MOUNTAINS IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR

During our last week in Glacier National Park Dick went on a 100 mile backpacking trip with Rich Ward from Atlanta, GA. They had a great seven days hiking some of the beautiful areas in the park. Maggie flew out to visit us and she and I had some mother and daughter time before the guys walked back into camp. It was great being together again in this beautiful place. Yes, Dick is alive and well. He and Rich never saw one bear. He still says it’s because he smells too bad. Glacier and Yellowstone have been in the news several times over the summer because of bear attacks, fatal falls or near drownings. Dick wanted to stay in Glacier and help search for a young man who we heard was missing the day we started for home. http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/7443750-418/body-of-mchenry-county-hiker-found-in-national-park.html We kept hoping for a good outcome but sadly his body was found on Sept. 2nd where he had fallen 800 ft. The following John Muir quote was sent to us by a friend’s daughter who was part of the helicopter team that located the body.
“I never have held death in contempt, though in the course of my explorations I have often times felt that to meet one's fate on a noble mountain, or in the heart of a glacier, would be blessed as compared with death from disease, or from some shabby lowland accident. But the best death, quick and crystal-pure, set so glaringly open before us, is hard enough to face, even though we feel gratefully sure that we have already had happiness enough for a dozen lives.” - John Muir

We left Glacier National Park on August 30, and slowly traveled east to Michigan, taking another route through Montana that we love, down to Choteau and then across Hwy 200 through Lewistown and into the Great plains of North Dakota to stay at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We drove the 36 mile scenic loop at dawn and saw the beautiful landscape and wildlife of this area, including prairie dogs, bison and feral horses (a few pictures at the end of the video). What a beautiful place honoring the memory of Teddy Roosevelt and his environmental efforts. We then went from the plains thru Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, into Wisconsin and then Michigan. We camped at Walmart a couple nights with several other RVers. One morning Dick went into the store to get a donut for breakfast. I suggested he should get something half way healthy like a muffin. He returned with a smile on his face and a frosted covered pastry in hand. He said it was healthy because it had a fruit filling.
It’s good to be back at “Oleo Acres” Campground (the cheaper spread). All looks well but the lawn has six weeks of growth waiting to be cut. We are contemplating staying in the motorhome and heading out for a fall color tour in a few weeks.

Interesting facts:
1. “Bears bear bare bears”
2. In England Fireweed has been given the nickname “Blitz weed” because it was the first flower to come up in the devastated areas that had been bombed during WWII.
3. Wind turbine blades are nearly 150 feet long. We saw several single blades being hauled down the expressway. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUCECIl-Z4M&feature=related
4. The guy in the video, cooking at Ciao Mambo Restaurant in Whitefish, MT, is our nephew Kevin. Great food! Thanks Kevin!!!