September 29, 2011 Lazy Day

"Today I don't feel like doin' anything
I just wanna lay in my bed
Don't feel like picking up my phone
So leave a message at the tone
Cuz today I swear I'm not doin' anything" - The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars

I did feel like Bruno Mars today but we have to get from the east side of Glacier to the west side before nightfall so I can't stay in bed all day. So I got up early to take pictures at Bear Creek Ranch. Above is our cabin below are pictures of the ranch.

 We spent most of the morning with Bill Beck and his son and daughter-in-law, Dane & Felicia. Dane whipped up breakfast while we talked about all the places we've all been to. I always enjoy sharing stories with the people we meet on these trips.

Chrissy saying goodbye to her new BFF, Bailey.

 Our first stop was at Marias Pass where there was an interesting triple memorial, one for Theodore Roosevelt, one for "Slippery Bill" Morrison and one for John F. Stevens.

This monument is for Teddy Roosevelt, easily one of our greatest presidents. The reason it exists is because of Mr. Morrison, who was a mountain man that had squatters rights to the land at Marias Pass. Upon his death, he donated the land to the federal government as long as they built a memorial to Teddy Roosevelt. Bill thought he deserved it for all he did to protect America's wild lands. Mr. Stevens helped build the railroad across this part of the country. We also hiked for a little while in two National Forests, the Lewis & Clark NF and the Flathead NF.

Then we drove up a dirt road and started this hike back into Glacier, but we were feeling lazy and the hike was uninspiring so we changed plans and started driving to West Glacier.

 We didn't get very far because I had to stop to check out these railroad avalanche tunnels we kept seeing up on the mountains. While the railroad geek in me forced me to hike up an access road to get some pictures...

 ...Chrissy relaxed along Bear Creek on what was quickly becoming a beautiful day.

 When I got back we both sat there enjoying the fresh air, warmth of the sunshine and the incredible views...

...while fully embracing our lazy day.

 A little further down the road we stopped in the Flathead National Forest...

 Chrissy soaked up the sun on the rocks along the creek...

while I took a short hike up river and crossed over into the forest for a hike.

By the time we stopped at the Goat Lick Overlook, the day was absolutely perfect and Chrissy was rockin' this new fashion style. We didn't see any goats but we did run into the Dead Husbands Club. Let me explain, we kept running into carloads of older women enjoying Glacier NP. So I nicknamed them the Dead Husbands Club. These women killed off their husbands and now are spending their money on these trips they always wanted to take but couldn't. Since there were no goats and Chrissy was thinking about joining the Dead Husbands Club, I said we had to leave to find lunch.

 We had lunch at the Izaak Walton Hotel...

 ...where you can stay in these unique rooms...

...instead of the usual room of four walls and a bed.

After lunch we decided to do a hike in the Great Bear Wilderness. It was listed as an easy hike to Stanton Lake.

But the first mile and a half was uphill the whole way...

...when we got to the lake the trail never seemed to allow good access to the lake and it went in two different directions. So we hiked back to the car.

 We drove to West Glacier and drove the Going To The Sun Road to Avalanche, where the road is closed for construction. On the way back we stopped along McDonald Creek...

 ...for a few photo opportunities...

 ...the sun was beginning to set...

 ...and here is Chrissy soaking up the last of the sun...

...another unintentionally funny sign, at least funny to me.

Chrissy & I have joked about ravens or crows following us on these hiking trips for years. Whenever we hear one 'caawing' above us, we joked they are circling waiting to peck our eyes out. It's just some stupid joke we've continued to repeat. So when I got out of the car to take some pictures of McDonald Lake, this little guy kept following me. He wouldn't leave me alone, so I got down low along side the car to take this picture. Chrissy rolled down the window and said "he's gonna peck your eyes out." So I screamed and jumped up back into Chrissy's view with my hand over my right eye. She couldn't stop laughing.

 McDonald Lake at sunset..

...the end to a perfectly lazy day and yes, that is the same crow that wouldn't leave me alone.