2016 July Montana 3

                   Sunrise view of Glacier National Park from our campground.

Logans Pass visitor center.  During the winter this building is completely covered with snow.

Have to get use to "free range" areas in Montana.  Livestock has the right of way.

Catholic church in Browning, Montana.  Interesting depiction of Christ and the Holy Mary.  Browning is the center of the Blackfeet Nation.

We just happened to be in Browning when the North American Indian Days festival was going on.  We parked the coach, and stayed and watched the parade.  They don't have too many convertibles for their princesses to ride on in parades, but this works pretty good too.

This little guy was crying his eyes out.  Wasn't happy about being a part of the parade.

We attended a Blackfeet dance demonstration at the Visitors Center in the Park.  Below is Joe McCrae, a member of the tribal council, and also a lawyer.  His Indian name is Running Bull.  Interesting to hear from him how the treaties between the US government and the Blackfeet Nation were done.  Their reservation includes the Eastern half of the Glacier Park, but they can no longer hunt or cut wood.  They are allowed to gather plants for medicinal purposes.

2016 July Montana 1

Helena, Montana, the state capitol.  View from the front steps was gorgeous.

   

Catholic cathedral near the state capitol

Loved this buffalo made with bicycle chains.

Fourth of July in St. Mary, Montana looking toward Glacier National Park from our campsite.

These 4 young people were from Taiwan on a work-study program.  They were working for one of the lodges in Glacier Park.  Unfortunately the fireworks they traveled 45 minutes to see were canceled due to high wind.

I have an addiction of taking lots of pictures of flowers.  I saw a woman on her hands and knees doing the same thing.  Is there treatment for this?

At Logans Pass in Glacier National Park, the highest pass in the park.  These crazy people are still walking down this path even with this "bear warning" sign posted.  The day after we were there, they closed the trail completely due to a bear siting.

Below is a burned area.  The Park has had 3 major fires in the last 12 years,  2003, 2006, and 2015.  The Park was closed for a month last year during the middle of tourist season.

I could not get over these colorful rocks that are in all the streams.

Bear grass below.  Bears don't actually eat these, but use them in there dens to sleep on.  They have hollow stems, which helps to insulate.

Glacier Park was founded in 1910.  This building and another were the original Park Ranger quarters.

2016 June Wyoming

We stopped at two mid-1800 military posts, one at Fort Kearney, Nebraska where Cliff's great-great grandfather was stationed in 1861.  The second post was Fort Laramie in Eastern Wyoming.  Both were very important to the Western immigrating pioneers, for supplies and protection from the Indians.  These pictures are of Fort Laramie.  They've done an excellent job in restoring several of the old buildings. 

Elijah Smead,  Cliff's great-great grandfather on the right.  I just had to share.  I love this picture.  This was taken at Fort Kearney, Nebraska.

 

Register Cliff in Guernesy, Wyoming along the Oregon Trail.  Hundreds of

pioneers carved their names and dates on this rock.  The cliff swallows were swarming and many nests were visible.

Wind River Canyon.  We met a couple in Nebraska, that told us about Wind River Canyon and Thermopolis.  So glad we didn't miss this beautiful drive and neat little town.

Hot mineral fountain at our campground.  Below is the swimming pool.  The first pool is too hot to swim in,  The middle pool was about 120 degrees.  Still too hot for me.  The third pool was 100 degrees.  Perfect.  It's called the Fountain of Youth.  Not sure I felt any younger, but the achy muscles felt better.

State Park in Thermopolis has the largest hot mineral spring in the country, plus a small bison herd that didn't mind having their picture taken.

This area in Central Wyoming and Montana, is very good for Dinosaur digs.  Very nice museum in Thermopolis showing some of their finds in the region.  Plus the paleontologists were busy cleaning items that had been found in an archeological dig close by the town.  Very interesting.  You have to be very patient to do that.

And just another gorgeous sunset in Wyoming.