June 15 - June 21, 2020 Montana State Parks and Other Fun Stuff (Sewer Pump Truck)

Mon - June 15

We got up about 8:45 or 9:00 this morning. I did something bad to my left hip - it popped or something while I was in bed. Weird! Maybe it’s a muscle pull, I hope. We walked very little (because, PAIN!). After doing the chores we saw a float plane landing on the lake - I got one picture. Tony Powell was here about 11:00 AM to pull out the dock (it was under water). We finally got enough rain that it had to be pulled out! We are glad to see the water coming up in the lake, it was very low when we arrived. He hung out here til about 1:00 PM trying to eat his lunch and dry out his socks and shoes. He had to wade to hook the rope up to the dock to be able to wench it out. He went to town for a while, and we ate pancakes and turkey bacon for our lunch. When he came back the sewer pump truck came! The boss looked for a lateral line (one may have collapsed, which is causing our problem). About 4:30, we went to town and picked up groceries. Anyway it was a busy day. 

Tue - Jun 16

Well I got up and around and ready for my WW Zoom meeting. Then we walked and did our routine things. It was a pretty day! We also did chores in town. After lunch we went to Lone Pine State Park and hiked up the hill. You get a great panoramic view of the Flathead Valley! It was really nice. Logan hiked a bit more than we did. When we got back home it was nap time. I made chili for supper and we had a fire and walked the dogs. Nice day!

Wed - Jun 17

We were up at 9:00 and did all the routine things. Today the guys started working on putting in a plastic wedge under the main slide. They broke for lunch and a little rest. I stayed inside. It is a very difficult job they are trying to do. We actually have 8 wedges and they have completed one before we came up here. They are trying to get in a second one. Later we had supper and a fire. That was about it for today.

Thu - Jun 18

We were up a little late again this morning, about 9:00 ish. We had breakfast, walked the dogs and did our chores. Then we sat down and noticed a Fish, Wildlife and Parks Truck up by the gate. We thought maybe it was the boss, but he didn’t come down. So after awhile, we went up to see what was going on. It was some workers and they were sent out to weed eat the roadside (ditch). OK. So we went to Kalispell. Our first stop was Gardner RV for a new porch light, then lunch at Costa Vida (Mexican) and then Walmart for groceries. After we got home and unloaded the groceries, we rested a bit. I talked to both my sisters today. Supper was soft tacos. Later we put up a flag at the big rock in the parking lot that keeps giving people trouble. I also had Steve put the bows on the front of the RV windshield. We sat outside and tried to have a fire , but it kept raining, so we went back inside.

Fri - Jun 19

The rain woke me up at 6:15, but I didn’t get up til about an hour later. We did our routine activities. Later I did some weed eating by the stump (so I could see my flower) and the guys worked on the plastic wedge thing again. I was on standby in case they needed me to hand them a tool or something. We went to town later and checked the fishing access site there. The guys got almost worn out working on that slide problem. We have decided to try to get it fixed at the factory on our way home this fall. 

Sat - Jun 20

I was up at 6:15 with the dog (Zoey). Then I went back to bed and got up about 7:15 AM. After doing the routine things we sat outside. Steve put away his tools and Steve made us a fire to sit by for awhile. The boss and his family including his parents, showed up to enjoy Echo Lake. His Dad brought his boat. So they fished and had a picnic. After we had our fire, we went in for lunch. About 1:30 it started raining and the wind came up. I guess the boss and his family skedaddled when that rain came. Anyway it was raining most of the afternoon. When it finally let up Steve worked on cleaning our black tank and a few other things. I fixed supper and we called it a day. The high today was 69 degrees. 

Sun - Jun 21 Father’s Day!

We did mostly the same things today. Logan and I gave Steve a present for Father’s Day and a card. The card was really cute, it was a stand up hamburger, which is Steve’s favorite food! We sat outside  until it started sprinkle, then we went inside. Logan made pancakes and we had turkey bacon with them. Then it rained! We took a Nap!. Next we hauled off the trash to the container site and went to Wayfarer State Park in town at Bigfork. I bought a state park pass for $50, so we can now go to any Montana State Park and not have to pay another fee. It also gives us a discount on camping if we stay at any Montana Parks on our way home. Then we went up to the forest where Logan could shoot his BB pistol and we let him drive home. He will get a learner’s permit in October and we have been having him practice driving on the dirt roads. He is doing pretty good. After supper, we watched Yellowstone, with Kevin Costner. 

Monday June 8 - Sunday, June 14, 2020 More Rain and a Few Sunny, Crazy Days!

Mon -Jun 8 

We slept until 9:30 AM. I guess we were tired. It was pouring down rain! That kind of weather makes me want to sleep! So about 11 AM, the rain let up and we did chores and walked the dogs! Steve did some weed eating and I gave him a few breaks. Sometime after lunch it poured down rain again. Later we walked the beach to the north and once around the loop road. Tonight we had a beautiful double rainbow.  We hope that the rain is over for awhile.

Tue - Jun 9

We were up a little earlier this morning. I got ready for my WW Zoom meeting. After that, we walked the dogs and did our chores. Tony Powell (our boss) came by to check on the sewer pump. The alarm on the sewer goes off and it’s not supposed to. Anyway - someone will have to come out. I made soup for lunch and the boys did more weed eating. Later a guy came and checked our sewer - he said the pump is OK and reported his findings to the boss. We had a fire and sat outside. Later we hauled off our trash on the way to Kalispell. We made a stop at Gardners RV for something and I went to REI for new shoes. Then we went to Walmart and it was a zoo, because it was late in the day. When we got back home we had more soup for supper. 

Wed - Jun 10

It was 52 degrees when we got up this morning. We did our walk in a light rain this morning. It rained most of the day. I took a nap this afternoon. Then Steve and I got around and went to do the laundry in town. Steve and I also walked up on the loop part way, but it was pretty muddy, so back to the RV. We sat outside and enjoyed a nice evening, listening to music and checking out the forest map. We had a request to leave a boat trailer here for a couple of days - which we let them do, but they gave us their name and number in case we needed it moved. I know we will be busy the next few days, because it is supposed to be warmer and sunny. 

Thu - Jun 11

I did some bookkeeping and paid a bill or two today. We were up at 8:30 and the dust control people were here. His backing up noise (incessant beep, beep, beep) woke us up. After breakfast and walking, we did chores. Next was  weed eating and moving some logs. This place was hopping! We had a fire, S’mores and music this evening. 

Fri - Jun 12

Steve was up early and  did some weed eating. Then I got up and dressed. After we ate some breakfast we walked the dogs and did chores. We picked up lunch at the Dairy Queen and then went back to the RV. When we got back, the place was packed! It was crazy!  The temperature was 82-84 degrees and sunny. That pretty much explains why we were so busy. I was about ready to take a nap but it seemed jammed up in the parking lot. So I investigated and guess what?  An older lady decided to come down the wrong side and got her SUV hung up on the big rocks. I didn’t take a picture, but something similar happened last year and I have pictures of that on a blog from last summer.  The lady said she had waited 15 minutes  to get into the fishing access site and she saw an empty parking spot - so she decided to go for it, the wrong way! It sure got her into trouble. It ruined her right front tire and rim and probably her bumper. Some guys here used their wench and got her vehicle off the rock, so she didn’t have to call for a tow truck. Anyway, I talked to the people waiting to get in and asked them all to be patient because it was gonna be a little while before she could clear the area so everyone else could get through. Anyway, that little incident kept me from taking a nap. 

We have asked the boss for some more signs that say - wrong way- but so far no luck. We are going to pick up a flag that goes on an ATV and put it at that corner. 

Sat - Jun 13

It was nice and cool today, 61 when we got up and the high was 72 degrees. It was dreary looking and overcast. After our walk and completing our chores we sat outside. Steve also worked on adjusting the jacks. We are parked on the mountainside here and even though our spot is pretty level, one of the jacks doesn’t hold. So he adjusts them frequently to keep us pretty level. At 3:30 PM the wind and rain came and we went inside and finished the day with TV. Later we went to town and had supper at Rosa’s Pizza. We watched Longmire when we got home. 

Sun - Jun 14

I woke up this morning feeling pretty good. It was raining and chilly today again. We talked to Kristi today, and things are going pretty good with her. Steve & I took a nap in the afternoon. Supper was pork chops, baked potato and grillin beans. We watched TV part of the day. Later it cleared up and Steve and I had a little fire. Then we walked the loop road and Logan picked up trash! That about finishes this week. 

Jun 1 - Jun 7, 2020 Out of Quarantine and a trip to Jewel Basin with some other fun stuff thrown in!

Eagle in tree on our way to Kalispell

Sunset June 1

Ducks on the lake

Mon-Jun 1

Today we are officially off quarantine in the state of Montana. We are also still out of electricity. We did our usual morning routine then hung out in the RV and watched TV. We just snacked around for lunch and later sat outside and had a fire. We went back inside and played rummy for a while. Our boss, Tony Powell called to check on us and we told him we were doing OK. The dogs wanted to go out - so we walked them. When we finished we decided to go ahead and go to Kalispell to Walmart, even though it was late. After completing our Walmart run we got supper at Chic-Fil-A and returned home. We finished our night with a walk and some TV. 

Two Deer near Echo Lake

Tue-Jun 2

It was 56 degrees when we got up this morning-still no electricity. This isn’t too bad because we have a generator and the weather is cool. After getting up and dressed I had my WW Zoom meeting. Next we walked the dogs and did our chores. We sat outside a bit and I talked to Marsha. Then the wind came up and we went back inside to eat lunch. Steve & Logan cleared the path I use to drag the hose to the outdoor potty. It had some logs and small branches obstructing it. Then we hauled off our trash and checked the Bigfork Fishing Access site. We also bought some water in gallon jugs in case we still didn't have electricity at the RV. We use the generator for our electric needs, but the well that pumps our water does not have access to our generator. We had not thought ahead and filled our fresh water holding tank. So that was our main problem with the electricity being out - no running water. We did have plenty of drinking water and lake water though. Anyway when we arrived back to the RV the ELECTRICITY came on at 3:57 PM!  Yea! I washed dishes and we had chili for supper. Plus, we were able to take showers tonight!

Wed-Jun 3

Pretty much a routine day with the addition of weed eating. We loaned out a life jacket today. Logan helped an older guy drag his boat back to shore. I think some of us took an afternoon nap and then I fixed orange chicken and rice for supper along with salad. 

Thu-Jun 4

This morning after doing our routine things, we did more weed eating and picked up trash on the road coming into our access site. After lunch our boss came down and visited with us a bit. We signed our volunteer papers. He and Steve put up the lifejackets and its sign. It did have its own sign, but that was blown down last winter so he took down the old boating sign and replaced it with the lifejacket sign. We drove up to Jewel Basin after that was finished. You can’t get all the way to the trailhead, because the snow has not melted. Logan wanted to see the snow. We walked again and had a campfire. Supper was pizza and salad. 

It was a pretty big day! 

Fri-Jun 5

We were up and around late today. After doing our chores we went to Echo Lake Cafe for lunch. I got a pancake, egg, and sausage (the pancake is 6-8” big), Logan had a short stack and Steve had a patty melt. None of us could finish our meals. Too much food. But it was good. We hauled our trash and went to the access site to clean it. Then there was a stop at the forest office for a new forest map. I either misplaced my old one or did not pack it this trip. We need it to go exploring. We walked, had supper and watched TV this evening. 

Sat-Jun 6

It was a routine morning. We had rain most of the day. Lunch was turkey bacon and scrambled eggs. I finally got around to trying out my new air frier for supper! We had pork chops, air fried potatoes and salad for supper. The air fryer I got was small and didn’t do many potatoes at once. Anyway it worked OK, but is not fast. 

Sun-Jun 7

Again it rained most of the day. We only went out of the RV to walk the dogs. We picked up lunch at the Dairy Queen in town and brought it back to the RV to eat. Most of the afternoon was spent watching Cabin Masters and Homestead shows. Supper was chili and chips. 

My advice for anyone coming to Montana is wait until after the 3rd week in June to arrive. From my experience, June is a rainy month for Montana and sometimes a little too chilly! I am glad I have my electric blanket and long underwear and sweatshirts!

Today would have been my sister Nancy's birthday. If she were still with us she would have been 70. I miss her. I miss all my loved ones who have passed. 

May 25 - May 31, 2020 Memorial Day and More!

Mon May 25

Today Memorial Day was celebrated. We go up late today. After breakfast we walked the dogs then sat outside. Marsha called and we visited a bit. For lunch we had turkey bacon    and Logan made us pancakes to go with it. We drove up to the Krause Interpretive site and Strawberry Lake Trailhead. At the trailhead, there were some hikers with loose dogs, so we hustled our dogs back to pickup. Everywhere we drive in the forest, we see lots of trees down. Many of them seem very healthy, so we wonder how the wind can bring them down. I know they call them microbursts - but the damage looks like a mini tornado. It rained some after we got home. And we fixed a hamburger and beans for supper. 

Tue May 26

Again, it rained most of the morning. I fixed my hair so I could do the WW Zoom meeting. Tony Powell, our supervisor, called to ask about how the week-end went. I explained that we were pretty busy, but no major problems. We ate lunch and went to town later. We stopped at the container site to get rid of our trash. Next we  went by the forest office to get a new map- but they were working from home. So we will check on that later. Our next stop was the grocery store and then home. We walked the dogs again - this is about 3 times per day. I talked to my sister Pam and she finally received her stimulus money. It came as a debit card and she almost threw it away, thinking it was another credit card offer. But she and JC figured it out. They want to buy a new TV. We went back to town for berries, because why not?  

Wed May 27

We completed our routines this morning and I also did a little banking. We sat outside after our walk, it was a lovely day. Then we had lunch and walked again. We might have worked a nap in somewhere. Later we ate Pizza at Rosa's in town and then returned home. Later we drove to Swan lake and saw the Wildlife Refuge. Next we drove to Porcupine Creek Road and looked at the Mission Mountain Lookout. It can be rented from the forest service (Flathead National Forest, Swan Lake Ranger District). We sat outside and had a small campfire and then went to bed!

Thu May 28

I didn't sleep well last night. So it was 9:00 before I got up. We took a long walk this morning and then sat outside. We had lunch and watched Judge Judy. Logan ran around the loop. We dumped the sewer and guess what, the sewer alarm went off! I texted this info to our boss. Then we were off to town to get a clamp and string filter at the hardware store.While we were in town, we pickup up supper at the Dairy Queen. 

Fri May 29

We did all the usual things this morning, breakfast, fix hair, walk dogs, do the chores. Tony Powell called about the sewer alarm, he said just turn off the breaker and he would check into it later. He is going to Libby camping this weekend. Steve & I went to town and did the laundry, washed the pickup and got lunch at the taco truck. We just took it easy when we got back to the RV. Later we had our supper. Again, the sewer alarm went off, so we turned off the breaker.

 

Sat May 30

We did all the usual things this morning and then sat outside. Echo Lake was packed! We had boaters, floaters, fisherman, swimmers, and all manner of folks here. There were tons of boats, kayaks, canoes and paddle boards. It got up to 84 degrees! While we were sitting outside, we saw the sheriff and a fire truck. Someone 's boat had caught on fire.  They could barely fit the fire truck in here. Anyway the sheriff put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. I think the fireman took a report. Then a different game warden came by. It wasn't our usual guy, it was Chuck. Logan and I visited with him, but he never got out of his truck. He used to work this lake and now he is a sergeant and wants nothing to do with Echo Lake. I told him there were lots of folks here, but most of them were behaving. He agreed and said the main problem was parking.  I also think the sheriff gave a few warning and tickets about parking while he was here. We took a drive in the afternoon and let Logan do some driving on the dirt road. 

Sun May 31

We woke up at 6:00 AM. It was raining really hard. Then I went back to sleep. Later the wind and rain came in hard. The electricity went out at 8:15 AM. Pancakes and turkey bacon were what we had for breakfast. I fired up the generator so we could use our induction plate and microwave. We lost a tree here at the fishing access site.  So after we did our routine chores, Steve sawed part of the tree and we were able to move it out of the main road.  In the afternoon we listened to music outside and the guys chopped wood. For supper we cooked hamburgers and made S'mores over a nice little campfire. Sometime before dark, some guys came by with a chain saw and cut the remainder of the tree and moved it out of the circle drive part of the road.