My Journey

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

BD.....sorry that you lost a best friend but that's one great looking pup you got there. Good luck ! Mine drives me insane daily.....

Grenadiers.....I have no idea what's up with the photos. I resize every photo that I upload here because this site couldn't upload them in their original format. Regarding the windows, I'm not sure of the brand. I can say that I'm overly cautious when it comes to wind.....the covers on the 3 slides on the Renegade taught me to be that way. Thanks for following and the kind words.....

ClayH.....welcome back !

We're currently hanging out in the mountains of Montana.....camped along the shores of a huge lake, possibly sitting at a campfire.....or maybe hiking, reading a book, sky gazing or playing on the internet at times......



Anyhow I saw this today and wanted to share it with the people that read my blog.....I've shared his writings before.....it's by far my favorite travel blog..... clunkmonkey.com......a family of 5 living in a truck (Dodge Ram 2500) camper (Four Wheel Camper) and a tent trailer (Bivouac Trailer & Tepui Tent)...they sold everything they owned in January, 2015 and adopted a life of living on the road. If you haven't read any of this guy's writings, please do yourself a favor and check it out. I love this most recent entry.....

"The first world has things a little backwards right now...equating comfort and security with happiness. They think that the more comfort and security they can bring to their lives, the happier they'll be. And now they're so comfortable and secure they're miserable. Because there's no sense of adventure in their lives. No struggle. Computers and cars and climate controlled environments have made it all too easy."



"What we've found in adventures is that we're most alive outside of our comfort zones. When there's some insecurity and fear and discomfort. Because this is where the magic happens. It's only in the struggle with our boundaries where growth is found."

 

[beartrap]

great pictures-thanks for sharing with us...

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Thanks beartrap.....I sure appreciate that and you're more than welcome.....

So I mentioned a huge lake but neglected to name it.....it's Hungry Horse Reservoir. This massive reservoir is held back by a 564 foot high dam completed in 1953, surrounded by 25 mountain peaks, and extends for 34 miles.....it's a beautiful place to hang out.....and only 15 miles to the west entrance of Glacier National Park.....



Not much traffic on the roads so we walked lots here.....



I had hoped to see that amazing full moon over the lake but foul weather moved in that night and the following morning.....



I had a really good neighbor camped next to me. This poor guy was injured by a pile driver when he was in his mid 20's, and was never able to work again. Now in his 60's, he lives in a tent, barely getting by on his disability, barely able to get around, but lives life with a great, positive attitude. The day I left he said that I'd taught him a lot during our visits.....I was surprised at that, cause I felt that he was the one that actually taught me a few things about life. I'll miss hanging out with this guy.....



Our next stop would be Hot Springs, Montana (yes, that's actually the name of the town). I've been having some pretty bad back issues since I left that ranch, and I thought maybe some soaking would do me some good. I'd read that the minerals in these waters were some of the best in the world. Well, the town of Hot Springs seems to be a dying town. I visited all three of the hot springs in town and I thought they pretty much sucked. A seven mile drive outside of town took me to Wild Horse Hot Springs. I soaked for 2 days.....



The water in the pond next to the springs was red but full of aquatic life.....





Spent the night at Rainbow Lake.....10 miles west of the springs.....

 

[Ace Brown]

I’m doing a pretty long exploration of Western Montana in early September. I hope we get to see as much of this beautiful area as you have. I’ve said it before but it bears repeating: your writing and photos are excellent.

If your still in Montana around Sept 10 I would like to meet you and your dogs.

Ace


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

I added a few more places to my lists! Thanks, I did some googling on hungry horse and found that,


I recently moved a Patient from one facility to another about 3 hours away for some MRI's. He broke his back in his 30"s at a local manufactured house facility, apparently a tress crushed him. I can say he was in his 50"s and was in a world of hurt. That was his fifth trip in a medic unit that month, and said he had over 15 surgeries. He was telling my how a lot of people joked that to get hurt on the job was the " golden ticket". HE assured me its been a nightmare for him, and he would not wish it on his worst enemy.

Glad to see you are enjoying the beautiful places, down here in Oregon we are surrounded by fires. I've recently had to pull crews due to the smoke being so bad.

Happy Trails and Safe Travels

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Hey Ace.....I'm guessing that I'll be out of Montana by then but time will tell. If it works, sounds good to me. September is a great time to be in Montana as you well know. And thanks a lot for the kind words. I do my best.....

PNWY.....thanks for posting that up. I had also been curious and was checking out some of the same Hungry Horse stuff. There certainly are some interesting names of places here in Montana. Anyhow, the poor guy in that picture I posted has had 18 surgeries, can't bend a joint from the hip down on his right side, and his right hand is pretty mangled. He lays his right leg in the passenger seat when he drives, uses the left leg for driving.....and he would say the same.....he did not hit the jackpot.....



The hot springs were good to me. After a month of back pain, I woke up the day after leaving the springs and I was nearly healed.....I left there a believer.....



I was thinking that I'd head into Idaho after the hot springs, as I was pretty close to the state line, and I'm not sure why, but I headed back towards Kalispell, Montana. We spent a night along the roadway, overlooking Flathead Lake, from way up high, and what amazing views we had that night.....



I ended up staying a few more nights in Kalispell.....I like the town more and more all the time. They sure do like attaching interesting "things" to their buildings.....



I saw this ************ truck in town.....couldn't help but think what my camper would look like on that thing.....



Here I decided to continue further east, and return to Glacier National Park but through the east entrance, and explore the east side of the park, but only for another half day. So I took the 2 lane road that runs along the southern border of the park. I saw a nice spot along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, got distracted by it's beauty and spent a few nights there on the riverbank.....



The back was coming along nicely now, 4 days with no pain, so a little bouldering didn't seem like it'd be out of bounds for me. My back, once again, is killing me.....bad decision.....I just need to slow down I guess.....



Met some nice people camped at the river and hung out with 5 Golden Retrievers ! Can't beat that now can you.....that water was ice cold but it didn't keep us out.....

 

[Wainiha]

Dogs look happy in the water. What was the temperature?

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Wainiha.....I'm not certain but I'd guess around 50 degrees. My thermometer died in the Bigfoot camper fire last year, and it was never replaced. A Google search said it was 57 degrees in Columbia Falls that day, and that's quite a ways downriver....

As I had posted earlier, we planned to visit Glacier National Park again but I just couldn't do it. I prefer the solitude and beauty that I can find elsewhere in Montana. So when I got to Highway 89, I drove south rather north to the park entrance. Now that's one incredibly beautiful drive as you proceed south.....



The wheat fields are stunning right now and the farmers are just beginning to harvest the fields.....





I stopped in Choteau, Montana and walked the streets. It's a great little town (population of less than 2,000) and I was surprised to find out that David Letterman bought a place here.....although I sure can see why he would. The mountains, the rivers and lakes, the fields, the wildlife, the good people.....small town Montana.....







Tree lined streets are the best.....



We continued south and I decided to make a detour to Bynum Reservoir, not more than 7 or 8 miles off the main highway. It was well worth the detour...





I thought I might overnight here but while walking late in the evening I noticed a sign saying $18 per night if you didn't have a fishing license. I have no license.....we moved on and slept along the highway.....I was happy that we had bypassed the national park.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Right now, if you cant tell, I'm just wandering around Montana with no short term plans. After Choteau, my next stop would be in another small Montana town.....Augusta (population under 400).....



I have to admit I never knew that Augusta, Montana had the "best one day rodeo in the country" but apparently it does.....



Also learned about Egg Mountain.....now that's really interesting (I think). I thought about investigating more but with the sore back, I moved on.....



Egg Mountain is somewhere in that picture (as is the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area).....



I had a blast watching Tanner run through the wheat field. He'd make a fine hunting dog.....





I decided to drive to Lincoln, Montana next but the evening was fast approaching so I headed into the Helena National Forest to camp. The road I picked had no pull offs but the guy that owned this cabin and 20 acres surrounded by national forest let me stay on his property. Not surprising as the local people around here have been awesome to us.....





Yukon loved his creek and we were looking for the resident moose that the owners said hung out there (we never saw them). I swear Yukon is smiling again.....and I can't blame her.....

 

[furbucket]

Best Ever!


via Tapatalk on an evil pocket calculator with a flashy screen

 

[the deputy]

^^^^agree!

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Thanks guys.....truly my best friends.....

The next morning we woke up to 37 degrees and a really sore back. Later that morning Tanner got sprayed by a skunk so I decided to drive to Helena, about an hour south, to visit Broadwater Hot Springs & Fitness. I assumed they'd have a garden hose (to wash Tanner real good) and a hot spring (to soak my back). Funny thing was, they had the hose but no hot springs ! Having a name like that and no hot springs.....well, I kind of thought they were scoundrels.....I soaked in a hot tub of sorts.....

We hung out in Helena for a few days.....



I caught an outdoor Shakespeare play.....I lasted long enough to get this picture.....



Boiling hot temperatures were in the forecast so I headed back north into the mountains where it would be cooler.....we found ourselves a spot at Flesher Pass Trailhead (6,131') for a few nights.....



I met another local that invited us to his swimming hole.....



We filled the water jugs at his cabin.....



The first night a bear came through camp. He growled so loud it startled us pretty darn good. The dogs went nuts and once again, no bear in my picture.....



I just wasn't prepared and he didn't stay long with the dogs making such a fuss.....great guard dogs (well, kinda).....



We hiked on the Continental Divide Trail (again).....I've crossed and hiked that trail so many times in the past year.....



The smoke from the California fires combined with the 100 degree plus temperatures sure had me thinking hotel.....

 

[longhorn1]

Beautiful pictures of the dogs.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Thanks JD.....

Now the back was loosening up a bit, so we were back on our original track and headed for Seeley Lake, Montana. Lots of cabins on the market here and I wanted to check out the area, maybe even buy something since I'm pretty darned tired, but this place did not appeal to me.....lots of cabins on the market turned into lots of people, motorboats, jet skis.....you get the idea. We moved on and hung out at the Blackfoot River.....





More camping up high in the national forest.....



We made a stop in Lincoln, Montana to view some outdoor artwork.....I couldn't see the beauty but each to his own.....





We stopped at a small lake to swim and cool ourselves down.....it's been hot lately around here.....came across a nice rope swing......



With my back finally feeling good again I stayed away but Tanner couldn't resist.....



It was crazy.....he refused to stop hanging on that rope. His whining and barking attracted other people that thought I was hanging my dog from a tree.....



I've continued messing with my Galaxy S9+ and tried the Food mode for closeups. Not bad.....



We returned to Missoula, Montana to dump the tanks, get propane, and of course shopping at Walmart (where we also sleep at times).....



I'm hoping to leave Montana soon.....but it's such a wonderful place to be.....

 

[Ashton]

Always nice to see your adventures, good sir. Hope you find that 0,0,0,0 coordinate to base yourself, and those adorable pups, out of.