April 6: 4:30 p.m Mountain Time. Fewer and fewer farms in this part of the country. Flat, barren but still a certain beauty. We came through Wolf Point, Montana. Some years back when Maureen was digging for dinosaurs down at Ekalaka, we got off at Wolf Point, rented a car - I think it may be the only rental car in town at that time Vern had rented it from a Ford dealership. We took the drive south to the dig. Ekalaka is a very small town but had a great museum.
We drove out to the dig site, Maureen's friend, Helmut driving. He drove so fast over a rough and rugged track, Vern who felt responsible for the rental car was beside himself. I had to grab his knee several times to keep him from saying something. (Vern drove on the way back) They were digging for Homer Now on display at the Museum in Rockford. They found his collar the day we were there. The dig site was in a huge valley, surrounded by high cliffs. Maureen pointed out that the different striations of rock, all different colors that were different eras from millions of years ago. So cool!
The next morning, we got up early to head back to Wolf Point. Eastern Montana is quite beautiful. Rolling hills, lovely streams. On the way south, we had spotted an interesting outcropping of rocks Maureen had told us that that was Medicine Rock, a spiritual place for Sitting Bull and other Native Americans. We drove in. Medicine Rock is a State Park. There are no waste receptacles, what you take in, you take out. We got out of the car, there was a gaggle of wild turkeys just behind the rocks We stopped there in the early morning air and both of us said almost simultaneously, "I feel the presence of God in this place." It was a good feeling and we could understand how it could be a holy place for peoples for all these centuries. Back to Wolf Point and onto the train and the rest of our journey. I think that was the trip where Vern and I both fell in love with train travel.
8 p.m.; We're in the mountains now, have been for about an hour. All snow covered and it's been snowing off and on. We've gone across some pretty high trestles over a gully with a very clear fast moving stream. Beautiful! Reminded me of Switzerland. Lots of aspens and pines. I sat at dinner with a couple from Australia. This has been an international group on board. We are now at West Glacier. Almost dark, but twilight in the mountains is spectacular.
Mother once said that her Uncle Will told her that when times are good, trains are long. In the Depression, trains were short. I'm guessing we have long trains today because there are fewer runs.
Some thought: I still like traveling this way. Love having a bedroom. This may sound gross, but it's pretty fine to sit on the toilet with the door open, traveling along watching the landscape go by. When we trained the last time, the meals were better. A more extensive menu. No lamb chops this time. Ice cream was served in a dish with a choice of sundae sauce. This time it was a Haagen Das frozen cup put on the table. No one got on from a local Historical Society to talk about the area, maybe because it's Easter week. Missed that.
April 7: Grandson, Stephen picked me up in Spokane and we drove to Couer d'Alene. The train got into the station at 1:45 a.m.
Judy had flown in to Spokane on Friday and went to the Cowboy Ball with Mary, Gregg and friends. This was her first time to Couer d'Alene and she thought it was beautiful. The Larson family lives on a hill overlooking a lake. They are pretty close to Canada so it is very picturesque. Of course, while I was there Lora called to tell me that the police had called her to report the robbery.
One day we drove into Spokane to visit Gonzaga University. The college uses Bing Crosby's boyhood home as a museum and the upstairs for offices. The Student Center houses memorabilia and awards including his Academy Award for 'Going My Way'.
We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant overlooking the falls in Spokane. Early Spring the falls were running wild. We took pictures on my cell phone, if I could figure out how to get them off, I'd add them to the blog. Something new in the IT world to learn, I guess
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