East Glacier National Park

Glacier is one of those parks where you need to pack extra socks because it's going to knock the ones you are wearing right off. A "must do" is the Going-to-the-Sun Road (I rode it on a motorcycle in 2001). This engineering marvel spans 50 miles through the park's wild interior, winding around mountainsides and treating visitors to some of the best sights in northwest Montana. Unfortunately, it is not yet completely open (click here to get the current road status) so I took U.S. 2 to East Glacier to see the Glacier Park Lodge, Two Medicine, Many Glacier, and the eastern portion of the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Glacier Park Lodge & Red Bus

Lodge interior - those logs are huge

As soon as the weather permits, I will tour West Glacier.

Accommodations Tax

Just as I was getting use to not paying tax on my purchases here in Montana, I move to an area (Kalispell) that has a 7% "accommodations tax"... or as I like to refer to it - the "screw-the-tourist tax".

National Bison Range

That unfamiliar, yellow ball reappeared in the sky so I headed up to the National Bison Range. This federal wildlife refuge is home to 350-500 bison and numerous other critters. The Red Sleep Mountain Drive is a 19-mile, one-way, gravel road which gains 2,000 feet. There are many switchbacks and 10% grades along the drive. No trailers or vehicles over 32 feet are allowed.

One benefit of the recent rain is that it turned to snow at the higher elevations which made today's drive very scenic...

Montana - No Sales Tax

You would think the first thing I would write about Montana would be the "big sky" vistas. But no, the first thing I noticed was the fact there is no sales tax. Having spent the winter and spring in Arizona and California where state, county, city, and lodging/resort taxes added 10-15% to my bill, it is a delight to pay only the sticker price. Makes me wonder why the other states cannot do the same.

Coeur d'Alene

Is a pretty town located on the shore of Coeur d'Alene Lake in northwest Idaho. It has an active downtown with lots of specialty stores, restaurants and outdoor sculptures that makes strolling main street a delight. Unfortunately, the cool, rainy weather has hampered my exploration and photography.

Nez Perce National Forest Ride

Today's ride was mainly on gravel roads and dirt trails within the Nez Perce National Forest where you can ride for miles and miles with almost no traffic.

Myra, Skip, Nick, Carol, Tom

UTV Magazine's "Rider of the Year"

Okay, who brought a map

Video of Skip and Myra on three wheels...

Private Land Ride

Over two hundred participants met at Killgore Adventures this morning where they were divided into three groups for different rides. Our group followed a member of the Idaho Pathfinders ATV Club, who gave us a tour of his family's 35,000 acre ranch.

Click on photo to enlarge

Kirkwood Ride

Well, I thought yesterday's ride had a little bit of everything but I was wrong.  It did not include snow... which we rectified today.  Click on photos to enlarge.

Fortunately, if you do not like the weather in the Idaho mountains, just wait 15 minutes...

Here's an option for your ATV/UTV that my Polaris dealer did not offer...

Big Canyon Ride

Today was a fun ride!  It had a little bit of everything: good company, magnificent vistas, exotic wildlife, and a trail where I could have used a machete.  The sun even came out in the afternoon.  Click on photos to enlarge.

The unusual suspects

Mountain riding

Big horn sheep

Having too much fun

It's a jungle out there

Here's a video of one of the creek runs....

Hells Canyon Ride

Nick and I met Harold Morris, his wife, and another couple and did a half day ride over to the Snake River in Hells Canyon.  Everyone had the opportunity to try out their rainsuits on the way back.  Click on photos to enlarge.

View going up the mountain

Hells Canyon in the background

Sunbather

Swiftwater RV Park, White Bird, ID

I am staying at the Swiftwater RV Park for the next week where I plan to ride the UTV with friends in the surrounding mountains.  There is no television or cell phone service but they do have an Internet connection.  Also, I am back in the Pacific Time Zone.

That's the Salmon River behind my site - the current discharge is ~50,000 cubic feet per second!  Here is a video that gives you some idea of how much water is moving downstream.

Diners Drive-ins & Dives

I don't know why I did not think of this earlier but I started using the Food Network and Flavortown USA to search for places to eat while traveling.  I am looking forward to trying some of those dishes that Guy Fieri makes look so good on Diners Drive-ins and Dives.

For lunch today, I had a delicious cheeseburger at The Orchard House here in Caldwell.  Weather permitting, I recommend dining outside for the view.

Reno, NV to Caldwell, ID

I would describe the drive from northern Nevada to southern Idaho as "miles and miles of wide open spaces".  Signs like "next services 57 miles" and "next gas 100 miles" give you some idea of how sparsely populated the area is.

I did find it interesting that the speed limit went from 65 mph in Nevada to 55 mph in Oregon to 65 mph in Idaho.  It was essentially the same road with the same road conditions and traffic but different states arrived at different speed limits as to what was safe.

Lastly, I checked into the Ambassador RV Park in Caldwell where I will stay until Monday when I head to White Bird, Idaho for the 3rd Annual Hells Canyon Ride.

Fun Photo Box

Fun Photo Box is an easy, whimsical way to add special effects to your photos...

Lake Tahoe

Is the largest alpine lake in North America and certainly one of the most scenic.  I skied Tahoe back in the 80s and as I recall you could go down one side of the mountain into California and the other side of the mountain into Nevada.  A great area for hiking, water sports, and games of chance.

Reno/Sparks

I am finding the Reno area a very pleasant place to stay.  It has all of the amenities that you would want and if you pick the right casinos, there are some incredible deals on meals.  It reminds me of how Vegas was 30 years ago.

The Sparks Marina RV Park is one of the best places I have camped  and at $175/week is a great value.  I am extending my stay another week or two.

Virginia City

A Victorian-era mining town that is now a Historical Landmark.  Samuel Clemens, a/k/a Mark Twain, used to work here as a reporter for the local newspaper when it was the "Richest Place on Earth".  Some say the gold and silver mines from the Comstock Lode financed the Civil War.  Old West saloons, shops, museums, and restaurants housed in 19th century buildings make it a great place to stroll the board sidewalks.

Yosemite National Park

You definitely want to put Yosemite on your "bucket list". Towering rock formations, incredible waterfalls, and giant sequoias make it one of the most spectacular parks in the country. The high elevation roads were closed so I was unable to see Glacier Point or drive the Tioga Road across the park (will have to save that for another day). Here, perhaps more than anywhere else I have been, photographs simply do not do the experience justice...

Yosemite Valley in the background
(click on photos to enlarge)

El Capitan
(climbers take 4-6 days scaling this vertical rock - imagine sleeping there)

Half Dome

Lower Yosemite Falls

Upper & Lower Yosemite Falls

Grizzly Giant

Sequoia National Park

On my second attempt I got to see the giant sequoias including General Sherman, the world's largest tree (by volume).  I did not take as many photos as I would have liked as part of the route was under construction and had a vehicle length limit of 22 feet.  My truck is 21.9 feet.  Add a little snow and ice into the mix and you can understand my reluctance to stop and take photos.  They closed the Generals Highway at 7,000 feet due to snow so I was unable to see Kings Canyon.