Thanks Badger. I'm enjoying your report too. Sue, thanks. Sometimes I wonder if I over do it.
6/23/18 Sat
Missed a picture from last night.
Mocking the whole concept of selfies. From Julie’s phone.
Back on the Block
Pete’s back! Pete’s back! Woohoo…AND he has supplies from the Columbia Falls Fur Trading Post.
Back on the Block: New York City slang for being released from jail/prison and returning to the neighborhood.
I was looking through images of ghetto cars last night running through my brain the idea of writing that Pete was getting out of the big house and arriving at MG in a ghetto car with some big spinners. It was a fun idea, but you know, someone might take me serious.
What an Idiot
Of course it’s always better to make fun of yourself.
The guys with the spotting scopes were back pointing at the hill. I started talking with one guy and he said, “You should have seen this idiot yesterday. There was a cow moose and her calf right over there in that tent site. He walked right up to them with this huge lens on his camera.” I responded, “Yeah, I think that was me,” but it didn’t stop him. “What an idiot. I couldn’t believe it.” I finally had to convince him it was me and about my only defense was they were well camouflaged. I guess I was an idiot.
Julie’s living it up; I’m trying to live it down
The three of us discussed various for hikes ad nausium, but one stood out. We heard good reports from people walking Going to the Sun Road to the pass. It’s a unique hike since the road is closed to traffic, and the pitch is knee friendly. Ok, good hike on three. 1, 2, 3, “Good hike.”
We pile into the car and hit the entrance at St. Mary, where the ranger informs us that the road is open all the way to Logan Pass. It was probably the strangest thing the ranger saw all day. Three people disappointed that the road was open. (And who won the keg?) So, we drove the road to the pass while revisiting the ad nausium part about which hike to do. With no real plan, we got out the car at Logan and found heavy clouds and high winds. Abort mission, repeat, abort mission. Julie was saying, “If you want to hike, I can come back and pick you up,” but the weather was downright nasty.
Into the car again, and we stop at the Jackson Glacier turnout. Pete and I hop out…well, get out and take 15 minutes to get ready, and then Julie headed downhill to Rising Sun beach. Long story short, bears closed down the picnic area, so Julie went and bought some earrings and had breakfast at Rising Sun.
Crossing the road
Bear scooping Julie’s picnic/reading spot (area closed). Bear photos by Julie with that phone of her’s.
6/23/18 Sat, Florence Falls (not the hurricane)
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Florence Falls is one, out of the wind, and two, halfway to scenery. What I mean is that it’s a woods walk with a scenic stop at Deadwood Falls, a couple of open views of St. Mary River and Citadel Mountain, but no real views until Gunsight Lake, which is beyond today’s hike.
Deadwood Falls
St. Mary River
At the spur trail cutoff, we ran into a few hikers and had a 10 minute conversation. They said the hike to the falls was fine. The last time I did this hike, I hauled a 4x5 camera through head-high vegetation, and it felt like forever to get to the falls and I felt like I was going to run into a bear. This time the trail was open and we made quick work of the hike in.
CrAzYtoWn. (Impressive water flow.)
The falls were roaring so strong that it was almost impossible to get a shot without getting the camera filter wet. So it was…face away from the falls and set up the camera, swing around shoot a few shots, swing back and check the filter. All the moisture made the ground slippery, and on a steep little downhill someone slipped, landed on their ass and lost 10 points of “cool.” A coworker did that last winter and landed on his foot (instep down) and ended up with metal holding his bones together. Fortunately, no was injured today and rain pants hid the evidence.
On the way back, there was a loo calling and I must go. I was setting a fast pace, and Pete just didn’t see the point until I told him that I need to talk to a guy about his horse. “Well, go ahead. Don’t wait for me.” Fortunately, I walked through the backcountry site directly to the pit toilet without a misstep or things might have been, what’s the word, more fragrant.
Citadel Mountain
At the falls again.
I took a few more photos at the falls, and then we made the hike up. Yup, there’s a reason I always walk in from St. Mary rather than walk up to Jackson Glacier turnout. Pete was letting out a few complaints, but I set a pretty fast pace today so the final hill is more of an insult. So sorry about that Pete. As they say, try again tomorrow.
This way to beer.
Today:
Hike: 1
Photos: 87 (a little low)
Moose: 0
Bear: 2
Orangutans: 0
Wildebeests: 0
Giraffes: 0
-Steps: 29,883
Todays Drink, Surly Furious
Surly was the brewery that pushed to have beer sales at breweries in MN and won. They put in a brewery/pub down by the U of M that is so busy, I’ve only gone there twice. With the door kicked open, many other breweries started selling beer in the Twin Cities. (Woo hoo.) Surly’s beer, particularly Furious, is excellent. I’ve read that they use a Scottish malt in Furious that is some of the same malt used to make great Scotch. Is that what makes it special? I don’t know, but I’m a Furious Fan Boy.
Recently I was also a Two Hearted Ale fan boy and drank that one to staledom. But in the meantime, I’m enjoying my taste bud blast with Furious, while trying to sprinkle in other beers to avoid overindulgence.
If you don’t like IPAs, it’s just another damn IPA.
Jay
BTW, if you have a pile of shingles, maybe some wood, and an old antenna sitting in your backyard, the key is to clean up the pile at least a little bit each day so the neighbors have some hope the trash house will look ok before they invite some guests over this fall. Just sayin’.