June 1- 15, 2026 Getting Into the Swing of Things Here at Echo Lake

1-Mon-We were up at 7:30. After eating breakfast and getting dressed, we walked the dogs around the circle. Next we left for Walmart about 9:20. On our way we saw four deer. Kelly dropped off several life jackets for our loaner program. We got back to the RV by 12:15. We unloaded everything and then watched TV. We rested and relaxed most of the rest of the day. Supper was chicken soup, crackers and berries. 

2-Tue-We were up at 8:00. We did our chores then put out cones by the rocks in the parking lot on the outbound road. People have a tendency to cut the corner short and have problems at the rocks. Kelly was here and then Tony came down. He cut the tree that was blocking Echo Lake Loop Road. I think he wanted out of the office. Steve installed the battery disconnect in the pickup. We put out nine new life jackets. Supper was leftover soup.

Wild Flowers

Tony, left and Kelly. Tony cut that tree out of the road.

Wildflowers

Loaner Lifejackets

3-Wed-We were up about 8:00 today. We did our usual routine. Sydney and Seth were here - they sprayed for weeds. The game warden came out and put the buoy out in the lake for the no wake zone. Steve put jack stands under the RV. We also did weed eating in the morning. We finished our stuff and watched TV and rested. I talked to my sister a long time today. We had hamburgers, french fries and berries for supper. 

4-Thu-We were up at 8:00 this morning. We just walked around the parking lot circle this morning. Steve was waiting for a tele-health visit regarding his back procedure. When that was over, we did weed eating. Next was lunch and relaxation time. Later we hauled off the trash and bought some flowers to put in a pot. Supper was pizza and berries. 

The flower arrangement we made

5-Fri-Another routine day. We had breakfast, did our walk and chores. After eating leftover pizza for lunch we mowed and did some weed eating. 

Wild Roses

6-Sat-We were up about 8:00 AM. We did the chores. Our parking lot was full at 9:30 AM. There was also about 9 cars parked outside the gate. We did make a run to town to haul off the trash. Then we had to go to Sliter's, the UPS store and grocery store. We got back to the RV and Steve installed the headlight switch in the RV. We watched some TV and relaxed. The dust control people were here and put down more chemical for that. Supper was chicken , home fries, romaine lettuce and berries. 

The parking lot is full

More dust control was applied!

Geese

7-Sun-It was pretty routine day here. It rained a lot. We even had some small hail. The temperature was 46-50°, Weather like this does not lend itself to boating, so we were not too busy today. Kelly was here part of the afternoon. Today was my sister Nancy’s heavenly birthday. She would have been 76. She passed away in 2018 unexpectedly. I still miss her. 

For supper I made turkey bacon, eggs, sourdough toast and berries. 

Sundown

8-Mon-It was about 8:30 when I got up today. We did all the regular things. We were sitting inside the RV and a grader and truck from Flathead County pulled into the parking lot. I went to check them out and found they were just taking a break. We left about 11 and hauled off the trash. Then we went on to Kalispell to shop at Tractor Supply ( overalls for Steve) and Dunham Sporting Goods store. We also went to Walmart for supplies. We got home and put away our stuff. Then we had a snack and relaxed. I might have taken a short nap. For supper I fixed Hamburger Helper. 

Flathead County Equipment

Osprey 

Wild Roses

More Wildflowers

9-Tue-We were up and had our breakfast about 8:30. We watched TV til 11ish. It was chilly and rainy today. We checked the bathroom and it was fine. I worked on my blog and we watched TV. Supper was leftover.

10-Wed-We got up about 8:45 today. It was chilly and rainy. We got dressed and got the dogs outside. Then we gathered up the laundry and went to town. We were back to the RV by 1:00. We put away the laundry and had some lunch. We walked the dogs again. For supper I fixed grilled chicken, corn, salad and berries. 

Water is over the dock.

Deer

11-Thu-I got up late today about 9:15. Steve was up at 7:00. We completed our routine morning tasks and took a short walk. Kelly was here and stayed almost two hours. We had a snack and Tony showed up about 30 minutes after Kelly left. He pulled out the dock and left us some 4x4 posts. Steve is going to use them to build steps down to the lake from our site. Supper was turkey kielbasa, home fries, and berries for dessert.

 

It's so pretty out here!

12-Fri-It was a sunny morning and the afternoon was overcast. Steve and I walked around the loop after breakfast. Marsha (my sister in NJ) had an EGD and there was no need for dilation of her esophagus. We did our chores and mowed and weed eated out on the road. After lunch it was overcast and breezy. It rained some. The temperature was 59°. The electricity was out for about 45 minutes this evening. We were glad it came back on quickly! We had cube steak, potatoes, salad and berries for supper.

13-Sat-We completed our morning ritual. After checking the bathroom we walked the loop. Then we sat outside for a bit with the dogs. The mornings here are pretty peaceful. We did some more weed eating by the side of the road. Then Steve sawed down a big brushy plant by the sign. We finished by 11:45. Steve worked on the window shade by the couch. Supper was turkey bacon, eggs, toast, berries.

14-Sun-Well today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday. We trimmed more weeds and Steve took down another big bushy weed on the DNRC side. About 2:30 there was a boat jam out in the parking lot. They finally got unjammed and got on their way. Supper was a turkey burger, rice and mixed vegetables. 

15-Mon-We got up at 7:45. We completed all our chores. Then we loaded the trash and hauled if off. We also went to the post office. The next stop was Walmart and we were back home by 1:15. We put away all our stuff and had a snack. The rest of the day was a bust. Supper was Hamburgers, Ranch Style Beans, salad and berries.

View of the mountains from the trash container site

Sunset at Echo Lake

May 16-31, 2026 Moving North and West and Getting in the Groove

Limon, CO

16-Sat- We got up at 7:00 and had our breakfast, got dressed and walked the dogs. Steve washed the windows. We ran the pickup for 5 minutes. The new pickup is supposed to be started and ran for 5 minutes every 500 miles or daily when being flat-towed. Then we had lot of trouble getting the electronic park braked to disengage. We finally disconnected it totally and drove around the parking lot and started the hooking up process all over. We finally got it to work!. Then we disconnected the utilities, put away the jacks and slides. We got on the road about 10:30 AM. We stopped at Stratford CO and tried to find a battery disconnect. No luck. The air conditioner went off. We got gas in the RV at Loves’ before entering Denver. It took us two hours to get through Denver and on to Wellington, CO where we stopped for the day at 4:00 PM. I made us turkey burgers and beans for supper.

Denver

Wellington CO 

17-Sun-We were up at 8 AM today. It was a bit chilly. We got dressed and walked the dogs after breakfast. Steve put in Lucas transmission treatment. Then we readied the RV to travel. We ran the new pickup 5 minutes. We didn’t have the same trouble as yesterday and got off to a good start about 9:50 AM. We stopped at a rest stop and added more Lucas transmission treatment. We stopped at Casper,WY for gas and a break. Then Steve drove us all the way to Sheridan, WY where we stayed at Peter D’s RV Park.

Carr, WY

Wheatland, WY

Pronghorn

Daffy Duck

Bugs Bunny

Casper, WY

Buffalo, WY

Buffalo, WY

Banner, WY

18-Mon-We got up about 7:30 this morning. We completed our normal routine. Then we ran the pickup 5 minutes. We left Sheridan, Wy and it was COLD! We got gas at Hardin, MT. Steve drove all the way to Butte, MT. We stopped at Walmart for some supplies. We got to the Butte KOA at 5:15 PM. We ordered pizza from Dominos and had it delivered to the RV. It was a long day!

Wyola, MT

It's pretty chilly!

I really like this bridge at Garryowen, MT

Big Timber, MT

Train near Livingston, MT

Near Bozeman, MT

Continental Divide, Homestake Pass just before getting into Butte comming form East to West

Snow on the mountains, Butte, MT

19-Tue-We were awake about 6:30 and got up about 7:00.We stayed under the covers til 8:30 or so. We had a hard time getting the heater to work. It got down pretty cold last night around 27 or 28 degrees. I am not really fond of cold weather RVing! We walked the dogs a minimal amount of time and then had breakfast. We ran the pickup 5 minutes. Then we disconnected the electric, stored the slides and jacks and checked the lights. We left Butte about 10. We stopped at Ferndale to fill the RV with gas. We arrived at Echo Lake about 3:30 PM. We disconnected the pickup and parked the RV. So glad we made it safe with our new pickup. We hooked up the electricity, water and sewer. We had some leaks in the water connection. Steve will deal with that tomorrow. It rained on us some while we were setting up. Supper was leftover pizza.

Love these old barns - Helmville, MT

Seeley Lake, MT

Condon, MT

View of the Swan Mountains from Ferndale, near Bigfork, MT

Echo Lake when we arrived!

20-Wed-We were up at 8:30. We had breakfast and did our chores. Steve worked on the water leaks. It was chilly this morning. He finally got the leaks stopped and we sat outside. We put out our mat. For lunch we had turkey bacon and eggs. Tony and Kelly were here from 2:00 to 2:45, then we went back inside. It was a rainy afternoon. We watched TV and relaxed. For supper we had sirloin burger soup and bread.

21-Thu-We were up at 8 or so. It was chilly. We walked a bit and then did our chores. We left for Walmart in Kalispell at 9:45. We filled our new pickup with gas and then went to Walmart. I got to drive the new pickup back to the RV. Kelly brought us the lawnmower and visited. I took a nap. Later I made cube steak, french fries and berries for supper. Things we do to get set up over the course of a few days: Water leaks, hose reel, string filter, patio mat, rope perimeter, chairs out, trail camera, speed bump, cone at rocks in parking lot, life jackets, mow, weed eat, water in fresh water tank, hand eye wash station (new this year).

We hit 500 miles on our new pickup today.

near Echo Lake

The Osprey Nest and people having fun!

22-Fri-We completed our usual chores. Then we put up our trail camera, and the perimeter rope. We got the speed bump in the correct spot by using the pickup to pull it into place. It was too heavy for us to move. Kelly delivered us a case of paper towels and our park sticker. The park sticker will let us into Montana State Parks for free! Yea! We also had two more visitors, Sydney (the seasonal girl from 2 years ago, now has a permanent job) and Lydia (a new girl). We did some mowing on the triangle near the entrance. 

23-Sat-We were up at 8:30 or 9:00. We did our walk and cleaned the bathroom and picked up trash in the parking lot. Then we sat outside. We had some lunch at 1:30. I check the parking lot  quite often. Steve put in the eye wash station. We watched TV and kept our eye on the parking lot. We had leftover chili for supper. 

24-Sun-I was up at 9 and Steve woke up early at 6:30. We completed our routine tasks. We monitored the lot. Then we noticed a horrible ammonia smell fro the RV refrigerator. So the RV refrigerator is dead! Steve researched and measured the opening. I was in the lot about an hour. I called Tony about 2:30 and told him our problem with the refrigerator. I told we had to go to Kalispell to get a new refrigerator. Off we went. Lowes was supposed to have one that fit, they did not. No big surprise! The sent us to Fred’s Appliance, Then did not have anything that would fit either. Next we tried Walmart - no luck. Our last stop was at Home Depot and we got lucky and found a residential refrigerator that would fit in our spot. So we bought it and got it loaded in the pickup and strapped down. Then we returned to the RV. We unloaded it and plugged it in so it would get cold. Then we moved our stuff into it. Steve worked his butt off trying to get the old RV Refrigerator out. It had a lip that he could not get it over. He finally got it and we slid it out the door on a piece of cardboard. That ammonia smell is nothing to take for granted. It will burn your eyes and nose, even down your throat if you are not careful. We used masks and safety goggles. 

Steve got the new refrigerator tied into the back of the pickup

Out with the old refrigerator!

Old refrigerator in front, New refrigerator in the back

25-Mon-Happy Memorial Day! I got up about 8:30, Steve was up at 6:00. We did our routine chores and then got the dogs situated in their crates outside. Then we figured out how we were going to get the new refrigerator inside. We had to use blocks to get it up high enough to fit in the hole. But Steve figured it out.Anyway it took us until about 12:30 to get that done. We moved food out and back in the new one. By the time we finished that the people were parked on the wrong side of the road on the outside of the gate. I took pictures and let our boss know. Anyway I guess there were no complaints so we survived the holiday OK. We sat outside til about 3 PM. It was a very busy day. Supper was eggs, Canadian bacon and toast.

We are busy! The parking lot is full!

Sunset at Echo Lake

26-Tue-We got up about 8:30. We  did all the routine things. Then we loaded the trash and laundry in the pickup. We stopped at Sliter's for a propane plug. Then we completed the laundry and went by Harvest Foods for some items. We had lunch at home, and put away our laundry. The dust control truck was here. I had him talk to Tony about where he was supposed to put it down. He did a good job. Supper was Slimfast and a protein bar.

Dust Control has been applied

The new refrigerator installed!

27-Wed-Pretty much another routine day. Steve worked trying to secure our new refrigerator in its spot. I paid some bills and putzed. Supper was a turkey cheese sandwich, chips, pudding and a fiber one brownie.

Wild Roses, they smell so good!

Geese

28-Thu-We were up at 8. We had breakfast, made the bed and walked to the mailboxes on La Brant Road. We did mowing and weed eating down by the parking lot. At 11:20 the electricity went out. It came back on at 5 PM. About 4 PM I was dizzy when I came in from outside. I think I got too hot. My face was flushed. I drank some water and ate some salty stuff and got better. For supper we had chicken meatballs (from Costco), rice, mixed vegetables and berries. The electricity went back out at 10:15 PM. It was stormy with lightning. 

29-Fri-I got up at 8:00 Steve was up since 5:30!. We did our routine things. The bathroom was clean, so we did not have to work on it. Steve had an upset stomach so not much walking. We went to Bigfork and stopped at Sliter's Hardware and Harvest Food. Steve worked some more on getting the refrigerator secure. I talked to Marsha and took a short nap. We had another storm at 6:15 PM. Supper was Kielbasa, home fries and berries.

30-Sat-We got up at 8:00. We completed our routine tasks. Then we sat outside and putzed around til 11:30. The game warden came by about 11:30. Steve removed the doors from the bad refrigerator and we took the vinyl topper off the pickup. We were then able to load the refrigerator in the pickup and haul it off at the container site. We let the dogs ride along. It rained about 4 PM. We watched the OKC Thunder get beat by the San Antonio spurs. The Thunder will not be the NBA champions this year. Supper was leftovers.

small flowers by the big rock

The big tree that came down

Buster riding in the back seat of the new pickup. The console prevents the dogs from riding up front.

31-Sun-I got up at 8:45 and we completed our chores. It basically rained all day. We got the dogs outside off and on. Steve mashed his finger on a folding chair. So I told him to lay down and rest. Kelly was here and she and I sat in the pickup and explored Sirius XM. It is fun having all these nifty items in our new pickup. I made chicken vegetable soup for supper.