Sunday July 12
I worked on my blog after I got up and did some laundry. I had so many photos to go through I wasn’t anywhere close to done so when I checked out at 11 I asked about the Elk Country Grill – there were no cars and I’d been thinking I could have lunch and finsh. They aren’t open on Sundays but the lady at the desk said I could get takeout from the Log Cabin and sit in the breakfast room as long as I needed to. unfortunatelyt didn’t occur to me that I could simply make a sandwich and sit in there, . So I got takout. I spent another 3 ½ hours updating my blog! I finally got it done through the 11th and it was time to leave for GLACIER! I do have to admit that after doing so many cool things around Montana, I don’t feel like I HAVE to be in Glacier anymore. I love this state. I love the wide, open spaces of Eastern Montana…the prairies and the badland areas where the sky is immense and you don’t pass another car for many miles. I love the grass on the prairies and the colors and formations of the badlands – to the point where I have to resist the urge to get out and just go explore (I’d bring St. Patrick with though, there are rattlesnakes there). I love southeastern Montana where there are both prairies and smaller mountains like those along the Powder River…there is a spot on that river that I am dying to camp at, but it’s on private land. Maybe someday I’ll come back and contact the owner. I love the arid mountains of the Pryors and the green mountains of Helena and the surrounding area. I love the rocky peaks and remote valleys of Glacier. I love the high points of the Gallatins and the wildlife and terrain of Yellowstone. I love the history of the entire state…I don’t know what interests me so much about people making their way west to build their new lives when at the same time I wis it had remained as before, as in Russell’s painting I discussed a few days ago. But I guess I’m just hooked on history whether I “like” it or not.
On my way north, I stopped at The Rock Shop in Bynum. This
is next to the Two Medicine Dinosaur Center and is run by one of the people who discovered
Egg Mountain, a butte near Choteau where the significant find of dinosaur nests was found, and it is what enabled scientists to learn that dinosaurs actually stayed with their nests and nurtured their young. You can read more on my 2007 trip report (yet to be posted). This rock shop has everything from local fossils for a few dollars to much larger, more impressive fossils and minerals, indian implements, etc. It's a very cool place! I bought some small scrapers for the kids and a stramalotite fossil...one of the earliest living creatures. It's very pretty, polished and shaped in an oval.
A little further north Hwy. 89 crosses onto the Blackfeet Reservation.
The Old Agency site near the Two Medicine river.
I'd like to walk out there sometime. The site itself:
After driving north to Glacier, I stopped at the KOA to say hi to everyone, made sandwich for my own dinner. I was surprised to see that MaryAnn, who couldn't get time off work - and Jim, who just had surgery, had joined the group after all! They were enjoying a Fat Tire.
Bill and I went up to see Jack Gladstone’s show at Many Glacier Hotel after dinner. We didn’t get there early enough to get good seats but it was still a great show. Jack and his stonemason cousins had been working on the cabin and it’s design all week and some of his cousins were at the performance. It was nice to meet them and also his sister, I hadn’t met her before. Jack asked me to “cabin-sit” tomorrow night and of course I said yes. I’m excited to see it! Jack's photo with Jim and MaryAnn didn't turn out well, all we have is this one. They really enjoyed his show.
We didn’t see any bears despite our very late departure from Many Glacier after talking to Jack and his family for so long. We didn’t get back to camp until about 10:40 and everyone was in bed already. It had been a great first 5 hours in Glacier!
© 2009 Tara Morrison
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