad Mark was doing the driving, as the road was narrow.

The only switchback on the Going-to-the-Sun road affords a scenic view of Heaven’s Peak at 8,987 feet.

We started our journey down in the valley by the creek.

Haystack Creek Falls cascades its way from mountaintops to the valley floors.  The falls are 492 feet tumbling over hundreds of steps on its way down the hillside, under the road and then down another cliff.

If you look closely you can see the cars hanging onto the steep mountainside as they make their way along the narrow road.  As a matter of fact vehicles over 21 feet long (including bumpers) or over 8 ft wide (including mirrors) are prohibited on some parts of the road due to rock overhangs.

Across the valley, Bird Woman Falls cascades 492 feet from the slope of Mt. Oberlin.

                                                                          Traveling on…

At Big Bend we were able to get great views of Mt. Canon and Mt. Oberlin plus the valley below.

At Oberlin Bend there is a boardwalk that offers views of the valleys and the road as it winds across below the Garden Wall.  We were lucky to see a mountain goat watching the cars go by and posing for pictures.

The continental Divide, also called the Great Divide, is a natural boundary line separating waters that flow into the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico from those that flow into the Pacific Ocean.

Jackson Glacier Overlook offers views of a glacier.

At Sunrift Gorge we took a hike down to Baring Falls.

We there you have it, Glacier National Park through our eyes!

****************

Jim and Linda took us for a boat ride on Flathead Lake to Big Fork showing us the sights along the way.

              There are some huge mansions on the lake that are only weekend retreats, must be nice.

The first one sits high on top of the hill with the caretaker's cottage on the shore. 

Next up is just a small home on the point.

Now there are a lot of famous people that stay on the lake.  One very notable lady is Bette Midler, she doesn't live there anymore but built the home after the movie “Beaches” that she starred in and the song she sang, “The Wind Beneath My Wings”.  There is no other house like it.

OK enough of expensive real estate that the average person can’t afford.  We had lunch then wandered around the quaint downtown area pop in and out of interesting shops. 

Once back on the boat we had a lovely ride back following the shoreline enjoying the sights.  The water is an awesome blue/green color but still to cold for this NC girl to consider jumping in. 

Thank you Jim and Linda for a wonderful day on the lake!

The following day the weather was perfect for a bike ride so we cruised along the lake ending up back at Big Fork.

Our first stop was the Garden Bar for some refreshing adult beverages on the back patio.  It is a really cool bar with revitalizing misters and signs from local businesses all over the outdoor garden area.

Next stop was the…

We enjoyed the beer and the atmosphere; actually during our travels we haven’t had a bad micro brew yet!  On the ride home we stopped at a roadside cherry stand to purchase some wonderful local cherries picked fresh that day.  The east side of the lake is known for cherry production.

The upcoming weekend in Polson was the Classic Car Show Festival.  On Friday night some of the classics cruised down main street.  Mark volunteered to help direct traffic.

                 Saturday was the actual festival but we had made plans to move, sorry we missed it. 

   I want to send out a big thank you to Jim and Linda for a wonderful time and great accommodations. 

                                                                ****************

We made plans earlier in the year to get solar put on the rig in Billings MT then in October we will be                                                      working the Sugar Beet Harvest in Sydney MT, so on to Billings.

                                                        Thanks for following your travels.

                                                         ***********************

                          Check out my handmade jewelry at my Etsy store Wandering Designs

                                                etsy.com/shop/WanderingDesigns

Alaska Part Two

Once we got to the mainland and loaded up we headed south to Anchorage to Jimmie and John’s house, actually it is now their sons house as he bought it from them.  Jimmie is an OR nurse and she stays there when she is in town working.  We followed her making the 3-hour ride into town stopping at Mantanuska Glacier.

A glacier moves faster in the center where the ice is the thickest and slower along the edges.

Back at the house we got settled in then went for a beer at the Fire Tap.  The Alaskan brewed beer is great; the one we really liked is called Alaskan White, wonder if they sell it in the lower 48.  There was this mural we spotted about whales and with a closer look it was done by the artist WyLand.  We have a WyLand mural in downtown Wilmington NC.

The next day we did some shopping and that evening we met their other son Shawn and his wife Randee along with their daughter Clara for dinner.  We had a wonderful time, thanks again Jimmie.

The following day Jimmie went to work and we left headed south to Seward.  We passed a car that had caught on fire but thankfully no one was hurt.

Traveling south on Hwy 1 also known as the Seward Highway, which provides access to the Kenai Peninsula.  It winds along the north shore of Turnagain Arm, crossing the isthmus that separates the Kenai Peninsula from the rest of south central Alaska.  This is a beautiful drive with views of the glaciated Kenai Mountains and lush green mountainsides.

172 miles south of Anchorage is Seward-known as the “Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park”-a picturesque community nestled between high mountain ranges on a small rise stretching from Resurrection Bay to the foot of Mount Marathon.  Historically, it was an important transportation hub for Alaska’s mining, exploration, fishing and trapping industries.  Resurrection Bay, a year-round ice-free harbor, made Seward an important cargo and fishing port as well as a strategic military post during WWII.

The campground was packed on Resurrection Bay with spots along the shore all taken, we didn't plan on staying but it had wonderful views.

12 miles north of Seward is the turn off for Exit Glacier in the Kenai Fjords National Park.  Before you enter the park you can see the glacier.

Once in the park we sprayed down with bug spray and started the hike to the glacier.  The glacier is 2.4 miles long and descends some 3,500 feet from the Harding Icefield, very impressive.

I like the blue color the glacier has.

The glacier flows downhill about a foot each day.  At one time not so long ago the glacier covered the area where this picture was taken from.

We left the glacier and headed to Soldotna.  The drive takes you along the Kenai River, which is beautiful and is noted for some of the best fishing.  Once in Soldotna we stopped at Fred Meyer, which is a great store that sells everything from milk to canoes.  They are like a Walmart that lets you camp in their parking lot.  Well let me tell you there had to be at least 50 campers there so we spent the night there, they even had porta potties!

The next day we headed to Homer.  Once again you are on Hwy 1 with the Cook Inlet on your right.  We were lucky to have a wonderful clear day making it possible to view Mt. Iliamna and Mt. Redoubt both of which are in the Ring of Fire that encircles the Pacific ocean.  They are Volcano Mountains; Mt. Redoubt last erupted in 2009.

Deep Creek is known for freshwater fishing and several fishing charter services launch their boats from here.  It was a very busy place and fun to watch the boats being launched.  King salmon is what the fisherman hopes to bring back.  The water is shallow so the tractors push the boats out pretty far before they can take off.

                               Before reaching Homer there is a rest stop with views of Cook Inlet.

Homer has a population of 5,400 people and jutting out for 4.3 miles from the Homer shore is the Homer Spit.  The Spit is the site of a major dock facility for boat loading, unloading, servicing and refrigerating.  The deep-water dock can accommodate large cruise and cargo ships.  As a matter of fact the commercial crabber called the “Time Bandit” from the show “Deadliest Catch” calls Homer its home port but unfortunately they weren’t there.  There are lots of shops and eating establishments along the spit as well.

 Crossing the bridge from the spit you will see float planes which are very popular in Alaska. 

On the way back to Anchorage we stopped at Alyeska in Gridwood, which is 40 miles south of Anchorage.  It is a premier resort that has a scenic aerial tram that carries you 2,300 ft up a mountain for spectacular views of the surrounding wilderness including the Cook Inlet, hanging glaciers and endless mountain peaks.

We finally saw some wildlife, once we got down from the mountain there was a bear wandering around through the parking area.

Back in Anchorage at Jimmies we chilled for a few days doing laundry and getting ready for the next leg of the trip.  We wandered around the downtown area taking in the sights and some of the shops.  One shop we stopped in was David Green Furs.  I can’t say that I have ever really touch real fur let alone put one on.  The sales lady was so nice answering our questions and she even let me try on a coat.  Again what was I thinking not getting a picture.  OMG it was so soft and looked so good on me but at a cost of $5,000 I passed on the purchase.  Then she showed us the vault where the extra coats were stored in a climate-controlled environment, it was amazing!  I am a thrift store kind of gal but it sure was fun to pretend.

Later that evening we went to Earthquake Park with hopes of seeing some moose and we hit pay dirt.  Driving in we spotted a Cow and two calves; I was a happy girl taking lots of pictures.  Continuing on to the park we got out of the truck and enjoyed the view of the Cook Inlet and downtown Anchorage.

Heading back to the truck we spotted the same cow and calves walking to a watering hole right in front of the truck!!!

Momma was enjoying a swim but the kiddos weren’t to sure so they just grazed along the edge.  The airport is just behind where they were and when a plane took off it didn’t bother them a bit, it was just too cool to see them this close.

By this time it was around 9:30pm and the sun was low in the sky, you would have thought it was only 6 pm.

Once back at the house later that evening around 11:30pm I took this picture off the back deck.  See what I mean the sun just never really goes down and that takes some getting use to.

The next morning we loaded up heading north on Hwy 3 with our destination being Denali National Park.  The drive took us about 3 and half hours to get there but even before we reached the park Mount McKinley was visible.

Broad Pass is a beautiful area.  A mountain valley, bare in some places, dotted with scrub spruce in others, and surrounded by mountain peaks.

We arrived at the park on a Saturday and there were no campsites available so we went down the road 6 miles to another campground. 

Bright and early the next day we showed up at the park for a bus ride at 6:30 am.  The purchase of our tickets was made the night before; it is better to go early as your chances of seeing wildlife is greater.  You can only drive into the park 18 miles so you have to take a bus to really see the park.

Mount McKinley or Denali is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 20,320 feet above sea level.  At some 18,000 feet, the base to peak rise is considered the largest of any mountain situated entirely above sea level.  Not to long into the ride we spotted a caribou and a bear. 

The bus stops at several points for pictures, breaks and visitor centers.

That moose antler was incredibly heavy and large.  On average a set of antlers weigh around 40 lbs, talk about a headache!

The bus driver informed us that we were in the 30% club as only 30% of the folks that come to the park                                                              actually get to see Mount McKinley.

Before we got to the visitor center at the Tundra there was this fox that was just trotting along the road.

                Once we got to the tundra the clouds had started to move in, covering the mountain.

                                                In the visitors center they had this posted.

                        On the way back we came across this caribou that was just walking up the road.

We enjoyed our time in the park and it is a must see when in Alaska but you need to make reservations for campgrounds and bus rides.  Seeing wildlife was a plus as we had talked to some folks who hadn't seen anything but a squirrel.  Oh don’t forget the bug spray!!!

Once we left the park we headed on to Fairbanks and had some dinner.  I will have to say we didn't see much there to excite us to stay for the night so we started the trip south.  We passed by the famous pipeline.

.                The next pictures show how the size of the pipeline has increased over the years. 

Next it was the end of the Alaskan Highway 101 miles from Fairbanks. 

There was also this display depicting the size of misquotes in Alaska and it is the truth, look out as they are coming for you!

Remember it doesn't get really dark at night so we continued to drive on through the evening switching drivers.  Early in the morning we stopped for a few hours of sleep at a rest stop.  When we got up the next morning we were greeted by swans swimming on a small lake, it was beautiful.  Sorry my picture doesn't do them justice.

I have so say by this time we were ready to get back to they lower 48 and our caravan, so we pressed on.  From Tok we took a different route leading us to Whitehorse and then onto Watson Lake, from there we jump on the Cassiar Highway leading to Prince George.  The scenery was just a beautiful with all the mountain views one could take in.  All along the roadsides you would see these beautiful purple flowers that are called fire weed.  We passed by a forest that had recently been burned and now I know why they were given that name.  The whole forest floor was covered in them!

We decided to stop for the night at Boya Lake Provincial Park.  It was a really nice campground on a lovely lake.

The water was the prettiest shade of blue/green.

  When we arrived there was a family swimming and they were commenting on how nice the water was so Mark decided to check it out.  I think he was in the water for a total of  15 seconds, OMG it was cold.  I wouldn't even put in my little toe!  We had dinner by the campfire enjoying the view of the lake.

Since we really didn't have a good rest the last night Mark made sure we would tonight.  He put a tarp over the back half of the truck and then covered the windows with black trash bags blocking out the light, we slept til 9 am the next morning!

Moving on the next day we passed through a remote area that was having power lines installed.  They were huge metal poles on top of steep mountains making one wonder how they got them installed.  Well further down the road we stopped for gas and found out.  Next to the gas station there was the headquarters for the workers.  They were taken to their work stations via helicopters and there was this huge helicopter thing that would pick up the poles and set them.  My hat is off to those workers.

The last bit of wildlife that we saw was another bear.

Once again we drove on through the night as we really wanted to get home.  Crossed the border the next day around 11 am.  It was a good trip traveling 5,000 miles with only 3 rock chips in the windshield, a couple on the fenders, a broken Chevy emblem on the front, but no flat tires and the only thing we hit was a seagull and a bird.  Once again we are so happy we didn't bring the caravan!!!  

Thanks for following our travels.

======================================

Check out my handmade jewelry by clicking on the link below

www.etsy.com/shop/wanderingdesigns