Road Trip

Grandpa

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Grandma and I and our good friends D and L, decided we needed a road trip before the snows come. First day out we took some back roads enroute to Teton and Yellowstone NP's.
Right off the bat, just past the Blackfoot River we came up on a small herd of cow elk with their babes. Just a few miles further on, grandma spotted a bald eagle sitting on a rock outcrop.
Our intent was to just pass through the @ parks without a lot of stops except for critter viewing. The buffalo (sorry PC police, they were buffalo for 200 years, before someone said that's wrong, so buffalo they stay in my mind.) Anyway, the buffs gave us a good show several places through the parks. Too good when they were right in the road too close to stop and watch.

We entered Yellowstone through the south gate and drove straight through Canyon, Tower and Mammoth. We saw lots of deer and elk. The elk especially were congregated wherever people were. They are using humans as a shield to keep the wolves at bay. There were elk roaming all the villages.

On the pass between Canyon and Tower grandma spotted 3 mt. Goats high in the rocks. Their white coats glowed with the evening sun shining on them.
Unfortunately, no bear sightings this trip. We are holed up in Bozeman tonight. I'll recap any interesting sights the rest of the trip.
 

Cappy

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sounds like a truly amazing road trip, glad ya were able to share it with friends that alwys makes it better seeing stuff through others eyes.
 

ppine

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Ystone is at its best in September during the elk rut. I like May and early June for the babies. Always a big deal to be in the Park. I going to Yosemite in late October after the crowds die down.
 

Grandpa

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Three Rivers Montsna. We stopped at the state park and right where the Madison and the Jefferson merge, I just had to dip a cup of water to say I have drank from the headwaters of the Missouri river. The third river, the Galatin, merges a short distance down stream.

Shortly after, enroute to the Lewis and Clark caves, I thought I got a glimpse of a bighorn ram. Not sure if it was real or someone's creation though. But we did see some ewes and a small ram near Anaconda.

The caves were awesome. We just took the short tour but the formations rival Lehman caves and Carlsbad. Beautiful. The day was capped sitting in a hot pool overlooking the beautiful Clark Fork sipping cider.
 

Grandpa

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Due to fires, the west side of Glacier has been closed. Our travels took us around beautiful Flathead lake and while lunching in Kalispell, we heard Going to the Sun had just re-opened this morning. A quick change of plans and we grabbed rooms in a hotel for a couple of nights to better see the park. We drove to Logan pass just in time to see a mama grizzly and her baby wandering around the pass plateau. Tomorrow we will check out the east side.
 

Cappy

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The continuation of a great trip!! Thanks so much for tellin us about it. Are ya camping some nights or just hotel hopping? We have really enjoyed both styles but now mostly we drag our lil 18 ft camper with us filled with our own stuff and its great to find strange camp grounds but in a pinch a parking lot will do.
 

Grandpa

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This trip is hotel hopping Cappy. Lots of miles over lots of mountains so the hotels seem cheap compared to the fuel to pull our trailers. Not really cheaper by a long ways but no cooking and evening hot tubs make the trip very enjoyable.
 

Cappy

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Believe memy friend I understand fully Peggy and I hotel hopped from Louisiana to Nova Scotia just to better experience the area. But mostly we like to bring our bed room and kitchen with us. I understand the strain of hauling too das why our camper is only 18 ft and ultra lite. But still expensive to drag in the hills. Safe travels and really enjoying the trip reports
 

Grandpa

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Quiet day today. We layed over and saw more of Glacier. Lots of awesome views but missed the bears.
 

Cappy

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God bless yall Thats how we roll we have been dragging or camper around stoppped in for an overnight liked the place and stayed 3 nights just relaxin and enjoying the area. Gives ya time to sniff out good bbq or something
 

Grandpa

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Big lake day today. We traveled down the west side of Flathead lake. This is the largest freshwater surface area lake west of the Mississippi. Surrounded by a variety of huge pines and cedars, the views were breath taking.

We then rejoined the Clark Fork and followed it into Idaho to the beautiful Lake Pend Orielle. This huge deep water lake is actually home to a navy nuclear submarine, which is used for training as well research activities. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see it. From Pend Orielle, we traveled south and skirted the east side of another huge lake, Coeur D'Alene. Northern Idaho is so different from the south, with its huge white pine and cedar forests and large lakes.
 
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