Settlin' down

written July 9, 2015

Lolo Peak at sunset

Even though this blog is entitled “On the Road” we haven't been a lot lately. We settled down for a month in Missoula, Mt. at our favorite park, Jim and Mary's. Beautiful park with flowers planted throughout the park each spring. For the summer months starting in June, each Wednesday evening the people of the park are treated to the vocals of LeGrande Harvey and Rod Bod. LeGrande is a singer/songwriter (his brother wrote Delta Dawn for Tanya Tucker, and Ruben James for Kenny Rogers) who shares his love for the beauty of Montana. Rod is a Native American who lends his own style for a most enjoyable evening of entertainment. To round out the evening, Huckleberry ice cream is served following the entertainment. If you have not experienced huckleberry ice cream, then you have not experienced ice cream!!!! However, this year, due to circumstances beyond MY control we departed Missoula on June 2^nd. That's right it was Tuesday, no songs and no ice cream for this unhappy camper. So with a face longer than the entire trip so far, we headed east.

Jim and Mary's Campground, Missoula, Mt.

Flower beds were just planted throughout - they will be lush in just a few weeks.

 

While in Missoula we were just Missoulians, we did none of the touristy things we normally do. Didn't even make it to our favorite place on earth (sorry Mickey) Glacier National Park. However, before leaving Montana we were able to “squeeze” in a little camping trip with Travis, Jill, and Max. We hooked up Monty and headed north to postcard perfect Holland Lake National Forest Campground. OMG times a hundred. We canoed, made s'mores of course, or as Max says “s'nores”. The views just left us breathless.

Holland Lake, Montana

waiting for our evening campfire

Max loved his s'mores!

Snowy peaks surrounded Holland Lake

Travis, Max and Jill, heading out on a canoe trip across Holland Lake

Off across the lake they go

Missoula is a cool town. We fell in love with it the first time we were here fifteen years ago. No matter which direction you look you see mountains looking back at you. This time of year the tops are all snow covered. What beauty. The people are friendly and down to earth. Nothing pretentious, what you see is what you get. The downtown is thriving. You can drive, walk, or ride your bike downtown any evening and you will not be alone. The sunsets are stunning and the skies are usually clear. NO bugs!!! Got bears, deer, elk, prong horn, buffalo (and dung), mountain goats, mountain lions but no bugs!!! Whats not to love – you might be thinking Montana in the winter is not to love – but the winter months in Missoula are more temperate than what we used to experience in Dayton, Ohio!!! 

Double Arrow Lodge, Seeley Lake, Mt

A few from the back of the Lodge over the valley

Jill, Travis and silly 2 1/2 year old Max

Travis and Jill were married in this very spot at Double Arrow 5 years ago.

At The Double Arrow pond

 

Basically we did what we love best. We visited with family and did projects around the trailer, the park, and Travis and Jill's. Grandson Max, being 2 ½, kept his Nana very busy playing every imaginable thing that came into his mind!! Their tent under the table behind the couch was a secret place known only to the two of them, along with playing trains, riding bikes, and reading books at bedtime. She loved every minute, but also slept extremely well every night!!

A little chocolate on the strawberry, a little in the mouth, repeat!

wheeeeeeee

Our time was up in Missoula so we packed up and headed east. The first night out we slept through a huge hail storm in Big Timber, MT. No damage to Monty or the Ford so we drove around lots of downed trees and piles of hail along the roadsides and hit the highway. 

A beautiful drive into eastern Montana

Spring Creek Campground and Trout Ranch in Big Timber, Mt.

One of the fishing ponds for all to enjoy.

The Beaver River was quite high next to the campground

More beautiful snow capped mountains in eastern Montana

 All went well for 20.2 miles. Then we were the experiencers of the (probably) most common happening for a 5^th wheel owner, a blowout. A trucker somewhere ahead of us lost a bungy cord. The metal “S” hook still attached to part of the cord that was stealthily lying on the road, jumped up and found the front right tire on the trailer. The tire did not like this and immediately blew into about a hundred pieces, taking the trailers fender with it!! I walked to pick up the pieces/parts while Julie called AAA. For the first time in a long time (for us this trip) a nice guy came to our rescue and he wasn't driving a tow truck!!

Jim picking up the pieces of the blown tire along with broken pieces of the Montana

Pretty bad!

With spare mounted we proceeded on to Billings, where we purchased a new tire and then spent the night at the very first KOA campground.

With our desire to make it to Michigan as quickly as possible, we travelled as we haven't done in a long while. We took the quickest route with no side trips. We did, however, stop at Wall Drug in Wall, SD for a glass of “ice water” and breakfast after spending the night “camping” in a Cabela's parking lot near Rapid City. That night we stayed at the County Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls, and then in the morning we drove “home” across town. We actually parked our “house” in front of our “residence”, while we went inside and retrieved our mail. The Dakota Post employees are so wonderful and welcoming. (They even acted as if they were interested in our stories!)

Dakota Post Mailing Service in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

There is our address....

Jim flirting at Wall Drug

Arriving in Michigan we went directly to Spaulding Lake Campground in Niles. We had already made plans to spend the summer months here. After setting up and learning a little about our surroundings we were surprised the next morning by #1 daughter Donna, who after a three hour drive, acted as if she had missed us for the past year. The next day the three of us enjoyed walking the beach in St. Joseph, and then walked the downtown shops just like real tourists. We picked up Julie's Dad and took him with us to dinner at one of our favorite St. Joe restaurants, Silver Beach Pizza. The next day Donna headed home and Julie headed to Ann Arbor to spend the next ten days with her sister Lori.

Donna and Dad at St. Joseph's Silver Beach

Lori has been courageously battling cancer for the past five years, after being given an eighteen to twenty four month life expectancy. Julie came home on Friday afternoon, thinking that Lori was doing alright again and expecting to return in 2 weeks to celebrate Lori's birthday with her. Instead, following an urgent phone call the next morning, Saturday, she and her sisters rushed to Ann Arbor to be with Lori as she lost her final battle. Julie, Linda and Mary will forever be grateful that they were able to be there with her at that time, and know that she knew they were there. Lori was an adventurous and fun soul, and the youngest of Julie's 4 siblings. She leaves behind so many wonderful memories and a real empty hole in our hearts. We are so glad to have made it back in time.

miss you Lori....