6/10/2010
Well we are back in the USA in Montana at the Glacier National Park (Dad has this thing about getting to the higheast peaks!!).
We came across the border without any hassels, apparently it can be a bit of a nightmare if you get the wrong customs person who has climbed out of bed on the wrong side. We got bye with a few questions about what foodstuffs we had on board and had to show our passports (naturally) and proof of when we were leaving the USA. After three bottles of spirits at the duty free shop (for us not the customs guy!) we were out of there!
Not too far down the hwy we came across the evidence of a very recent hail storm which had dumped inches of hail on the road for about 5kms - a truck was ahead of us so he had paved the way. Then we turned off the main highway and started up the mountain on a much smaller road to this Glacial park and noticed some dark clouds ahead and as we climed and got to 6,200 feet it started snowing and then really came down heavily. I was a bit nervous as I was thinking of black ice on the road etc and there was heaps of traffic coming the oppisite way (they were all getting out while they could!) - it is a long weekend in both the US & Canada this weekend. Once we got over the pass and started to decend the snow became rain and washed all the icicles off the van! We are now in a campsite with free WIFI and are hooked up to water and power ($54 US/ night!). We paln to take a bus across the top of this national park tomorrow on a road called "Going-to the-Sun Rd" - we are not allowed to take the van as it is too big and this road is pretty narrow and trecherous at times - the woman in the kiosk who took our money for this RV park advised us of a tour bus (run by the Indians) for $64 each - there was a gentlman in the queue behind us who butted in and told us of a free shuttle bus (for hikers) which runs across the same road and stops frequently and there are buses every hour and you can get back on any bus at any time - the only draw back is there is no commentry, I am sure we can make it up as we go along!
We went to a rodeo yesterday which was very exciting and enjoyable - bought tears to my eyes as it bought back memories of my youth - seeing young gilrls of about 11/12 years of age having a ball with horses. Dad has some great action photos which he will send (perhaps he has sent some already?) - the 'Wild Horse Race' was a real battle of man against beast and it was incredible to see these men tackling a wild horse, one trying to hold onto it and blind fold it with their arm, another to put the saddle on and the third to jump on its back (no bridle of course) and ride it around a race track where it simply followed the horses which had escaped from the men trying to mount them. The day was probably pretty representitive of the small rural community (town called Patricia) in Canada - a very warm and hospitable atmosphere. We were ducking for cover from the hot sun about 28oC - what a difference a day makes!
Sounds like the drought has well and truely broken back home - lovely to think of all the water storage being topped up.
We came across the border without any hassels, apparently it can be a bit of a nightmare if you get the wrong customs person who has climbed out of bed on the wrong side. We got bye with a few questions about what foodstuffs we had on board and had to show our passports (naturally) and proof of when we were leaving the USA. After three bottles of spirits at the duty free shop (for us not the customs guy!) we were out of there!
Not too far down the hwy we came across the evidence of a very recent hail storm which had dumped inches of hail on the road for about 5kms - a truck was ahead of us so he had paved the way. Then we turned off the main highway and started up the mountain on a much smaller road to this Glacial park and noticed some dark clouds ahead and as we climed and got to 6,200 feet it started snowing and then really came down heavily. I was a bit nervous as I was thinking of black ice on the road etc and there was heaps of traffic coming the oppisite way (they were all getting out while they could!) - it is a long weekend in both the US & Canada this weekend. Once we got over the pass and started to decend the snow became rain and washed all the icicles off the van! We are now in a campsite with free WIFI and are hooked up to water and power ($54 US/ night!). We paln to take a bus across the top of this national park tomorrow on a road called "Going-to the-Sun Rd" - we are not allowed to take the van as it is too big and this road is pretty narrow and trecherous at times - the woman in the kiosk who took our money for this RV park advised us of a tour bus (run by the Indians) for $64 each - there was a gentlman in the queue behind us who butted in and told us of a free shuttle bus (for hikers) which runs across the same road and stops frequently and there are buses every hour and you can get back on any bus at any time - the only draw back is there is no commentry, I am sure we can make it up as we go along!
We went to a rodeo yesterday which was very exciting and enjoyable - bought tears to my eyes as it bought back memories of my youth - seeing young gilrls of about 11/12 years of age having a ball with horses. Dad has some great action photos which he will send (perhaps he has sent some already?) - the 'Wild Horse Race' was a real battle of man against beast and it was incredible to see these men tackling a wild horse, one trying to hold onto it and blind fold it with their arm, another to put the saddle on and the third to jump on its back (no bridle of course) and ride it around a race track where it simply followed the horses which had escaped from the men trying to mount them. The day was probably pretty representitive of the small rural community (town called Patricia) in Canada - a very warm and hospitable atmosphere. We were ducking for cover from the hot sun about 28oC - what a difference a day makes!
Sounds like the drought has well and truely broken back home - lovely to think of all the water storage being topped up.
Thanks for all your work on our behalf on the blog - looks really good.
Better get some shut eye,
Lots of love,
Mum & Dad
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