Still enjoying Glacier!

This is one of the locals. You can usually find him or his friends hanging around Logan Pass.

Some of the views here will just take your breath away!

Lord O Mercy! And to think I drove to Marfa, Texas to see their mystery lights and all I really had to do was come to Glacier! Those guys that photograph the orbs on the TV ghost shows got nothin' on me!

Okay, this one is not from Glacier. It's kind of weird. I feel like I've been on this road before!

I just checked the weather for the upcoming week. The highs are predicted to be around 80 degrees and the nighttime lows are going to range from 45 to 50. I never thought I'd be using my furnace in July but I am.

I've been in Columbia Falls, just outside of Glacier National Park, for a little over a week and have enjoyed it tremendously. I've made several trips into the park at different times of day and have gathered a lot of subject matter for future paintings. My ol' trusty camera has taken a turn for the worse, though. I've talked with a camera repair shop and they seem to think it's an issue with the software (they call it firmware) in the camera. I tried to download the "fix" but my computer skills, or lack of them, prevented me from getting the job done. So, once again, I got in touch with my nephew, Ron the photographer, and we have taken care of the problem. It seems that real photographers have cameras just laying around that they aren't using. I talked him into selling me one of his spares and my new camera is now on it's way to Montana. Thanks, Ron! The check is in the mail!

While I'm having some downtime waiting on my new camera, I've been taking care of some other business. I've stretched canvases for paintings that I'm going to put in the Tulsa Gilcrease Museum's "Collectors' Reserve" show, which opens in October and have also varnished three Big Bend pieces that I'm getting ready to ship to the Whistle Pik Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas. I have also just completed my first painting of Glacier National Park. Oh, I may have taken a nap or two during my downtime also!

Until next time!

Glacier National Park!

Lake McDonald, which is just inside the west entrance into the park. 

McDonald Falls, on the northeast end of the lake. 

Hmmm. I must be gettin' old. I can't remember the name of the distant waterfall.

A tiny segment of the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

I shot this when I was on top of Logan Pass. Logan Pass is at elevation 6,646 feet.

I'm at Glacier National Park in Montana and it is beautiful! The weather is perfect and the scenery is spectacular! I've driven a lot of miles to get here but it has been worth it. I am not disappointed. This is a location that you have to put on your bucket list of places to visit.

By the time I arrived in Columbia Falls, it was late afternoon.  I got my trailer leveled and the utilities hooked-up and decided to make a quick run into the park to see what I could find. The sun sets late here so I still had several hours of daylight. I entered the park at West Glacier and took the Going-to-the-Sun Road up to Logan Pass before I decided it was time to turn around and head home. Just as a side note, when I first saw the name of the road, I thought it was kind of silly. But after driving on it, I understand how it got it's name. The road goes up and up and up and up!!! When I'd find a place to pull over and take pictures, I'd look ahead and see the road continuing upwards as far as I could see. But let me tell ya, the road is very narrow in places, enough so until I thought I might lose the mirrors on my truck. So far, so good. I still have my mirrors!

Until next time!

Along the way!

My first view of Scott's Bluff National Monument.

Overlooking the North Platte River.

This is just to the west of Scott's Bluff National Monument.

Sunset. 

Once again, I'm having to play catch-up. I've put quite a few miles behind me since my last post and have taken lots of pictures since then. After leaving the Texas hill country, I stopped in the Texas panhandle to visit my brother who is ill, and my sister who is there helping to take care of him. I spent 15 days there but finally hitched-up in early July and started making my way to Montana. I spent my first night on the road in Oakley, Kansas, but didn't take any pictures there. The next day, I made my way to Sidney, Nebraska, where I would spend the next two nights.

Being in Sidney, I wasn't far from Scott's Bluff National Monument but wasn't sure I wanted to make the drive. It was about 50 miles away but I'd already spent plenty of time in the driver's seat of my F-250 and the thought of just having a lazy day appealed to me. But the chance to see new country and possibly find new subjects to paint finally won out...and I'm glad it did.

Even though Scott's Bluff is a relatively small park, it is very scenic. The road from the visitor's center to the top of the bluff is only one and a half miles long but I passed thru 3 tunnels on the way. Once at the top, I was impressed with the view. The bluff is located in the middle of the plains, so being on top of the 800 foot tall monument allowed me to see for miles and miles and miles. Looking to the east, the city of Scott's Bluff was the backdrop which, in my opinion, detracted from the view...but that's just me. The views to the south and west were beautiful!

After leaving Sidney, I spent the next night in Casper, Wyoming. I was only there one night and didn't bother unhitching. The next morning, I headed out with Montana in my sights!

Until next time!