Park Rangers

 I said goodbye to Paul at the Glacier international Airport in Kalispell, MT 3o minutes from the park entrance.  The airport has the rustic mountain cabin look that befits the area.  I was able to have labs drawn to follow up on my parathyroid surgery 10 minutes further. I was to be on my own for awhile.  Joyce asked me how I felt and I said good but with a bit of an anticipatory lonely feeling.  It was really great to reconnect with him--we had roomed for 2 years during his undergrad/my medical school years.  

That was a work day so meeting (with decent internet connection) kept me busy.  The bathroom faucet started dripping when we connected to "shore" water at the campsite despite my use of a pressure regulator.  When instead I tried the camper water, the pump pressure also caused the drip.  Nuts! I will have to turn the pump off after each use which will be a pain. The front desk gave me some cards of RV repairmen that come to the camp for fixes and I scheduled a recommended one for that afternoon.  

At lunch break I took a quick look and found the dripping stopped if I shut off the cold water supply line.  I could live with that for awhile so I cancelled the appointment.  After work I found a how-to video, called the ACE Hardware 20 minutes away who had the part, and I was able to fix it myself for $25 in parts.  (Yay!)

I ate salmon and wonderful asparagus from the Bear Cafe at the resort (marinate the asparagus in lemon juice, paprika, garlic, onion and salt, then sprinkle more smoked paprika on just before serving).  Turned in early as the next day was a move day.

Thursday, July 13, packed up and headed to St. Mary's Lake Campground this time in East Glacier National Park.  En route, stopped at Goat Lick overview, and saw a family of Mountain Goats.  They were on the far side of the river gorge walking on nearly a 90 degree slope as if it was a sidewalk, so did not get great photos. 

Upon entry into the St. Mary Lake Glacier NP entrance, I met some really nice guys who inspected my boat again for mussels.  They were members of the Blackfeet tribe which extends East of the park and a little into Canada.  There is dispute with the government about where their land ends and the park begins.  

There are ranger talks at 8 PM every evening,  I love the passion and knowledge of these talented people and the way they convey the information.  I always learn so much.  The arrow is pointing to (I think) the Triple Divide mountain.  A continental divide is the place where water falling on one side ends up flowing into the Pacific and on the other side to the Atlantic.  At the triple divide, there is yet another watershed to the Arctic Ocean!  We are very near to Canada here.  

Hannah, the National Park Ranger explaining the Triple Divide

My Backyard for Dinner
St. Mary's Campground, Glacier NP

Friday morning I work and after that went on a 3.5 mile hike around beaver pond loop.  I had my bear spray with me as is advised, and a middle aged couple exiting warned me that they saw a juvenile Grizzly cross the trail up ahead where I was going.  Hmmm...  I actually want to see a grizzly, but there are parameters about how close.  We are encouraged to make noise (talk, sing--apparently "bear bells" which ring from pack movement don't help), carry and know how to use bear spray, and be alert.  You can bet I was alert the whole time!  (Un?)Fortunately I did not see a bear.  Nor did I see a beaver as other other hikers had stated.  Nor a weasel. Nor a moose.  But I talked to people who had--does that count?  I did see the beaver lodge, though, and getting out felt good on my legs.  

Beaver Lodges at Beaver Pond