Bisons and Glaciers

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Seattle,WA to Kalispell,MT was driven with a stay in Spokane,WA. 9/9/2015 to 9/10/2015Cancelled meeting Vijay S in Seattle as R and G had bad colds. Cancelled possibility of meeting Nikhil in Spokane (who had to drive in from Pullman) since we had no definite arrival time in Spokane. 3 loads of laundry were done in Seattle. Lunch at El Caporal in Cle Elum,WA; dinner was salad and fruit in BNB's motel room. R and Sudheer went looking for a place for oil change for the Transit in Seattle and Spokane without success. Turned out that it was for the best as we had a 20 mile drive on a dirt road ahead. We bid a sad farewell to the LA Kamaths and left them at the motel unsure of a room for the night as their flight to LA was the next day. (They did get a room). NATIONAL BISON RANGE, south of Polson,MT on the way to Kalispell was a treat for wildlife spotting. Bison,White tailed deer, Mule deer and babies, Pronghorn sheep were captured by camera lenses. On the last stretch Renu spotted a lone bison posing majestically on a rock to our right, and while we clicked away R quietly said "look to your left " - we were flanked on both sides of the road by a herd of bison! Got to see their faces up close. Black billed magpies, goldfinches and Red Tailed Hawks were also seen. The view from the very top of the Range was beautiful. I 93 to Kalispell was mostly along Lake Flathead that appeared in our vision and stretched alongside of us for miles and miles. It is the largest freshwater lake west of Mississippi. Wild Horse Island is in this lake with only boat access. We contented ourselves with views of the island, and the 'blue' of the lake. Lunch was at a 'convenience' store heating up frozen food trays in the microwave there and eating them at tables outside just before entering the bison Range; dinner was at an Asian Buffet in Kalispell.GLACIER NATIONAL PARK 9/11/2015 Alpine Scenes unfolded ahead of us, and on either side as we drove on the 'Going to the Sun' Road starting at the West Entrance. MacDonald Lake on our left, snow striated peaks ahead, Heaven's Peak, St. Mary lake on our right, Loop fire area of 2013, Logan Pass at the Continental Divide, the recent fire area along St. Mary lake, to St. Mary Entrance and beyond to Many Glacier Entrance and in the park again. We had a picnic lunch here along Shelbourne River just past the dam,with the trunk space as our 'table.' After lunch our treat was very clear black bear sightings at 3 places! We watched each one amble along the hillside or grass, munching what it found on the ground or low plants. We drove back the same way to Kalispell greeting the sights like old friends. Stopped at a Huckleberry gift store to try huckleberry pie and ice cream. Both were good. Huckleberries only grow wild in Montana, Washington and Wyoming. All this area is Flathead and Blackfeet Reservations. Dinner was Pizza and fruit in our room.

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