We're Back!

Well, we're back and we 'escaped' Montana just before freezing and snow hit the Lincoln area. I had a great time with Karen. Camping with my sweetheart in such beautiful country is fun and relaxing, not that we have anything all that stressful to relax 'from' now that we're retired in Roseburg OR! We enjoy nature and we saw a lot of it ... some a little too close for comfort!

We got to spend time with Son Matt and his wife, Heather, both at our first campground (Trout Creek near Superior MT) and for a couple of days at their house in Coeur d'Alene ID. It was our first opportunity to check out their new (first!) home, a beautiful house and property short blocks from beautiful Coeur d'Alene Lake! (I admit to being a bit jealous!)

Trout Creek campground is where we had a close encounter with a brown bear in our campsite. I was about 14 feet from him when I first noticed him and a few minutes later I got a close-up look at him from about a foot (through the trailer window). Don't care to be closer to a bear than that! FYI, according to a forest service expert, if you want to scare off a black or brown bear carry a soda can with coins in it to rattle at the bear.

Karen and I spent one week in the Trout Creek campground followed by three weeks in the Aspen Grove campground near Lincoln MT. We arrived at Aspen Grove the day they stopped collecting camping fees so our accommodations cost zero there. They turned off the main water faucets but that campground has a well (hand) pump that stays available and they kept the garbage and vault toilets open. Therefore we didn't have to 'dry camp' ... had all the amenities available that we needed to have a wonderful time. And the weather cooperated ... too well in fact for fishing. I had a really sweet time with Karen and we were sad to leave Aspen Grove a couple days early but snow was imminent so we didn't have much choice.

We saw lots of beautiful MT scenery on various 'scenic tours' and had lots of fun just spending time together playing cards ... even took in two Lincoln High School football games. Karen and I enjoy scenic tours so much ... we're so fortunate to live in this country and have such natural beauty to appreciate up close. Saw lots of wildlife which is always fun. Then we left MT just as Fall colors were setting in. While we didn't get to see the colors at their peak it was still a good display to appreciate.

For most of our time there the temps were well above normal (92 degrees on the Missouri River one day ... very warm for mid-September!) which made for lazy trout not too interested in taking the flies I tossed their way. I got to add six(!) new rivers to my list of MT rivers fished: Clark Fork, Fish Creek, Blackfoot, North Fork Blackfoot, Dearborne, and Sun River. Fished the Missouri previously.

Got Matt out on two fly fishing float trips alone with me for the first time. We had such a good time together ... soooo sweet! I love my sons and value every opportunity to spend time with them and get to know them better as adults. The fishing trip was fun for both of us but, for me, it was 'just' an excuse to spend time with Matt. I had a great time with Heather too while Karen and I stayed at their house. What a cool young lady she is! Smart, responsible, compassionate, and beautiful inside and out. She certainly blesses us. Can't close without mentioning fun time with their pup, Johnny Cash, a cute and energetic Boston Terrier.

It was a terrific trip. We're already looking forward to our next adventure in God's great outdoors!