Vacation, part 2

Arrived at our relatives without any issue, just a lot of driving. It is nice to see them again. Uncle Tom is very "Montantian," meaning he likes to complain about the tourists. Aunt Diane is looking older. Not in a bad way, and I'm sure that mom and dad look old now too, its just that I don't see these relatives much. Our cousin Kyle is looking very tall and grown up. Big change there. There was a fire in Glacier park the night we arrived, so the valley was filled with smoke before too long.

Tuesday we got up early and drove to Glacier for a nice day hike. We went a total of 12 miles but the sun was mostly behind the clouds so we didn't get over heated. At about mile 7 we decided to take a side trail and go up to the top of a pass so we could look at the other side of the park. It was much steeper and I wasn't sure that it was worth it until we got there. Very beautiful. It's days like that when I wish I had more time for my hobbies. We continued on after the unscheduled 2 hour jont and in the next valley we heard some high pitch barking. We figured out it was coyotes, probably hunting. Not too much later we heard a grizzly bear in the same area. It sounded like it was fighting with the coyotes over a kill. Kinda scary and since I was leading, I picked up the pace. On the last leg we got rained on and very wet. No one got hurt though, so all in all, it was a good day. Tired now and waiting for the laundry to finish before bed.

To beat the rush of campers we got up way too early and headed into Glacier Park to see about an overnight camp site. There weren't a lot left, one with "a lot of bear activity" and one that was quiet remote. We chose the remote one. We drove 22 miles before the Canadian border and then hiked six miles. A short way down the trail we saw some bear shit (which is blue around here from all of the huckleberries they eat) so I followed the directions we got from the rangers and started to clap. I clapped for six miles. Also to help keep the bears away we talked. Laura is good at that and decided that we all needed Indian names. She was "Babbles-like-brook" (or "Fishes-for-sympathy," as Rob suggested). Rob was "Runs-like-the-wind" (or "Feet-like-skunk"). It wasn't before long that we had to put him in the back of the group to keep him with the party. It was like hiking with Scott again. I was "Cautious-like-deer"--from all the clapping and worrying about the bears--or "Suffers-in-silence."

The trip was pretty, but lots of work, as hiking can be. It took us two and a half hours to go the six miles with 800 feet of elevation gain. At the lake we just chilled out, napped a bit, wadded in the water (it was too rocky to swim) and relaxed. At about four o'clock my sister realized that they had forgotten the polls for their tent in the car. Rob got a resigned look on his face, put his shoes back on, and headed back. We tried to decide if we could jury-rig it with a rope but he said he wanted to run the 12 miles. He was guessing it would take him like 2 hours. That seemed short to me, and when he had been gone for two and a half and it started to rain Laura got worried. We put up my tent and got all of the stuff out of the rain and waited for him. Laura got more and more worried but he finally showed up--and he wasn't mad. He half blamed himself for it and now they are up at a hotel in the park by themselves and he has proposed to her, I bet. He said he was going to on this trip, just so I'd know about it.

After dropping them off there I drove the two and a half hours back to uncle Tom's, expecting to pick them up and take them out to dinner, as a thank you for letting us stay. Dinner was already on the table and Kyle and his fiancé were there. We ate and I told about the hiking trip. Then Kyle and I hit the bars in Whitefish, played shuffle board and had a few drinks. And talked a lot, he's a good guy. Today we are picking Laura and Rob up at the park (they are taking a shuttle back to the close end) and going rafting with Kyle as our guide. Hopefully tonight I can take Tom and Diane, and everyone else, out for dinner.

Got up on time and picked up Laura and Rob (who are engaged now) on time and headed off to the middle fork of the river for a day of rafting. Kyle's friend Mark came with us, which was good since then we had two people who knew what they were doing and a second truck. Dropped one truck off at the end point and drove the other to the entering spot. It was kinda cold and windy, but lots of fun. I drank a lot of beer, almost lost a sandal (which Kyle dove in and got back for me) and got wet. After about four hours we were done and tired. Then the entire party went out for dinner at a restaurant on Flathead lake. It was nice but we got rained out and had to move inside. The food was awesome, but I'm mad at Rob for garbing the check before I could. He got to propose and join the family and all, least he could let me do was pay for dinner. It's not like I'm ever going to be able to do something big and momentous like that. Feeling a bit down now, surrounded by too many couples. Looking forward to the superficial gay life style I've been living lately.

Tuesday I should be driving back to Madison in time to get my gym membership, a new phone that can text message and to play volleyball.

All in all, it's been a goof trip.

Vacation, part 2

Arrived at our relatives without any issue, just a lot of driving. It is nice to see them again. Uncle Tom is very "Montantian," meaning he likes to complain about the tourists. Aunt Diane is looking older. Not in a bad way, and I'm sure that mom and dad look old now too, its just that I don't see these relatives much. Our cousin Kyle is looking very tall and grown up. Big change there. There was a fire in Glacier park the night we arrived, so the valley was filled with smoke before too long.

Tuesday we got up early and drove to Glacier for a nice day hike. We went a total of 12 miles but the sun was mostly behind the clouds so we didn't get over heated. At about mile 7 we decided to take a side trail and go up to the top of a pass so we could look at the other side of the park. It was much steeper and I wasn't sure that it was worth it until we got there. Very beautiful. It's days like that when I wish I had more time for my hobbies. We continued on after the unscheduled 2 hour jont and in the next valley we heard some high pitch barking. We figured out it was coyotes, probably hunting. Not too much later we heard a grizzly bear in the same area. It sounded like it was fighting with the coyotes over a kill. Kinda scary and since I was leading, I picked up the pace. On the last leg we got rained on and very wet. No one got hurt though, so all in all, it was a good day. Tired now and waiting for the laundry to finish before bed.

To beat the rush of campers we got up way too early and headed into Glacier Park to see about an overnight camp site. There weren't a lot left, one with "a lot of bear activity" and one that was quiet remote. We chose the remote one. We drove 22 miles before the Canadian border and then hiked six miles. A short way down the trail we saw some bear shit (which is blue around here from all of the huckleberries they eat) so I followed the directions we got from the rangers and started to clap. I clapped for six miles. Also to help keep the bears away we talked. Laura is good at that and decided that we all needed Indian names. She was "Babbles-like-brook" (or "Fishes-for-sympathy," as Rob suggested). Rob was "Runs-like-the-wind" (or "Feet-like-skunk"). It wasn't before long that we had to put him in the back of the group to keep him with the party. It was like hiking with Scott again. I was "Cautious-like-deer"--from all the clapping and worrying about the bears--or "Suffers-in-silence."

The trip was pretty, but lots of work, as hiking can be. It took us two and a half hours to go the six miles with 800 feet of elevation gain. At the lake we just chilled out, napped a bit, wadded in the water (it was too rocky to swim) and relaxed. At about four o'clock my sister realized that they had forgotten the polls for their tent in the car. Rob got a resigned look on his face, put his shoes back on, and headed back. We tried to decide if we could jury-rig it with a rope but he said he wanted to run the 12 miles. He was guessing it would take him like 2 hours. That seemed short to me, and when he had been gone for two and a half and it started to rain Laura got worried. We put up my tent and got all of the stuff out of the rain and waited for him. Laura got more and more worried but he finally showed up--and he wasn't mad. He half blamed himself for it and now they are up at a hotel in the park by themselves and he has proposed to her, I bet. He said he was going to on this trip, just so I'd know about it.

After dropping them off there I drove the two and a half hours back to uncle Tom's, expecting to pick them up and take them out to dinner, as a thank you for letting us stay. Dinner was already on the table and Kyle and his fiancé were there. We ate and I told about the hiking trip. Then Kyle and I hit the bars in Whitefish, played shuffle board and had a few drinks. And talked a lot, he's a good guy. Today we are picking Laura and Rob up at the park (they are taking a shuttle back to the close end) and going rafting with Kyle as our guide. Hopefully tonight I can take Tom and Diane, and everyone else, out for dinner.

Got up on time and picked up Laura and Rob (who are engaged now) on time and headed off to the middle fork of the river for a day of rafting. Kyle's friend Mark came with us, which was good since then we had two people who knew what they were doing and a second truck. Dropped one truck off at the end point and drove the other to the entering spot. It was kinda cold and windy, but lots of fun. I drank a lot of beer, almost lost a sandal (which Kyle dove in and got back for me) and got wet. After about four hours we were done and tired. Then the entire party went out for dinner at a restaurant on Flathead lake. It was nice but we got rained out and had to move inside. The food was awesome, but I'm mad at Rob for garbing the check before I could. He got to propose and join the family and all, least he could let me do was pay for dinner. It's not like I'm ever going to be able to do something big and momentous like that. Feeling a bit down now, surrounded by too many couples. Looking forward to the superficial gay life style I've been living lately.

Tuesday I should be driving back to Madison in time to get my gym membership, a new phone that can text message and to play volleyball.

All in all, it's been a goof trip.

(no subject)

Am home a day early, but shhhh, dont' tell work.

I saw the world's largets statue of a cow, a sand hill crane and a bison. I also drove 12 hours. Bed now, relaxing tomorrow, work Wednesday.

I think exarian can last one more day.

(no subject)

Am home a day early, but shhhh, dont' tell work.

I saw the world's largets statue of a cow, a sand hill crane and a bison. I also drove 12 hours. Bed now, relaxing tomorrow, work Wednesday.

I think exarian can last one more day.