June 4 through June 10, 2023

Gloria and I drove the road less travelled and discovered over 1,400 miles of this magnificent country. Starting in Seattle, driving north along the coast to Anacortes then winding across Washington and Idaho, into Montana, and tipping into Wyoming, before ending this portion of the road trip in Bozeman!

Gloria really embraced the EV Life! We both enjoyed our time together and felt so blessed to see so much of this amazing country.

DAY 1 in Glacier National Park we hiked over 8 miles around Lake McDonald, then we rented a tandem kayak to paddle the lake in search of wildlife. We did see a Bald Eagle nest and we spotted Dad on the lookout.

DAY 2 in Glacier we drove up to Avalanche Creek, which was the furthest point on the Going to the Sun Road due to poor road conditions. We discovered an amazing hike to Lake Avalanche and encountered wildlife along the way.

These youngsters were quite tame and really enjoyed the hike and munched their way up and along the trail with us.

It may appear that these are duplicates – but the angle is a little different – we were filled with awe and wonder at this beautiful sight! The water was crystal clear and so was the air!

We left on Day 3 from Glacier and found our way along Rt 93 to Interstate 90 toward Yellowstone. We arrived early evening to make camp the night before our last leg of travel to Yellowstone National Park. We found a site at Red Cliff Campground with a 30 amp charge in Gallatin National Forest.

It was a short but eventful camping trip, including a drive through a treacherous hail storm. We rose early, and we managed to fit in a quick morning hike to check out a cave in the cliff side before our drive to Yellowstone.

Our day in Yellowstone started as overcast with threats of rain as we entered via the West Entrance to the Park.

We decided to take the route to Mammoth Hot Springs, and were so glad we did. The wildlife encounters were magical and the hikes revealed earthly marvels!

The Liberty Cap and the Hot Springs Terraces were mammoth.

Roosevelt Arch named after he laid the cornerstone for the Northern Entrance Gate into Yellowstone in 1903. The exit along the five mile road out of the park is steep and filled with narrow switchbacks – the alternative route was lost last year after the tremendous flooding of 2022. Most of Gardiner felt the power of the water and some continue to bounce back from this most recent natural disaster.

Interesting to note that some National Park lands are designated as organized while others as unorganized. Beginning with the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, Congress has established territories with an organic act which, according to United States law specifies how the territory is to be governed and by which agency. Territories established using the organic act are organized. There’s quite a list – the one could fall into a rabbit hole of federal and state history quite quickly – I should know.

Why not just take a moment and STRIKE A POSE! Goodbye for now – we are headed to Bozeman, a destination town sandwiched between the Bridger Range and the Spanish Peaks.

This area is rich in history as well as natural beauty.

Gallatin History Museum was a find. We were treated to a private tour and left to roam the former jail, which was used as a town jail until the mid 1980’s.

Fred Fielding Willson designed several buildings from 1909 to 1956, and the jailhouse was one of them. It housed male and female inmates – allowed for visitation – and even hosted an execution. There’s mystery aplenty to be found just in this building alone.

So many tales of woe including an untimely death, or should I say murder? John Merlin Bozeman, who helped found the town in 1864, was only 32 when he was murdered just three years later.

I bid farewell to my travel buddy, Gloria on Saturday and decided to take a longer road break and stay in Bozeman through the weekend.

Tomorrow – June 12 – I am eager to be on the road again and start my drive North to rendezvous with Rob somewhere between Libby and Whitefish. Keeping the rubber side down, Julie and Rob