Jo & Phil take a Vacation?

    2004 is the bicentennial of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and we felt drawn to somehow retracing some of the route.  One thing led to another, and we decided to visit Montana.  Coincidentally, our forester at the farm in New Hampshire, Jack Wadsworth, knew Karen at Montana Bunkhouses, who arranged for us to spend 4 delightful days at the Cooney Brothers Ranch, one of the "Bunkhouses."  Leta and Leah were delightful hosts showing us around the ranch!
    This was one of the nicest places we've ever been with some of the nicest people we've been with!  We saw deer, antelope, eagles, badgers, rabbits at the ranch, bears in the Crazy Mts., and elk & bison in Yellowstone

                                 (at the star in the map above)
 cooney ranch
Ranch Photos
   We really enjoyed just sitting on the front porch and watching for deer and birds, but we also did some hiking in the Crazy Mountains nearby.  Big Timber Creek was wonderful.
 water
 Crazy Mt. Photos
 
 We met Karen & Rick from Montana Bunkhouses in nearby Big Timber
 bigtimber
Big Timber photos
   Finally, Yellowstone National Park was super.  Lots of tourists (like us), but it was still enjoyable, albeit brief.
 summer falls
Summer 04      Fall 02
We drove from Yellowstone and ended in Missoula.  We stopped at Three Forks, where the Corps of Discovery camped for an extended time.  We saw an osprey dive for and get a fish while we were there.  Peter & Jen could have stayed all day, but we had to push on to Missoula where we said goodby after a terrific summer.
 train
Three Forks
photoCooney Ranch, courtesy of Peter Harland

photoYellowstone, courtesty of Peter Harland

photoMontana to Portland, Ore, courtesy of Peter Harland