8:00 a.m. found us leaving the Canyon area of Yellowstone and heading for the West Park entrance. It was a beautiful drive as we transitioned from protected park vistas, to winding roads with mountains, rivers, lakes, fish camps, dude ranches, beautiful log cabin residences, and big sky! Our road toured us through the “Eatherquake Lake” area where a destructive earthquake triggered a devastating landslide and flood killing 28 people on August 17, 1959. The earthquake measured 7.5 on the Richter Scale and caused an 80-million ton landslide which formed a dam on the Madison River. A visitor’s center at the site illustrated through outside overlooks and displays the ruin produced by the quake. It happened in the middle of the night, and campers and hikers and hundreds of people were caught up in the nightmare of the tragedy. The river that we followed was saturated with boats and fisherman – maybe because of the 4th of July weekend? Fifty miles before the town of Ennis, Montana, a sign warned us to expect long delays in Ennis due to the 4th of July parade. Fifty miles! The population of Ennis is only 855! Well, we loved the town of Ennis, and because the parade wasn’t until the next day, we stopped to stroll through the great shops, to eat at an outdoor grill. and to buy Caleb some authentic Montana whiskey at a little distillery. All the townies were getting ready for the “western style” 4th of July parade, and we were convinced that it must be the biggest parade next to the Rose Bowl Parade! We zig-zagged north and south moving west and eventually came to Wisdom near the Nez Perce National Historical Park. We had scoped out a nearby “RV resort”, but it was the sorriest excuse for a place to stay we have ever seen – and the mosquitoes were appalling!
Having no cell phone reception, and not knowing what type of camping accommodations might be ahead of us, we forged on. We ended up at Broken Arrow “RV Resort” which offers a dozen camping sites with water and electric – behind the Broken Arrow Restaurant – beside the Broken Arrow cabins! A very low-budget place it is graced with being able to be called quaint, and the lady running the whole shebang was very nice. In their two-toilet, one-shower bathhouse, there were sweet little lavender wall decals, pretty towels all rolled up, and a variety of little soaps and shampoos for the “guests!” Well worth the $20 for an overnight! The drive to Broken Arrow took us over the border from Montana to Iowa. Caleb and Micah have never been to the State of Idaho, and Tom had to stop at the State line and take a picture to send to them! On July 4th, we left Broken Arrow campground and drove to the Whitefish, Montana KOA for the night in preparation of driving into Glacier National Park in the morning.For the evening we went into Whitefish, but all the stores were closed for the 4th. The bars, however, were open and flourishing! Supper was again cooked on the little Biolite grill -- chicken legs with the Huckleberry Barbque Sauce that we have seen everywhere in the area! Tomorrow -- Glacier National Park!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |