News From McGregor Lake, MT

July in Montana:

Sometimes it's the little things that are special. These three tiny flowers were ever so perfect.

We have been at McGregor Lake RV Resort for a month now. I am really looking forward to moving on Sunday. McGregor Lake is very pretty, but we do not have a view of it, and there is no nearby public lake access. 

I choose this location for the month of July in hope that the weather would be pleasant and that there would be opportunities for us to hike on "easy" trails. The weather has been great, but unfortunately the walks have been far and few between.

The RV park itself is fine. Spaces are level and easy to get into. The spaces are large enough, but we still are quite close to our neighbors. Lots of repellent is required for evening outdoor activities. We were fortunate to get a satellite-friendly site. However there is no cell service other than through the park WiFi, and that has been a bit temperamental.

A few days after arriving, we found a trail on the far west end of the lake that looked promising. In the past it would have been a wonderful hike, but not so this time. The trail was very narrow, rocky, and full of tree roots. I did not take my hiking poles, and for some reason I experienced a bout of vertigo. I think we had gone about a half mile before I had to turn back. It made me very sad. I hope I can do better another time.

Next to the RV park there is a little road that goes to a small lake called "Little McGregor Lake." 

 

There was a short, easy path along one side of it. I am happy to say I did not have any repeat of the vertigo, and had no problems that day.

After we had been at McGregor Lake for a couple of weeks, just hanging out and not doing much, we decided to take a recommended day trip with our Jeep. It was 57 miles back west on Highway 2, to Kootenai Falls Overlook and the Swinging Bridge which are just outside of Libby MT.

The day started out with a bit of rain, but by the time we got to the Falls it had cleared and was beautifully cool. The rain may have also discouraged a few of the others that may have planned a stop there, because when we first arrived the parking lot and trail were quite empty.

The beginning of the trail was what I like, wide and smooth.

 

It did get a bit more rocky further on but was navigable.

The falls were well worth the drive. Quite wild.

The white water tore through the rocks for some distance.

Beautiful!

The Swinging Bridge is a well-constructed one over the Kootenai River. It was originally built to help the Forest Service access the area across the river to help fight forest fires.

It does sway quite a bit.

It was a day when there were fewer people around because of the rain. I wonder what it is like when there are more wanting to go over and back.

We have been over to the city of Kalispell a few times for grocery shopping and picking up prescriptions. We have not talked to many people, and have noticed that mask wearing is very limited even though Montana's vaccine rate is fairly low. I have not been comfortable being indoors with the locals under these circumstances, so we have just kept our masks on and tried to maintain some distance.

 

On Sunday we will hitch up and continue our journey east on US Highway 2. We are only going 46 miles to a resort on Flathead Lake. Hope the weather stays nice.

Eggplant in the corner

 

So... 

Why is there an eggplant in the corner of our bedroom?

Was it a "bad" eggplant and made to take a time out?

Did it escape from a grocery bag?

Is it lost or just shy?

Is it some sort of weird good luck symbol?

None of the above. Eggplants are delicate and should be used within a few days of purchase. They do not do well stored in the refrigerator, and can quickly become over ripe if left out in a warm place. 

We stopped at a grocery a few days ago and I bought enough fresh produce to last a week. All were "top priority" on my meals list. We have no cool, dark storage place in the rig. The bays are not cool in summer, and with the extreme heat we have been having, I have notice that even the insides of my cubboards are hot. My kitchen counter space is very small and always subject to some heat from the windows. I have open wire baskets, next to the table, where I usually store onions and potatoes, that are fine in the winter when it is cold outside, but they are presently against the sunside wall and are a bit warm.

The Alfa has a basement air conditioner and the cool air comes up out of the same vents as the heat from the furnace. Thus, this corner was  the coolest place for my eggplant to rest for a few days. This would not work if we were driving. 

 

We made it safely to McGregor Lakes RV Park, 66 miles west of Glacier, on Thursday. The scenery on US 2 was beautiful. Many different things to see: mountains, wheat fields, rivers, forests, and scrub land. Even the small towns were interesting. The two lane road was smooth and the traffic was light in most places. 

Praise be, the temperatures are a bit cooler. Thursday night there was a short thunderstorm. I was a bit worried about possible lightning-strike fires. Last night we had to close the windows and use a blanket to keep warm in bed.

This 40-space RV park is right on Hwy 2, but we do not hear any traffic. There's not mcuh to hear. The spaces are open enough to get satellite TV, but there is no cell service of any kind. We usually use our Verizon hotspot, but the park does have free Wifi, and so far it has been fine. We were asked not to stream any movies or Zoom. They said that when someone does, it really slows down the internet for everyone else. All it takes is a few selfish people. So far no problems though.

 

Craig took this picture on our walk around the park last night. He noted there were five black and white trailers all in a row. Our spot, more toward the front of the park, is larger.

We will be here for a month.