Fun Times in Bozeman!!

We have been in Bozeman, Montana for the past few days.

We came to get a new daughter (in-law that is).

William (Bill) got married to Deza Rae.

We are a lucky family!!

These are the pictures that I took that are unrelated to the wedding, but show the beauty here.

Bear Canyon Campground, the parking place for our home on wheels!!
It's a nice campground and has been easily accessible for the wedding etc.

Beautiful fireweed beside the Gallatin River.

Alongside one of the creeks there were many little mini-meadows filled with joint grass.
Such fun memories of playing with joint grass as a child.

Laurence took me on a drive and for a picnic up in the mountains.
He is so good to me and is always trying to ease the tension and stress in my life.

I wish I knew the name of this mountain. All I know is that it is inside Yellowstone Park.

I wish I knew the name of this plant.
It's oversized red berries fascinate me.

The beautiful stream in the Spire campground.

More of that same stream.
I am so fascinated by water!!

Our Maiden Voyage

A few weeks ago we bought a 5th wheel camper. This weekend was our Maiden Voyage to the Big Horn Mountains. After some help from Laurence's brother Glenn on the phone and our neighbor Dan we made it out of the yard. We camped at Tie Flume Campground. I can tell that I am TERRIBLE at giving directions for him to back into a site......

Thanks to a camping neighbor that felt sorry for the horrible instructions I was giving Laurence we made it into the spot and got it very level.

We slept well, then when I took a shower we noticed water on the floor.....
In the most inconvenient place Laurence located the leak under the sink...
fortunately it was just a bad connection that was quickly fixed.
By the way, I want to trade this shower for my shower in the house!!

 

Laurence needed practice setting up the generator so 
I allowed him to set up the small generator so I could blow-dry my hair.
What a champ!! He did it without a hitch!! :)

Because I am oh so generous, I allowed Laurence to fix breakfast.
He was able to figure out how to light the stove. 
He did well at that once we figured out that you just turn the dial, it's already lit.
Besides my generosity, there is another reason for this... it is a Pitt TRADITION
(so I am told by Glenda and Carmen) that the Pitt men do all the cooking while camping.
Who am I to mess with TRADITION?

The day was beautiful, this is the river by our campsite.

We drove around the mountain top looking at possible places to camp.
It is allowed in the Big Horn National Forest
for you to camp many places that are not campgrounds
as long as you are at least 1/4 mile away from the road.
We will be back very soon!!

GIANT SPRINGS STATE PARK

While in Great Falls with Glenn and Glenda we visited the Giant Springs State Park.

I have lived in Montana for nearly 25 years and I didn't know that this wonderful treasure existed! It is the most beautiful state park I have seen in Montana.

The entrance to the state park. It is a part of the Lewis and Clark Trail.



Water seeps into the ground South East of Great Falls in the Little Belt Mountains.
The water travels through limestone formations toward Giant Springs.
In the Springs area, the formation is 400' below the surface

Pressure caused by overlying rock layers force the water to escape upward.
It takes less than 50 years for water to flow from the Little Belt Mountains to the Giant Springs Area.

This creates the shortest river in the country.
The "Roe" River. It is 201' long and flows into the
longest river in the country, the Missouri River.
The Missouri River is 2,540 Miles long.

The water from the spring have been tested and found very pure.
It maintains a constant 54 degrees year-round.

Glenda, Glenn
Aisling, Laurence

These cute Canadian Geese were strolling across the road.
What a great place to winter and summer.
They are just a ways downstream from Giant Springs.

I guess he was feeling a little anti-social.

This beautiful Pelican was on the other side of the river.
A test of the zoom on my new camera.

Just down from the springs was this hydro-electric dam.
I loved the rock formations.

This is out of Great Falls a ways.
It is the true "Great Falls". The hydro-electric dam here was built on top of the falls.

Just below the Great Falls dam there was a beautiful park on an island.
This is just below there.
I can't thank Glenn and Glenda enough for making this trip happen!
We had talked about doing it many times, but I'm afraid that without their visit it never would have happened.

wHiTe WaTeR RaFtInG in West Glacier!!

In West Glacier we went White Water Rafting.

I had never gone before,

but if I have anything to say about it

it will not be my last time!

I am so glad that Glenda and Aisling really wanted to go.

Because of how high and cold the water still was

we had to wear wet-suits.

 Boy are those flattering.... NOT!

These pictures were all taken by Glenda.

She has a waterproof camera. Thanks Glenda!!

Glenn and Laurence were the lead men in the raft.
In retrospect, Laurence wasn't feeling well. Aisling probably should have done it.

My wonderful daughter!!  
She even looks gorgeous in a wet-suit and life-vest!

The water was beautiful. So green as it is melt from the glaciers.
Gotta love Laurence's favorite hat!  

Laurence and I, no glamour here!

Belton Bridge over the Middlefork of the Flathead River
I have other pictures that I took later from the bridge itself.
The bridge is now only a footbridge.

More of the beautiful scenery!

Our group: Glenn, Laurence, J.T. (our guide), Aisling....
I think I was off star-gazing...

East Glacier Park

We went to the East Side of Glacier, to St. Mary, Montana. It was a delightful trip. We had to go around the park, because the Road to the Sun road was too difficult for a 5th wheel to be pulled. (Not and still have Glenn and Laurence's hearts still beating properly.) It actually is restricted to a 21' total length.

Just inside the park from St. Mary.

This is the KOA Campground we stayed in. I wouldn't recommend the KOA,
but the view is totally AWESOME!!

The day we were up at the Visitor's Center on Logan Pass was the first day the Road to the Sun was open for the season.
They told us that this is the latest opening they have ever had.

We met this guy at the Logan Pass Visitor's Center.
It is the first time I have ever gotten a picture of a
Big Horn Sheep, and only the 2nd time I've ever seen one in the wild.

A glacier on the side of the mountain.

Billy Goat's Gruff??? A mountain goat we saw along the side of the road...

Sunrift Gorge

Swift water below Sunrift Gorge

Just below Sunrift Gorge, it is so beautiful there.
I started to hike down stream a bit when some people stopped me and told me not to go on down unless I had pepper spray for bears as they had just encountered one on the trail. I decided I didn't need pictures that bad.

More of the waters below Sunrift Gorge

Laurence's Wonderful brother and his Awesome wife; Glenn and Glenda

Two brothers just enjoying the trip and the company!
Glenn and Laurence

Can you believe he still puts up with me???
Sidney and Laurence

Those two amigos once again.....



There were so many waterfalls, you couldn't even begin to count!
I think partially it is due to the heavy snowpack and now all the run-off.
But it surely made for BEAUTIFUL SCENERY!!