How I spent (a day of) my Summer vacation

Just a few more pictures from Montana for your viewing pleasure. I am always on the look out for old trailers. This bus caught my eye and like the moth, I was drawn in...

What a cool house truck this could make.

At $1000 dollars how could you loose?

The place was swimming in very cool vintage vehicles. Back East there is nothing like this that I know of.

I was drooling, Beth was sighing, Halle was asleep, and Ava was rolling her eyes so severely it was rocking the car.

Rob Baker will need a cold shower and a cigarette after seeing these rusty old trucks.

He doesn't smoke but he just might start. Later in the day we went White Water Rafting with the Outfitter that happens to be Beth's cousin.

He gave us the family discount.

Very generous of him to put so many smiles on everyone's faces.

And give us a tremendous thrill ride.

The photographer could clearly hear me say "Hi Mom" I love my Mom. I am a Momma's Boy.

This was all class three rapids on the Gallatin. It runs through Big Sky. If you want a few hours of fun, go see the folks at Geyser Whitewater Expeditions. Tell them Frank sent you.

Beth sure got a thrill.

Ava looks pleased with herself. I know I had a good time.

We have been back a week now. Montana already seems like so long ago. Why does real life take back your life so quickly?

Just for fun

I spotted this painter canned ham. There was another one painted to look like a log cabin. By the time I went back to the condo to get my camera, that one was gone. Not sure of the year or make, but a fun little trailer it is. Enjoy....

I am still hoping the Imperial seller will call me before we leave Montana. He was not at the Antique Shop when I went back yesterday. I have left a voice mail, but I am still waiting to hear back. We leave for home in just few hours, so I might have to just let that one pass.

Now let's talk trailers

I drove past this antique shop and just about caused an accident locking up the brakes while going 70 mph. Well, I am exaggerating, but I did piss the guy off behind me when I slowed quickly and turned left abruptly. A whole row of vintage canned hams just twinkling in the strong Montana sun. Now I know how a moth feels as it sees the high pressure sodium street light.

I probably should not be blogging about this, but if someone wants to beat me out of the trailer I am after, well they are just that type. Perhaps the fact that I am going back in an hour will head them off at the pass so to speak. I sure hope that type of person does not read my blog. Looking at this row it is fairly obvious which one I like.

No it is not this Forester. The hail damage is a shame. Hope someone can look past the pock marks, for the layout and interior are swank.

No it is not this 51 Shasta, though the interior in this one is spectacular.

It is actually not any of those Shasta you see up at this end of the row.

It is this 1949 Imperial. Should have known right. The aluminum one. They actually are all aluminum, but this one has such a nice shape to her. I can easily see her all polished up.

I love the glass door and those little scooped wheel wells. Beth cousin has already hatched a plan to get it back to Maryland for me. He owns a white water rafting company and a few of his guides are going East for the fall rafting season. I pay their gas, they have a place to sleep, we both win. I hopefully will be able to reach an expectable deal with the seller and she will be mine.

Yellowstone Redux

This morning I decided to go back to Yellowstone alone and see some areas I have not been to. The week long pass for $25 was also a motivation. I left well before sunrise and headed South from Big Sky to the Western entrance. Arriving alone at 5 am was a great advantage for no one was around. My visit two days ago had me fighting crowds, but this morning there were very few people to fight for the views. Most times I was all alone.

I am most fascinated with the Geyser basins and visited a few in the North of the Park.

The algae and bacteria living in the water create these abstract paintings in the deposits.

The morning was quite chilly at 42 degrees but the heat radiating from the geysers was very warming.

This river is literally boiling as it flows down to the Madison river below.

This one was not Old Faithful, but the force of nature that shoots boiling water out of the ground four feet is very impressive.

This spring is very deep and you can see way down into it.

Another deep one that was boiling away.

Because so few people were around there was a lot of wildlife around. I had a Grizzly bear run across the road in front of me. I also had a huge Elk with a tremendous rack run across the road in front of me before the sun came up.

These Elk were right on the edge of a cliff. I kept waiting for one to fall off. They were very sure footed. Later in the morning I went past a sign warning of "falling rock." I have passed thousands of signs just like that one, but this time a huge boulder fell right in front of the car. Thank God I was not going fast and the rental car only had 690 miles on the brakes. Three more seconds and I might not be writing this. I am guessing I avoided ten tons by three seconds.

This pool was completely empty when I first walked past it. Ten minutes later it was this cool icy blue and beginning to flow over the rim. I think they call this "the wonders of nature."

This is Mammoth Springs in the far North of the Park. The Ranger that I was talking to said these springs change rapidly through out the day. The water is very heavy with minerals and as it makes contact with oxygen it solidifies. She said some pools grow as much as a foot every day. At any time the water can change course and the pool dries up very quickly. Stop action cameras would be very cool to set up and watch this taking place.

These dead trees looked so surreal swallowed up by the deposits. The Ranger said two years ago these were healthy trees. If the spring continues at its current pace they will be full encased in just a few years.

A great day in the Park to say the least. I drove out through the North entrance to take the "scenic route." Scenic route, yeah right, every where you go out here is the "scenic route." That is the edge of the Beartooth Range as I drive North toward Livingston.

Perhaps my next post will be about trailers. Yes, I am all over vintage trailers here. You will just have to be surprised.

"Gonna be a Dental Floss Tycoon"

Frank Zappa has been rolling through my head since we stepped off the plane in Bozeman for a family reunion. My Father in Law is the son of a twin and every other year we have a family reunion for the offspring of the twin sisters. I am looking for the dental floss ranches I have heard so much about. Hopefully by weeks end I will meet one of these tycoons Mr Zappa sang so fondly of.

We have been enjoying our selves by enjoying the beauty of nature.

It is hard to not be impressed by the surroundings. These photos are from our family hike to Ouzel Falls.

The water is melting off the glaciers above us on Lone Peak just above Big Sky where we are staying.

Spectacular scenery everywhere you look.

And a great spot for lunch. I am about 8000 feet higher than where I usually reside and my hunger for food is intense.

It is not hard to understand why they call it Big Sky Country.

That is Lone Peak at sunset. 11166 feet high. Large snow fields hug it's flanks.

I have seen a few Airstreams like this beat up polished 1970's rig in serious need of a restoration. It kills me to see them like this.

We take lots of hikes. The scenery is, as I said, very spectacular. The mountain views are too.

Yesterday we went to Yellowstone. Nothing like sitting in huge traffic jams to see unspoiled wilderness. This hour long traffic jam was created by everyone stopping to take a picture of a bison by the side of the road.

Lots of bikers are in the park heading toward Stugis. I kind of like their sense of humor.

The are some very dramatic things to see in Yellowstone. We walked around one of the geyser basins. This one is called Clandestine Geyser.

The whole family is enjoying the sights. Halle keeps saying "it smells like eggs here Daddy."

I keep remembering the science show on cable saying this is the most dangerous place on the planet. A catastrophic eruption is emanate.

We saw Old Faithful. It was only 16 minutes late to erupt.

But it did go off as promised. Never heard so many languages saying "wow" at the same time. People from all over the world had come to see it go off.

Probably the most spectacular thing about Old Faithful is the Inn.

What man can do with logs is mind boggling.

Lots of wildlife to see in the Park. I had hoped to see a Grizzly. No luck.

This is only the second Airstream I have sighted. Where are they all? Are they still in Madison taking advantage of the unlimited electric for $225?

We sure have enjoyed horseback riding into the Porcupine Range. This is the winter grounds for a major Elk herd during the winter months. They come here because this area only gets about 110 inches of snow. Where they spend their summers gets 300 inches on average.

I am still hopeful to meet a Dental Floss Tycoon before the week is out.