Living on Mountain Time

So...I started this about 2 weeks ago, but never got to finish it, so here we go at long last - the review of my trip out west...I decided at some point during the 2300 miles that I drove I would organize my thought by 'what I learned during these 9 days'. So, here we go (and yes I drove 2300 miles in 9 days, no joke - and it was worth it!)

1. In Glacier National Park night and day are relative terms.
I had never experienced being far enough north that you found yourself ready for bed when it was still dark outside. It was pretty insane. The really great thing is it gives you ample time to take in the gloriousness of Glacier National Park. It truly was one of the most incredible places I've ever been. I will post a few pictures here, but you can't imagine it's beauty based just on these - you have to experience how you feel looking at this place. It is the first place that made me think 'if God chose to put this on earth, how amazing is heaven going to be?'




2. There are some pretty incredible hikes out there
I hiked for a bit on the Highline Trail - you can see the trail if you move up the hill from the road...pretty amazing view looking out over the valley
Lisa, Mike and I did the first half of the Grindall Glacier hike...once there were snow bridges we had to cross we decided it would be a great idea not to go sliding down the side of the mountain. I think it was a good decision :)





3. Bears are to Glacier as sharks are to diving
There is a MASSIVE amount of information about bears and pretty much all you hear about is how dangerous the bears are and how they are going to eat you. Case in point, the signs on the trails...
Now, I'm not saying bears aren't dangerous. I didn't want to run into one any more than the next person, but they aren't running around looking for hikers to eat. The actual number of attacks is so low it's amazing, and most of them are in the back country...i.e. where the bears really have the greater right to exist in my opinion. That being said, the reason I think it's just like sharks and diving, is people are super crazed about seeing a shark when they are on a dive, but when you do see one usually they really don't care if you are there, they are doing their shark thing and if you stay out of their way, they will stay out of yours. I kinda felt the same way about the bears at the end of the week. You stay out of their way, do the things they suggest so that you don't sneak up on them without them knowing you are there, don't carry things that attract them, and be smart (i.e. don't go LOOKING for bears or run towards them to take a picture when you see them...you'd be amazed that you actually have to say this), and they will leave you alone.

In the end I did have a few bear encounters, and all of them left me feeling like they are amazing, beautiful animals that I don't need to mess with. Kinda the same way I feel about sharks :)

my first bear sighting - grizzly out the window of the car

second bear sighting - black bear in the valley below us

4. Montana and Wyoming appreciate randomness as much as I do apparently

I loved this bear statue at the gas station :)

no, not a real horse, cowboy and calf, just a random HUGE metal statue - pretty cool

there is a LOT of wide open roads - notice I wasn't concerned with randomly stopping my car and walking around...because I hadn't seen another car either direction in 10 minutes

They are also the home to the most random assortment of body parts on an animal that exists - the moose. I mean really, you have got to be joking me that God is not funny when you look at a moose. I do have to say I was pretty psyched that I got to see one, even if he was just a teenageer moose.

oh, and they have this location - so now I've been at the equator and half way between there and the north pole, so I guess now I need to go to the north pole :)

5. The people who started the park system were brilliant!

I had a moment driving into Yellowstone that I realized how awesome it is that we as a nation have these places saved for generations to enjoy. I know it sounds all mushy and patriotic, but seriously, these are amazing places and I'm glad we had people who fought to keep them protected . I'm starting the 'America's Best Idea' series on my Netflix cue...should be fun!

6. Geology really is cool
I remember always thinking - who really studies geology? rocks are so boring. Well, if you feel the same way, then make your way to Yellowstone, you will very quickly change your mind. The entire time we were there Lisa, Mike and I kept saying 'this is crazy!' just because it's insane that in this one random spot on earth all these weird geologic processes are happening. It's pretty cool, and to be quite honest (and completely dorky) I now love geology and have decided it's way cool.

Mammoth Hot Springs - we spent a lot of time trying to understand how these work...and think we may have figured it out, but really wish there was 'an app for that'

we happened to hit the hot springs at sunset which really worked out for spectacular pictures with super shadows

no, this is not a fire, it's a random smoking and churning hole of hot water...so weird!

I loved the name of this one :)

artist paint pots - we were a bit dissapointed by these because for some reason both Mike and I totally had it in our minds that there were going to be these incredible colors like an artist's paint...oh, maybe because that's what they are CALLED! They were kinda cool regardless :)

the chicken and I at the Grand Prismatic

Old Faithful

the trees were covered with the minerals from the geysers - pretty cool looking against the blue sky!

7. You can play car games with yourself (and be successful)
When there are as many people in one place as there were people in Yellowstone National Park in July, you truly can play your own version of 'how many state license plates can I find' and not only do you only need one person to do it, you only need two days to get through more than half of the states and a good number of Canadian provinces. About 3 hours into my Yellowstone adventure I realized just how many different license plates I was seeing and decided to start playing the same game Brandy and I played when we were little (except by myself). In the span of the rest of the day and half the next day I saw Virginia, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Vermont, Minnesota, Nevada, Iowa, Nebraska, Florida, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Idaho, South Dakota, Mississippi, Alaska, Washington, Arizona, Wyoming, Indiana, California, Wisconsin, New York, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, Michigan, Missouri, West Virginia, Connecticut, Georgia, New Jersey, and Colorado. And then for our neighbors to the north I found Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Pretty darn good, I would say!

rather than only taking pictures of Old Faithful, I decided to take pictures of the crowd watching Old Faithful - that is a crazy amount of people waiting for water to spit out of the ground!

8. It's very possible ALL of the reconstruction money is being used in these three states
I cannot even count the number of 'your reconstruction dollars being put to work' signs I passed. It seemed like every road was under construction about every 5 miles. And Going to the Sun Road was not left out! You were driving along this crazy road in the midst of these crazy mountains and there is a make shift traffic light so that they can direct traffic so this construction equipment can do it's work on the side of a cliff. It was actually pretty impressive.

9. I really need to spend more time in the Tetons
I kinda went through the Tetons because well, I hate to say it but they were a National Park and they were on the way. I remembered them being pretty, but they really are amazing, and I really wished I had more time to spend there. I think a trip back to Jenny Lake is in my future.

there are elk in the foreground of this grazing...not a bad backdrop for your dinner

10. I love that I have friends who live all over the place
I got to travel with Lisa and Mike, stay with Caitlyn and Tom, and see Kate and Mark get married. All 1000 miles from where I live. I love my crazy friends who live and travel all over the place - and I love that we keep in touch so I know I have crazy friends who live all over the place :)

Caitlyn finishing up our gelato and almond croissant breakfast in Steamboat Springs, while Tom assists Shire in catching sticks in the river

Shire trying to convince me to throw the random stick she found on our walk to the waterfall

I heart aspen trees!

Kate and Mark's wedding ceremony

me, Kate and Lisa...Kate and I met I think in 1st grade - how CRAZY is that!!!

11. I will never stop being amazed at sunsets and rainbows
I don't think it matters how many times I see a sunset or a rainbow, it is still (and I hope always will be) absolutely and utterly beautiful. I'm kinda a bad driver at sunset because I'm looking around at the colorful sky.

12. I never thought I'd see a mountain goat in real life, let alone in essence hang out with them on multiple occasions!

can you see him?

13. Staying in the original lodges built in the parks are well worth the money!
I'm pretty sure I'd like to live in the Many Glacier Hotel :) Huge central area with a fire burning and families playing games and chairs to quietly read. Amazing views, cute old time sinks and bathtubs. It was incredible!



14. At the end of it all, I think I have a new definition of beautiful

What more can I say? How about a buffalo for one last smile :)