THE GOING TO THE SUN ROAD

Today we did the Going to the Sun Road, the most beautiful and most amazing road project I have ever seen. The road is fifty miles long, and is billed as one of the world's most spectacular highways. We have driven it a half dozen times or more, but this time we took the bus and left the driving to them! The park is using shuttles which has greatly reduced the traffic on the road, which at times is bumper to bumper on a narrow, wet highway. We took a shuttle from St Mary, where we are camped, to Logan Pass, which sits at the continental divide. Then another shuttle from Logan to Avalanche Creek, and then another to Apgar Village, on the west side of the park. We had lunch there, and then repeated the trip, back over the pass to St. Mary Campground again. These pictures are in no particular order.

MacDonald Lake on the west side of the park, in Apgar Village. Lovely lake, clear and cold.

Some flowers in a planter in Apgar Village. There are flowers everywhere, and you know me! I had to shoot them all!

Taken through the bus window up towards Logan Pass on the west side of the divide.

The flags of America and Canada, flying proudly at Logan Pass. This park is located in both nations.........we share it! I think that is so neat. Two countries are friendly and share a great attraction. We will head to Many Glacier Campground tomorrow, just for the day and night, and then up to Waterton Lakes, the Canadian portion of the park, on Monday. Then it will really feel like we are on the way to Alaska!

Happy Fourth, and God Bless America!

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

We are here. This is the road going right by our camper, and yes, we can see the mountains from here. It was a long day from Williston ND to St. Mary's Campground in Glacier National Park. We did see some beautiful scenery along the way, but the cell phone connection is very weak tonight, so I'll be glad if just this one photo publishes! Nothing like a primitive campground........with a generator for power and a cell phone for an internet connection. Boy some people are getting soft, aren't they. Well, yes, I am!

Montana has big beautiful blue skies. It has lovely green wheat fields. It also has those little white crosses along side the road to show where people have been killed in traffic accidents. I don't like them. In one little stretch of a mile, we saw nine crosses. It was the first mile leading out of town and the bars. And in one spot there were six crosses all attached together. They make me sad and I don't like them.

Tomorrow is the Fourth. We plan to lock up the camper and truck, and hike back to the Visitor's Entrance and catch the free van to take us on the Going to the Sun Road. They are trying to lessen the traffic on the road, so are now offering the shuttles. It should be a full day if we get off at a few of our favorite spots, go all the way to West Glacier, and then catch a shuttle back. I hope to take lots of pictures as this is one of the most scenic spots in the USA, but I'm not sure how many I can post with the cell phone connection. I can post them later when I get a stronger WIFI connection.

Until then, have a fun but safe Fourth of July. And God Bless America!

AND UP FROM THE GROUND CAME A-BUBBLING CRUDE..........

................oil, that is. Texas tea. Black gold.

This is a new sight in Western North Dakota. There are many new oil wells lining the highway and standing proudly in the once green wheat fields. The farmers have found a new crop....oil.

We used to see miles and miles of these green fields, stretching as far as the eye can see. Now often they are sharing the space with an oil pump and huge tanks.

I think the green fields are much prettier.

Oh, you still see thousands of acres of grain fields, and many grain bins, but you do see more and more of the oil rigs.
Rolling hills and green pastures are another beautiful sight in North Dakota.

Tonight we are living in a campground in Williston, close to the Montana border. Tomorrow we start across the huge state of Montana, heading for Glacier National Park. I know. It's the Fourth of July weekend coming up. I don't know where we'll rest our weary heads tomorrow night, but we're heading that way anyhow.

It was a beautiful sunshiny day. I think it hit 80, and it was very pleasant driving. We only made a couple of stops. Once for lunch in a Slumberland parking lot where we dined on cheese or peanut butter sandwiches, and twice to feed the truck some diesel fuel. We are both tired tonight and after a shower, I am heading to bed whether the sun has set or not!

AS PROMISED......

....here I am, live and in living color, coming to you via my cell phone and my little Acer. It hooked up just as it was supposed to, on the first try! So I was able to check my email and read a couple of blogs. You know. The important things.

We are here in East Grand Forks, camping by the river in a campground that was under water just a few weeks ago. I waved as I passed your city, Lena, and was amazed at how far behind your crops are! Our corn is waist high and more, and here it is about 6 inches. Not a good year.

We had our son, Lenny, his wife, Connie, and their son, Sammy over for a few hours, and had a nice visit and a kid friendly meal at Mac and Don's. On our way back through in September we hope to stay a few days and spend more time with them. Right now we're kind of pushing to get west towards Glacier so we can find a spot before the Fourth.

Pictures are v.....e.........r.........y slow through this connection, however, so I won't be posting many until I get a WIFI connection. But I am excited that it works! Yay for me, and thank you Clayton!

SOFT BABY FLANNELS

Is there anything softer than baby flannels for blankets and quilts? I love to run my fingers over the fabric, envisioning a sweet little baby bundled inside. I decided to cut 8 inch squares from my stash of flannel, getting them all ready to start stitching together for a couple of simple baby quilts. In addition to the flannel, I have the pieces cut out for three other quilts, and the fabric for another all packed under the bed in the trailer. We are almost ready to go. Early tomorrow morning we'll head out, so ta-ta for now, and I'll hopefully blog tomorrow night from Grand Forks via my phone and little Acer! See you then!

MY HEART IS BUSTED..........

...........it has totally burst with pride! Have you ever been so proud of one of your kids that your heart has totally burst out of your chest? Well, that is the diagnosis of my health condition this morning. Bursting with pride. This is our youngest son, Lance. He has been working so hard to become a part time police officer in his little town just south of us. He has worked his regular job, but still found time for school and training to become a part time policeman. School was never Lance's strong point. He struggled, to put it mildly. But when he found something that he really wanted to do, he worked hard and has accomplished it. And I am so proud. Lance, you are loved beyond measure. I know you will do a great job! And much credit must go to his lovely wife, Tya, who has loved and supported him unconditionally. Thank you, Tya. We love you and the girls so much! Tya sent me this photo by email, and try as I might, I can't get it to enlarge. Sorry about that! When I see Lance in person in uniform, you can believe I'll take more pictures.

THE PRINCESS OF EVERYTHING............

.........or so she thinks!

Daughter, Kari , asked me to take a couple of pictures for her to submit with a magazine article she was to write. I took a couple of her and Ben, and then went to shoot a few of Her Majesty, errr, Anna, pointing to her chore chart. She insisted on one being taken with her tiara on.......which is not the one that will be submitted with the article! Miss Anna loves her crown almost as much as she loves posing for pictures!

BILLY GOAT

The name of this musical group is Billy Goat. The handsome guy on the right playing the guitar is our son Chris. He is our kid who lives in Alaska, giving us a place to go on our vacation! The motto of the little village is "Just Another Day in Paradise" and that is exactly what Seldovia is, a little piece of paradise on earth. Billy Goat is pictured here playing at the recent Solstice Music Festival. They will also play at the fourth of July celebration. And I am sure hoping that they will put on a concert in the RV park where we are going to be staying. (RV park is a misnomer. The campground is actually not much more than a spot cleared out in the forest. No services, just a gravel spot where the devil's club and alders have been chopped down!)

The countdown has begun. We are in the last stages of rounding up our gear and lining up the supplies, and we are more than ready to get on the road. We are obligated to stay through Tuesday as hubby has a dental appointment to remove the stitches from his recent gum surgeries. Wednesday morning we will be on the road! Wahoo!