Back to the USA; Band Practice; Used Cows??? Fly Fishing; Grizzlies; Yellowstone and Tetons; Wind River Range; BEAT ARMY! Parking Hall of Shame

We returned from our Canadian adventure via the border crossing at Eureka, Montana. Having been to Paso Robles, Lodi, Sonoma and Napa, we had a few bottles of wine on which I didn't want to pay Canadian duty, so we had rented a small storage locker in Eureka prior to heading across, and we were happy to find that none had evaporated during our ten day absence. We stayed in a small campground with this fifth wheel and an unusual tow vehicle (okay, maybe the owner also had a truck, but it made a cute photo...)








When we got down to Missoula, we stopped in at the University of Montana for a walk with Rudy and Gretchen. Suzanne went on alert when she heard the music from the marching band, and we had to listen for a bit. She was a "bandie" in high school and college, and I would swear that she was about to grab a flute or piccolo from one of the college kids and show them how it should be played...


Everyone in America has passed by at least one used car lot in their lives, but Montana has a different commodity to sell...

We arrived in Bozeman and immediately set out for a hike. Stopping at this trailhead map, we opted for Bear Creek rather than Moonshine Gulch... I told Suzanne the creek was named that because it was shaped like a bear... she wasn't amused, but each of us did carry a can of bear spray. (Oh, and the trail sign had to have a bullet hole... after all, this IS Montana!)














Bozeman is where we were joined by our dear friend and neighbor, Tony Vouvalides, who is an expert trout fisherman. He has been fly fishing since he was a youngster, while I have only been using a fly rod for about 6 hours, if you count up the time I have actually held one. We went drift fishing with a guide for three days on the Yellowstone River. Tony out-caught me about 15-6...

but I enjoyed the scenery more. This would be a great river to kayak down, carrying your tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc. Maybe that's why I wasn't catching as many fish - you have to keep your eyes on a dry fly so that when a trout hits it for .00005 nanoseconds, you can strike and hook it. I think my reflexes are getting slow in my old age... but if I kayak-camped down the Yellowstone River, I would be sure to carry freeze-dried meals or Marine Corps/Army Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) in case the fish were on vacation in Tampa.








Each day on the river started chilly, like in the 40s, but warmed up into the low 70s by afternoon. Perfect weather for anything!

Our drift boats were different makes and models each day, but they all had a dory's double end, high bow and stern. The guide sat in the middle seat and rowed, mostly to keep the boat aligned with the current, to miss rocks, and to allow the fishermen a good casting angle. We averaged about 13 miles a day on the Yellowstone.











As I mentioned earlier, the scenery was very nice. Suzanne and I have a phrase that we use when we step onto a scene like this... "This is a HATEFUL PLACE!"












Here is a Happy Fisherman. Nice rainbow, Tony!

Picking the right flies to use is an art; it's called "matching the hatch", or more colloquially, "pulling it out of your butt"... this sign board in a fly shop suggested which flies were working on different rivers in the area. I particularly liked the innovative names, like Panty Dropper, Thunder Thighs, Dirty Hippie and Hippie Stomper.
















Before Tony returned to South Carolina, we visited a grizzly sanctuary. Only one bear was out at the time, but Brutus was a big guy, about 800 lbs. Even carrying that much weight, an adult griz (Ursus horribilis) can still run at 25-30 mph, making them very quick when hunting elk, deer or hikers. (Just kidding... but we do carry bear spray when we're out in the woods.) Grizzlies live to around 22 years for males, 26 for females (male lifespans are shorter because of their seasonal breeding fights.) Alaskan bears tend to be much larger (up to 1,200 lbs) because of their richer diet of salmon. Interestingly, grizzlies and black bears rarely share the same territory, because the much larger grizzly is such an intimidating and overpowering competitor. "Apex predator" is such an apt description. When black bears do encounter grizzlies, they generally run or climb a tree to escape almost certain death/injury. 



I remained in Bozeman after Tony departed and while Suzanne was speaking at the IANDS conference in Philadelphia, PA. I had to suffer through terrible scenery, such as when I hiked Chestnut Mountain. Even on a weekend, the trail was lightly traveled, with only 4 other hikers and a couple of mountain bikers sharing the trail.

I also got out on my bike a few times, although not on the very steep Chestnut Mountain trail. One of the advantages to not watching any TV is that we can spend more time outdoors. Montana is so beautiful and lightly populated; it's no wonder many Californians are leaving and settling here. Unfortunately, that migration is driving property values up, a complaint heard in Idaho, Wyoming and Utah as well. 











After Suzanne returned, we drove through Yellowstone National Park to our next campground at the south end of the park, right near the Tetons. Yellowstone Lake is a gorgeous body of water, and on this day we didn't see a single boat out.













More "hateful" scenery to suffer through... but someone has to do it! If you haven't taken the opportunity to see these amazing national parks, you're missing some incredible places...

The Tetons are one of our favorite places. Named les trois tetons (the three nipples) by French voyageurs in the 18th Century, this small range of 12-13,000 foot plus peaks is only 40 miles long, and is paradise for backpackers and rock climbers. We only had a couple of days here, so we got out on a long bike ride with this backdrop. Life is good!

This photo by the great photographer Ansel Adams is worth sharing.


















On the sad side of life, welcome to the newest member of our Parking Hall of Shame. We had stopped at a home furnishing store and parked next to this Nissan Rogue (appropriately named?) whose owner obviously had no regard for other folks' desire to park in front of the store in which she was shopping. Another lady in the store looked at the car's owner and asked her twice, "Why did you park across two spots like that? What were you thinking?" The Rogue owner refused to even answer, and just ignored the other woman completely. 

Our next stop was Pinedale, Wyoming,on the west side of the Wind River Range. I had done a four day backpacking trip into The Winds a few years ago, and would like to re-post this photo from that trip - Titcomb Basin became one of my top 3 destinations on the planet that week.











On this trip, Suzanne and I did a great dayhike on the Sacred Rim Trail (Bridger-Teton National Forest). She was so impressed by the panorama here that she posted a video -  you can watch it here: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yVj6uqVyqE&t=3s













The view down into the valley and to the mountains was incredible. Titcomb basin is located about 15 miles away in the background.















When we arrived in Pinedale, the mountains were almost clear of snow, except for permanent snowfields. On our last evening there, a cold front came through with temps in the 30s in our campground (actually in Boulder, WY). It's been a long time since we've experienced snow  in the first week of September!





















From Wyoming we drove to Longmont, Colorado, to visit with our dear friends Charlie and Elaine Cunis. We owed "Colonel Crusty" a meal from the last Army-Navy football game. The Cunis's have been married for over 50 years, and are two of the nicest people we know. (BEAT ARMY!!!)









While Suzanne was recording one of her weekly radio shows from Castle Cunis, the pups and I experienced a moderately bad lightning and hailstorm in the campground. No broken glass or dents, but lots of noise on the coach roof. After the storm passed, this double rainbow graced us with its beauty.












Finally, this sign inside a national park pit toilet either perhaps reflects the park service's desire for people to not read email while on the throne or to avoid acrobatics... I'm not sure which.

Crowsnest Pass; Black Diamond; Cochrane, Alberta; Frederickton, New Brunswick; Yamnuska Mountain; New Friends; Wolfdogs; Men in Kilts?

Our last blog had us in Sparwood, British Columbia, where I was negotiating for a truck... fortunately, the deal fell through, so we moved on through Crowsnest Pass into Alberta. The scenery here in the Canadian Rockies is amazing!!!

On the way to our campground, we passed through the town of Black Diamond (not named for a ski run), whose town square has this representation of a black diamond - the town was built around the coal mining industry. 

We stopped for a week at a very nice campground on the scenic Bow River in Cochrane, Alberta, just west of Calgary. 
















A paved bike path alongside the Bow provided Biker Chick and Your Correspondent a delightful ride, albeit up some hills that were unnecessarily placed on the trail.
















We were in the area for Suzanne to give a presentation at the Calgary Center for Spiritual Living (CSL), which was very well attended and received. Thanks go out to Dr. Pat Campbell, Senior Minister and Spiritual Director, for her hospitality. 













Someone recently asked if we cooked in our RV, or simply went out for meals. We might go out once every 2-3 weeks, mainly for a meal that we would not ordinarily make ourselves (sushi, Thai, etc.). This particular morning the short order cook was feeling whimsical, and gave His Lovely Bride a cheese and green onion omelet with a smiley face (bacon and red pepper rings). 


















While I stayed in Cochrane, Suzanne boarded an Air Canada flight to Fredericton, New Brunswick, to present her Level 2 Serving Spirit class at Wendy Carty and Dr. Bill Cook's amazing Iris Center. The class was filled and everyone had a great weekend. Suzanne was also Wendy and Bill's house guest, and they treated her to a family lobster dinner that she is still talking about. (I will serve her a lobster dinner the next time I get my lobster trap out... Thanks a lot, Wendy!)




While Suzanne was three time zones away in Eastern Canada, I went hiking at Yamnuska Mountain. The name means "wall of stone" in the Stoney Nakoda language. (I wonder why they call it that....)

This photo is interesting... I caught up to a family of four who were stopped dead on the trail. The mom, just ahead of me, turned and whispered, "There is a mama grizzly bear with a cub just ahead. We're letting her cross the trail..." I thought, "What a great idea!" The orange canister in her right hand is, of course, bear spray, a capsicum aerosol similar to Mace. Mine was on my belt, and I'm glad we didn't have to use it. It's said to be very effective against a 1,000 lb bear charging at you at 30 mph... I've only had to use it once, against a black bear in Florida, of all places.








The trail was steep in places...

But the view from the top was spectacular!

I met a delightful Canadian couple at the local gym, Roxanne and Byron Smyke. They invited me to a cookout at a local park, and they and their son Blaise, a champion swimmer, visited the coach the next day. It was a great experience and showed the warmth and hospitality of our Canadian neighbors. Eh?

A solo bike ride took me to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, also along the Bow River, but graced with some very steep hills (for training purposes). This section was near the river where one sign warned about being aware of moose...













Nights this far north were chilly, down into the 40sF, but our puppies Rudy and Gretchen were snug as bugs in rugs near the electric fireplace!

When MLB returned from New Brunswick, we drove to a very special place - the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary just west of Cochrane, Alberta. These unique canines are mixes of wolf and dog; a "high content" wolfdog might be 90% wolf and only 10% dog (usually Huskies, Malamutes or even Irish Wolfhounds). 

While they are beautiful creatures, they can also be more wild animal than urban/suburban or even rural owners can handle. Smart as all get out, they are accomplished diggers and want to be free of fenced yards; master escape artists, wolfdogs can't survive well in the wild because they haven't been trained by their pack parents to hunt. This sanctuary rescues wolfdogs, and now has about 30 residents that they care for.













Finally, at the gym where I met Roxanne and Byron, this poster caught my eye... it shows that while Canada and the USA share a common language (most of the time), there are certain cultural differences that set us apart...

Out of the Woods for a Birthday Dinner; Back to the Woods; Beavers; Wildflowers; Sporting Clays; Astro-Photography; A Really Big Truck!

After my most enjoyable Sawtooths backpacking trip, I needed a shower. Well, at least that's what My Lovely Bride told me, but Rudy and Gretchen didn't complain one bit about my smell. After using a couple of hundred gallons of water and two bars of soap, I got cleaned up and dressed for our date... we were celebrating Suzanne's birthday a few days early, and we dined at The Ram, one of the best restaurants in Sun Valley (and also the oldest, operating since 1937). The food was amazing! Suzanne had the tuna stack appetizer and Alaskan halibut; I had the artichoke tart and Idaho ruby trout. As you can see, she got all dolled up for our special dinner!















Here are some photos and comments from two hikes we made in the Pioneer Mountains near Hailey, Idaho... this aspen (Populus tremuloides) along Hyndman Creek has been felled by a North American beaver (Castor canadensis), for food and dam-building. Since my years as a Boy Scout, I have admired beavers, both for their industriousness and engineering skills. They work only at night, and can rebuild a damaged/destroyed dam overnight. Ponds created by their dams help isolate their lodges, which they cover with mud so that the mud freezes as hard as stone in winter, keeping the beavers safe from attack by wolves and wolverines. Lodges typically will hold a max of four adults and six to eight youngsters.

Hyndman Peak (12,009 ft) was a bit too far to reach, but the trail to its base along Hyndman Creek was beautiful. As for wildlife, I saw a few mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) but nothing larger.



















The creek itself was running strongly, but upstream we found a small bridge that allowed us to keep our boots dry.






















Suzanne made one of these hikes with me; the other was solo. It's certainly nicer hiking together, but her work schedule was quite busy, so what's a guy to do but go for a hike?















My turning point on the solo hike was this ledge with a pleasantly noisy cascade to lull me to sleep, had I had been so inclined. 

Wildflowers were both beautiful and abundant, mostly in meadows along the trail, but also scattered on the mountainsides; here are just a few...

This modest memorial in Sun Valley is to Ernest Hemingway, another of my favorite authors. He spent his last years in Ketchum, Idaho, close to Sun Valley. In visiting his memorial and researching his life, I found that a genetic disease, hemochromitosis, which causes an inability to metabolize iron, results in mental and physical deterioration. It was evidently the cause of his 1961 suicide, as well as the suicides of his father, sister and brother. He had been treated at the Mayo Clinic before his death, and received 15 electroconvulsive treatments six months before his death. Better treatments exist today, but the disease was not well understood 50-60 years ago.














This plaque reflects Hemingway's love of the outdoors, and I would be hard pressed to improve on it were I looking for words for a similar purpose...

Speaking of the outdoors, while in Idaho our 42 ft motor coach needed two new steer tires; in the shop at the same time was a truck from the Sacramento Hotshots, elite wilderness firefighters who are supremely fit, brave and well-trained. They are assigned to the most dangerous wildfires. I immediately thought of our good friends Brad Bernardy and Leslie Morgan, who are senior level firefighters with the US Forest Service. In fact, Leslie had just spent a month in Alaska coordinating firefighting efforts in that state, and only recently returned to North Carolina. Brad is heading to West Texas to oversee aviation fire fighting assets there. (Sounds like the Navy as far as conflicting schedules making it hard to have dinner together...) 







While on the subject of maintenance, I must commend the guy in a nearby RV who convinced his wife/girlfriend to climb onto the roof and scrub down the topsides... "Suzanne, look at this wonderful woman on the roof of that RV! She must be very special!" SMACK!!!













From Idaho, we traveled to Montana to visit our friends Dick and Alis Arrowood. Wine aficionados may recognize Dick as the long-time winemaker at Chateau St Jean who put that vineyard on the map, so to speak. He then started Arrowood Vineyards, ran it for years, and sold it. Now he and Alis own Amapola Creek Vineyard (see my blog post from July 8th 2019). We drove to the Arrowood's ranch and had a fabulous 3 day visit. Dick is a top-level competitive sporting clays shooter, and tried to teach me to shoot sporting clays, like trap and skeet but for serious upland bird shotgunners. 






Alis is by far the prettiest clay puller I've ever met! Alis is holding a transmitter that "pulls" the clay thrower and fires the target clay into the air at speeds and angles mimicking quail, pheasant, partridge and grouse, but PETA would be happy that only clay targets are fired upon. 
(And then if I'm shooting, the bird population is pretty safe...)

Alis is also a gourmet cook, and Dick personally selected some old vintages (that he personally made!!!) for our dinners. It was like going to a five star resort and being treated like royalty... thank you, Dick and Alis, for an unforgettable experience!

I almost forgot to mention the Arrowoods' dogs, two adorable Brittanies... they are self-trained to open doors! Rudy and Gretchen were a bit too old to run with these much younger retrievers. 

From Condon, we headed north to Polson, Montana, where we kayaked on Flathead Lake. The largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River, this beautiful lake has many vacation homes on its shores, but we enjoyed this rocky scenery and crystal clear water. 

Here we have a very tenacious tree with its roots gripping these rocks with amazing strength.

We recently heard from Christine and Randy Smith, formerly of The Villages, FL. Christine was the Flute Choir Director, and Randy was a professional oboist. Now they live in Arizona, and Randy has become an astro-photographer. In his own words, Randy provides some background for his amazing photos:  "During the summer of 2018, I decided to add a new retirement activity and astronomy was the choice despite it involving two things I like to avoid – staying up late and being cold.  Tucson is a mecca for astronomy and astrophotography with its generally clear skies and designation as a “dark skies” community.  Fortunately, the Starizona astronomy store is nearby and I’ve spent many hours there absorbing their help and training. I quickly decided that while looking through a telescope is good, making photographic images is better.  I took my first pictures in December 2018 and have spent many a night in my backyard pointing to my eastern dark sky view. My telescope is an 8” Celestron  Schmidt Cassegrain on an equatorial mount, specialized color imaging cameras along with some special lenses and filters."

"This image is the Andromeda galaxy, the closest neighbor galaxy to our own Milky Way –  a mere 2.5 million light years away from us.  It can be seen with binoculars and even the naked eye on a clear, dark night rising in the east starting in late summer and until fall."

"The second image is the Orion nebula (visible from early winter until spring) located in the constellation of Orion.   The nebula is found near the bottom of Orion’s sword hanging from his three star belt.  The brightest center part can be seen with binoculars.   The object also includes the “Running Man” reflection nebula with its blue gas cloud.  With visual viewing through binoculars or telescope, most objects appear in grey scale because our eyes do not see color in the dark but the camera with its ability to keep its “eye” wide open for many seconds or minutes, can detect and record the color.  The colors are real and indicate the gases and dust left over from star explosions with color indicating the type of gas with hydrogen being the most abundant.  These two images are the result of keeping the camera eye open for about 30 minutes.  With so many celestial objects to be seen and photographed, this is a hobby without out end particularly when you start at my age.  Now, if I can just stay up late enough and stay warm!"  Randy, thanks for your amazing photos and description of your new hobby!

Speaking of keeping warm, while the rest of the country suffered through heat waves, we headed into a much cooler climate - here we are in Sparwood, British Columbia, on the west slope of the Canadian Rockies. Our campsite was on the edge of the woods where bears forage for berries this time of year. My Lovely Bride is snugged up with down jacket, tights, hot tea and a warm blanket, and of course a nice toasty campfire built in Boy Scout tradition by Your Faithful Correspondent! (Yes, Brad, when we went to bed, I made sure the fire was DEAD OUT!)








In closing, I would like all my male readers to see me standing by my new truck, the Titan 33-19. This was on display in Sparwood, and I am negotiating to get it delivered to our new house in South Carolina. Our builders are still trying to figure out how to adjust the garage door to fit it in..... okay, it is really huge, with a 350 ton capacity. Built for Kaiser Steel, it operated at the Eagle Mountain Mine in Southern California until being moved to Sparwood for coal mining in 1978. The bed of this truck will hold two buses and two pickup trucks!