Bob and Nan's Travels Summer 2018

 Traveled today - again on Route 89.  Still cannot believe that they tear up the entire road and rebuild it all at once , traveling public be damned!  Weird. Traveled around the southern end of Glacier National Park.  We found ourselves very close to the Apgar Visitor Center - western entrance to Glacier, so decided to go. Much more smoky on this side.  Nanette complained that her throat felt like she was coming down with a cold.  I breathe mostly through my nose, and it did feel a bit irritated. The mountains on this side remind me more of the Colorado Rockies - lot's of pine trees.  East side was much more sparse and rocky. Arrived at Jim and Mary's RV Park in Missoula, MT.  Very nice place.  Well kept with lot's of well kept flowers and spacious sites.  Plus their Huckleberry/Cheesecake Popcorn was fantastic.

Since we had another day here and Nanette brought her passport, we decided to go and visit Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta Canada First time Nanette DROVE through customs - first time Nanette and I to visit Alberta - seems to be the trip of firsts. Over half of Waterton National Park is closed due to the forest fires last year.  You can see the dead trees.  I suppose closed to allow the area to naturally rejuvenate itself. Found waterfall close by Waterton Village, not far from road.  Again, we could have spent the day there just listening to the water.  So peaceful.  Waterton Village very quaint.  Had lunch and a Canadian micro brew at Trappers Mountain Grill in "downtown" Waterton where you can get a ribeye steak for $45.  Of course that is Canadian dollars, but still thought it a bit high when I can buy two rib eyes for $14 ($7 each) and that is in US dollars.  Guess it is a tourist area and figure they have to make their mon...

First things first, had to gas up the Cube.  At the gas station (appropriate name since they are no longer service stations), saw our first Red Jammer Tour Bus.  These were originally built by White Motor Company between 1936 and 1939.  Oldest continously operated sight seeing tour operation in the US and perhaps in the world!  The 17 passenger busses were restored by Ford Motor Company in 2000.  They got updated fuel injection engines, updated ABS brake systems, etc.  We seriously considered taking the tour (on my part I just wanted to ride in them), but at $42 each thought it was a bit steep so decided to forego the Jammer tour.  Called the Jammer because of the sound of the driver jamming the vehicle into gear on the steep roads in Yellowstone were they were first used.  BTW drivers of them are called Jammers as well.  Glacier National Park - Weather was perfect.  70 75 degrees, blue skies no smoke, only a bit hazy in certai...

September 3, 2018 Just a relaxing day.  Nanette got out her sewing machine and quilted all day.  I just took it easy, read and watched several movies.  Do nothing day. September 4, 2018 Travel day to Glacier National Park area.  Drove through the foothills of the Rockies in Montana.  Great scenery.  Saw a few fires in the mountains, but they were small and far away.  Wondering what the weather/smoke will be up at Glacier.  It is what it is though... Drove through couple of road work areas.  In Montana instead of closing one half of the road, re do it then close the other side and do it so traffic can continue to flow smoothly, Montana closes the entire road, but let's one side of travel drive through the work zone at a time.  Over gravel, next to road workers, very interesting....

Drive day today.  Drove through Wyoming and Montana.  First time in Montana for Nanette and me.  Wonderful landscapes, seem to go on forever.  Can really understand why they call Montana the Big Sky State. Arrived at Conestoga RV Resort in White Sulfur Springs, Montana.  Lo and behold there is a rodeo in town this weekend - the Meagher County 67th Annual Labor Day Rodeo, not a mile from our campsite! Team Roping Bareback Broncos Nanette has never been to a live rodeo, so we just had to go.  They had everything - bareback broncos, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, saddle bronc, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding.  Awesome time. Nanette says this is the best of the trip so far - actually tie with the Badlands. Barrel Racing Saddle Bronc Bull Riding

August 31, 2018 was a down day, a day to relax and get some laundry done.  We all need a day like that from time to time. September 1, 2018 travel day to Sheridan, Wyoming.  Nanette nor I have ever been in Wyoming.    Kinda strange since I went to school in Ft. Collins, a mire 20 miles from the CO/WY border.  Very similar to the plains of Colorado - saw lot's of Pronghorn Antelope on the plains - the most efficient animal on the plains in terms of converting the grasses to meat (learned that at Colorado State). Long Winding Road - Beatles On the way, we stopped to see the Devil's Tower.  Wonderful, spectacular.  Seemingly rises out of nowhere.  Rises 867 feet into the air.  We arrived at the right time.  Had to drop the Cube and drove up to the Visitors Center in the RV.  Parked OK, but when we were leaving there were no parking spaces left. The cars were parking in the RV area (on the side of the road after exiting the...