Wild West day 34

Continuing on our way toward Glacier National Park, we drove along beside the Mission Mountain Range.  A ways off, but still massive and beautiful.

We made it to Apgar campground in Glacier National Park, the main campground on the west entrance to the park.  Traveling without reservations as we almost always do (hate schedules), we arrived not knowing if we'd find a campsite.  After all, it was the height tourist season for the park.  But, we found an open handicapped site and grabbed it.  We were right next to the toilet building (no showers here).  The park was close quartered and as mentioned, being the height of the season, quite crowded.  But, I forgot to take a picture so you'll have to take my word for it.

Wild West day 33

We left Craters of the Moon pretty much as we'd found it and backtracked to my favorite town, Arco, to catch US Hwy 93 going north.  We followed 93 along the Bitterroot Mountains and camped in another National Forest campground beside the Bitterroot River just south of Conner, Mt.  Many of the campers there were trout fishermen hoping for supper.

I would have like to try my luck at fishing, too, but no tackle and no license.

Wild West day 32

After a great visit, we left Ashton this morning.  Since we had altered our original itinerary to visit Ashton while Tom, Jr. was there, we are backtracking to get up to Glacier National Park.  But, who really wants to backtrack.  So, we're making a big loop and heading west a little ways before we head north.  First stop is Craters of the Moon National Monument.  But, not until my brush with the law in Arco, Id. first.

We're puttering along on US Hwy 20 from Idaho Falls when we come into the little sleepy town of Arco.  There is nothing going on.  Hardly a soul on the street.  I have my GPS on, but as typical I have the nagging gal on it muted.  I approached a light (the only one in town) in the straight through lane when I realized I should turn left at the light.  I quickly checked my mirror and, as I said earlier, there was no one in sight, so I jerked it over to the left turn lane as I entered the intersection and made the left turn.  There was actually less traffic than is shown in the below photo.  The red line shows my approximate path fro right to left.

Almost immediately, I see a cop car turning in behind me.  He flipped on his lights so I pulled over...license, registration..."do you know why I stopped you?"  The guy must have been lonesome.  But, I had to sit there and listen to a 40 something dufus lecture me, a 70 something dufus, on how dangerous a maneuver I had made and that they'd already had six deaths this year...blah, blah, blah. I wanted to ask him if those six deaths had been suicides or if they had had a plague or something, but I bit my tongue and listened intently with my most sincere face showing.  It worked.  He just warned me and let us go on our happy way.

Now, where were we?  Oh yes, making a left turn, obviously improperly, and following US 20 to Craters of the Moon.  The park was less than 20 miles from Arco, so we were there in short order.  We found a campsite and nailed it down then went for a tour of the park.

Here's our campsite.

The park is not all that large, so we were able to tour it before dark.  It's an interesting place.  Even the NASA astronauts thought so, too.  So much so, they used it to simulate walking on the moon.

Those are people walking up that big ash pile.

I sure would hate to have to walk across this stuff.

Wild West day 31

Ashton

Wild West day 30

Ashton

Wild West day 29

Ashton

Wild West day 28

Ashton