Friday, July 01, 2016

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is what the guys called it because that came to mind before Kalispell.  We went there in search of a Cosco and a Walmart.  US 2 took us (in Brock and Leola's truck) from East Glacier Park Village south west and north west around the end of and through part of Glacier National Park, then south west again to the city of Kalispell.  The 160 mile ride took us two hours each way.  Kalispell is the closest city with all of the national big box stores and national chain restaurants.  It is the norm around here for a once-a-month stocking-up trip. We could have shopped closer to home but we wanted to see more of Montana.  The scenery in the Flathead Range and Flathead National Forest was not as spectacular as that in Glacier National Park, but it was just as beautiful.





Our river companion on this trip was the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.  Like the rivers in the National Park, the Flathead is a glacial snow melt river of beautiful turqoise and sea green clear, cold water. 

Kalispell, (pop.20,000) is spread out in an upland valley surrounded by mountains on all sides.  We were able to find our stores without any problem, and even found an rv store for a 50-30 amp adapter.

Beautiful over-sized metal sculptor.

 This could look very good in your yard.  Think about it--it's for sale!


I captured this bored looking mule to comment about how unsafe it is for its head to be out the window.  When I selected the picture I noticed the printing and got curious.  Wikipedia informed me that Skijoring is a winter sport where a person on short skis is pulled by dog or dogs, a horse or by motorized vehicle.  The work is Norwegian meaning ski driving.  When using dogs the person wears a belt with a rope attached to the sled-dog harnessed dog.  The skier carries poles and steers the dog by voice commands.  When using a horse, the skier wears no belt and holds onto a tow rope (similar to a water skier) attached somewhere on the saddle or breaststrap on the horse, which is guided by a rider.  Since 2009 the World Championships have been held in Whitefish, Montana during its Winter Carnival.

Sorry about the color quality.  I was sitting in the back seat shooting out the windshield.  Not all that bad considering.  I wanted to show the luxurious new growth of trees after a burn.

Last view of the Flathead, deep blue in the afternoon sun.

See you tomorrow,

Louise and Duane