Spokane and Hoopfest!

Today we decided that we couldn't do the drive from Glacier to Seattle in one day. So we planned to spend the night in Spokane which is about halfway. Little did we know that the last weekend In June is Hoopfest! Downtown Spokane is turned into hundreds of little basketball courts, roads are closed and the town is jumping...literally. We intend to leave very early.

We are Roadfood fans and we always try to find a little gem along the road. This evening we had dinner at Franks Diner .... great food.

Saturday morning we leave early and on to Seattle and Abby, David, Julia, and Ethan!

 

Our Last Day At Glacier

Yesterday we spent our last day at Glacier. We entered the park at the east side of the park, thru St Mary's and took at hike at the St Mary's Falls and Bary Falls area. We saw some lovely sights.

 

Baring Falls

 

 

St Mary's Lake

Blackfoot Glacier

 

One more shot of wildflowers....

The only drawback to these hikes is that as you enter the hiking trail, there is a sign that says "You are entering Grizzely territory"!

 

 

Exploring Glacier National Park

We explored this park about 25 years ago. It certainly is time to see it again. We traveled on the Going to the Sun Road from west to east. Magnificent sights ...

 

A view from Lake MacDonald

 

 

Glaciers of course

 

 

Logan Pass at the Continental Divide

 

 

Glacier National Park and the Izaak Walton Inn

We will be spending two full days exploring Glacier National Park. We are staying at the Izaak Walton Inn in Essex, MT midway between East and West Glacier. It is on the Empire Builder, Chicago to Seattle Amtrak rail line. The inn was the hotel where the railroad workers stayed. The tracks needed to be cleared of snow and extra locomotor cars needed to be added to the trains to get them over the pass. The present inn dates from 1937. We are staying a restored BN caboose.

Here's our caboose. The smallest one.... "The Honeymoon Caboose"

Very cozy.

The Izaak Walton Inn by the tracks.

Checking out the rolling stock.

 

Zondra and James

We visited Miriam's daughter Zondra and her husband James, Monday and Tuesday.

Monday, we explored Whitefish, where Zondra is a masseuse at the Grouse Mountain Resort. Tuesday, Zondra and James made a wonderful lunch for us... Direct from their garden...Yummy. I was then treated to a luxurious full body massage by Zondra.

 

 

 

 

 

Feeling great after a wonderful meal....

 

 

Monday morning

As we prepare to leave Livingston, we need a couple more photos

Next stop Zondra and James in Kalispell.

 

Sunday Solstice

The solstice party continues Sunday mornings at Miriam's backyard

 

And here's some music ....

 

 

Solstice

Ralph and I were lucky enough to be at Miriam's when Rachel and Peter's Solstice Party was happening. Musicians from all over the Livingston area and beyond welcomed a new season.

Here are a few musical treats...

 

Day 6 - Saturday in Livingston with Miriam

We took a Livingston bus tour in an historic restored Yellowstone Bus. Livingston is a lovely historic railroad and tourist town with many century old residential and commercial buildings.

Famous Dan Bailey Fly Shop years ago we saw women tying flies in the back of the shop.

Many buildings downtown have "ghost signs" still on the sides of the buildings.

Some of these signs are recent. They were painted on for the movie "The River Runs Through It" filmed here several years ago.

The Livingston Train Depot built over 100 years ago. See www.livingston-chamber.com for a description of a walking tour.

 

 

The refurbished Yellowstone Bus.

 

Day 5 - Driving Thru Yellowstone to Miriam's

On Friday, drove thru Yellowstone NP to Miriam's place in Livingston, MT.

Yellowstone is known for its wildlife and geothermal features...we saw lots of each. Here is some examples of the wildlife ...

 

Be sure you see the red babies.

Real close to the car, along the road.

 

Chipmunk!

 

 

 

 

 

Grizzly bear by the side of the road. All traffic stops and serious cameras come out, mine is not fast enough.

Here's a black bear....

 

I've seen many many of the geothermal features in Yellowstone before, but they are always fascinating and awesome. We saw many as we along the Yellowstone River along the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

 

 

 

The Yellowstone River and Falls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally at the north entrance to Yellowstone ... The Roosevelt Arch