What is more “western” than the mountains? Oh, we’ve been in the mountains … covered with trees so deep and green that they look like new carpet has been laid. It’s now time to live in the high mountains, with snow patches within reach … with freezing cold, crystal clear waters tumbling down to the creeks and rivers below.
Above is our homesite for the next little while … and below is the view as we ride up and up …
… into glacier country!
The air is clear … the sun is warm … the breezes cool. Perfect hiking weather it is. Perfect contemplation weather it is. Perfect thankfulness weather it is.
And perfect weather to watch the locals graze. Whatta life! This guy pictured below is wearing a collar, but we met others who were collar free … and some wearing collars with an antenna! Maybe they just want to hear their own music??? Maybe they’re awaiting directions on where to pose for hikers like us???
Icy cold water … snow to put on the back of your neck to cool off … crystal clear streams to dangle toasty bare feet … this is livin’!
And the “backyard vistas”, not far from your tiny home, are exquisite indeed!
Evenings are passed at lower elevations … lakeside, in the forest, along the streams. There are warnings to be wary of bears … both Grizzly and Black. They look fuzzy and cute; their fur is thick and soft; but they’re not very social – at least as far as humans are concerned.
From our site, we hear the rhythm of human campers setting up, gathering and taking down … and we enjoy the view …
Back to the bears … if there are bears around, and this is Montana, there must be something else around too! Yes?
Huckleberries! And, if there are huckleberries in abundance, there must be something else as well!
Indeed, homemade huckleberry pies, huckleberry ice cream, huckleberry pancakes, and on and on! Yay!
Tortuga can only say: “Go West, young man, go West. There is health in the country, and room away from our crowds of idlers and imbeciles.”
~~ reported conversation between Horace Greeley and Josiah Bushnell Grinnell in 1833(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_West,_young_man)
Traveling Tortuga 