Winding down - headed home

Flowers at camp (Rocky Mt Hi Campground/RV) - We've had an amazing trip (June 21-July 18??)

Relaxing at camp and at BigFork Mt

Dorn catching up with kids - how's this view!??? our side/back yard (5 m from Kalispell Mt, 20 m from Glacier National Park, in the country - NICE A fun time in Bigfork Mt - small town surrounded by the waters of Flathead lake

Visited artist Eric Thorson's studio sculptures in clay - amazing and expensive

Even found time to wash our home:)

Finally..... a photo of 'us' -- yes we've been together the entire trip just didn't get in the same photo. This at Avalanche Falls - glacier

Nature walk Avalanche Falls - Glacier

Nature at its finest - walking through forest (Avalanche Falls) in Glacier National park Roots of a tree - artwork in its finest form

Hill sides covered with moss

A 'perfect' landing for one wind-blown tree

Avalanche Falls - the first level of falls goes under a rock opening to make the 2nd falls

Walking amongst the cedars

New appreciation for road construction workers

As we climbed Going-to-the-Sun in Glacier we marveled at the construction workers we saw 'hanging' over the side while managing huge granite rocks to set in place as a guard rail - the wind was blowing, water was cascading from the hills above, going over the road and workers were having to work around all that water. We wondered how they built this road (and the 2 tunnels) back in 1929!!! We also pondered how those first cars of years ago (Model T?) made it over these mountains!

Traffic was limited to one lane barely making room for the road equipment and working men/woman. We had to close our windows on the 'hill' side to keep the cascading waterfalls from coming 'into' our car:)

It was NARROW!

Does the wind ever stop blowing at this point in the road?

Going-to-the-Sun Road (Glacier)

Imposibble to capture the beauty on our 145 m day trip on the Going-to-
the-sun Road in Glacier National Park










Beauty beauty everywhere!

At the Gateway of Glacier (Kalispell Mt)

View from our RV site in Kalispell Mt - We could stay here forever - quiet, farm land behind RV with Glacier Mts in background. A quiet pond for swimming (and like a mirror in the early morning before the kids go swimming).

and beautiful sunsets from our front window.

Music from every country - Butte Mt

People people everywhere

200,000 people!!!! reportedly attended the National Folk Music Festival in Butte Mt today (we were there!). We walked the 11-12 blocks in downtown Butte (most are uphill!) to 6 different stages listening to music from all over the world - the streets were all blocked off for walking traffic. Just as we got to the stage at the top of the hill for the group we wanted to hear it was time to head back down the hill to another group of preference. We had Sun /80o and then.....wind, rain, and more wind which didn't dampen anyone's spirits - the music played on.

Tomorrow we leave Deerlodge Mt and head to Flathead Lake/Glacier. moving on.

Friends forever, classmates of 1960

A gathering of Powell High School's class of 1960 (our 50th reunion). June 25-27. 64 attended banquet with 42 classmates/22 spouses. Of the 145 classmates there are 122 living, 23 deceased. 57 classmates live in WY (33 are in Powell). We had a great time at 4 special events and enjoyed renewing our friendships.

Friends forever??? Well, almost.....Nancy 'suggesting' where Bonnie is 'suppose' to stand for our every 5-yr photo. Whoops. almost slapping Carol as she tried to get out of way. Tina sweetly standing by:). We are a foursome for sure. Yep - friends forever!

OK - now we're in the 'right' order. Carol, Bonnie, Nancy and Tina

Special people in WY

Carol (oldest Joe/Bertha Cozzens grandchild), Sam Cozzens (youngest Joe/Bertha Cozzens grandchild). Don't have count of Cozzens reunion yet but suspect 135+?

Carol's aunt Betty Cozzens (right) as grand marshall in Cody Parade - honored for her service in WWII as a WASP (flew planes just off the assembly lines to our men in the war zone). Yay Betty - we are proud of you!

Carol at Island Lake - Beartooth Mts - sitting on "mom's" rock. A favorite place for 4 generations now - hoping the 5th generation will one day go there to visit.

Dorn - Sunlight basin Chief Joseph Highway at Dead Indian Pass - Beartooth Mt range

Dorn's last two remaining uncles - Gerald thornberry (right) age 79, Wilmer thornberry (age 87) - These are Dorn's dad (Harold) brothers. We had a great visit with them while in Cody/Greybull.

Have you ever wondered?

How does a town become a town (Deerlodge Mt) with a ranch in the middle of the town? The Grant-Kohrs Ranch (a National Historic Site) is still a working ranch giving tours of the house. Original owners walked away leaving everything behind - the inside of the house is filled with tapestries, fine furniture and a lot of history. The town/railroad built around this ranch.

Who maintains the weathered fence posts keeping in herds of cattle? This was an amazing site at the top of the hill overlooking Deerlodge valley - Most of the land you see was once owned by Grant-Kohrs ranchers (over a million acres) with 1000 now deeded to the national Parks for all to see.

How does a 5th wheel get into the forest over a dirt road filled with holes/water damage and deep ruts. this campground (Orofino only 10 miles above Deerlodge) had 3 tents, 1 5th wheel several pit toilets. Getting into the site (2.5 miles was an adventure and the Jeep pretty much fell into the 'rut' above - hidden from site as we topped the ridge. That was exciting. And then.....on a curve/dirt road/in the forest two cement trucks came down the mt (another question....where did they come from, how did they even get in there, and why were they there?) we never found out.

How does electricity comes into your house when you simply turn on a switch? We drove into the mts of Deerlodge Mt today, on a logging road deep into the forest and stood under these towers of electric power going to 'your' home. We pondered how those electric cables were strung from peak to peak over deep caverns/valleys so you can enjoy your air conditiioning, lights, etc.

Deerlodge prison - our next stop tonight and then on to Butte Mt for their National Folk Festival tomorrow (Sat).
Something exciting around every bend of the road.

The amazing world of Yellowstone

what a special time we had staying at W Yellowstone (the town) and venturing into the park every day. Highlights....two young elk playing in the morning mist. The grand canyon of the yellowstone.

a momma grizz with 2 cubs running behind her trying to catch up as she ventured from the open grazeland below into the safety of the forest. they are hidden in the tall grass below but look at the flowers and view!
A walk through the Artist's paintpots - steam clouds surrounded us in the early morning.

numerous spider webs in the trees - with the morning dew and sunlight capturing every detail.

We also enjoyed watching Old Faithfull errupt twice and walked to the surrounding geysers _ Grand and Beehive just in time to see them errupt as well. What a special day!

and on we go....headed sort-a-kind-a toward home. G&G

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

We're sitting in Coeur d' alene ID headed toward WY for Carol's 50th class reunion, the Cozzens reunion and to see my aunt Betty in the cody parade (she will be grand marshall - was a WASP in WWII - yeah Aunt Betty. other than weather we've had an uneventful trip (left Mon). Had an amazing dinner lakeside at a floating restaurant by our RV site.

Left Portland after a whirlwind week.

New baby - Amy/Matt had Demi Lynn on 6/18 - soooo sweet (6#13oz) (Demi is #4 great granchild for us:)

New baby - Karissa/Alex Berndt (my niece) Max Alexander on 6/19 (8# 2 oz?)

Ryan O came home from Dominic Republic 6/19 - will head for Africa 7/26

Attended 2 special events at Good Sheppherd Church hearing about Freedom Congress (ck it out at http://www.freedomcongress.org/)

Joined all of Tanya/Bob's family for lunch on Father's Day (including Ryan/Kealy with twins). Attended service at a SE Portland church where grand son-in-law was a guest preacher - he gave a great sermon.

Celebrated 52 years with hubby dorn (6/20)

We are so blessed - and so - we're on the road again.