Day 4 - March 8, 2016 - Stephanie

SKI DAY!  Wheee!!!  Started out with butterflies in my stomach, it's been about 4 years since I last skiied.  We got our skis and headed out to the slopes.  Said bye to Kevin as he made his way to the bunny slope and I headed to the first chair lift.  All my pics today are from my phone and sorry about all the selfies.  Got to the top and realized I'd already lost my trail map.  Took a chance on one of the trails and ended up safely at the bottom.  Went over to see Kevin and took a ride up the little "escalator" for the bunny slope (I never have been on one of these, started out with the rope that pulls you up the hill).  Was a bit embarrassed as I almost landed on my face when I got on this thing.  Thankfully I didn't fall!  Met Kevin's new friend "Bob", ski instructor extraordinaire.  He was quite the talker but gave Kevin excellent pointers and I learned a few things from him also that helped me out later the afternoon.  Did the bunny slope with Kevin and we ventured over to the Magic Carpet.  I started to video Kevin but due to the language gushing out of him with each fall, I turned it off.  :)   I have to say that I'm very proud of him - his last run on the Magic Carpet was a HUGE improvement from the first one without any falls at all!  He could be a good skier if we did it more than once every 4-5 years. 

After the first run on the Magic Carpet with him we again went our own ways.  I got another trail map, thanks to Bob, and figured out how to make it to the top of the Mountain - Beartooth!  Started to take the Outer Boundary trail.  Noticed the hand made sign a bit too late but I did catch "This is no longer an intermediate trail!  Thin ice and you WILL hit rocks and other things.  Suggest you now go this way".  Too late.  I was committed, thinking "how bad could this be?"  Well, it was BAD!  Ended up being Double Black Diamond, per Bob as I was told later.  It was a bad sign also when I didn't see any other ski marks on the trail, but did see animal tracks.  Yep, hit rocks, ice, roots, and the ultimate no-no for me - moguls!  (OH NO!!!).  It was slow going, but made it with no mishaps.  A few more high altitude runs then, Lunch time with Kevin! 

After lunch I entertained the idea of taking my nice Sony camera up the slopes with me.  Good thing I didn't.  I made a few more successful runs, then as the shadows lengthened started to hit more and more ice.  As I was going down a new run, I kept gaining speed and right before IT happened, I thought to myself  "I should really slow down a bit".  Too late.  Hit huge ice field at mach speed (felt like!), made the mistake of putting my right pole down, which caught in the ice, which then caught the edge of my right ski.  Mid-air tumble initially, with 4 more flipping end over end tumbles ensuing.  The others that witnessed it rushed to my side as I managed to stand up, asking if I was OK.  I was.  One of them brought me my left ski that I'd lost.  They then told me I had been given a rating of 9.5/10 and I would have been given a perfect 10 had I kept both skis on.  Of course I didn't learn anything and had to do that run another 3 times - just to prove I could.  I did.  That was my only fall for the day.  Yay!

Met Kevin for his final Magic Carpet run - which was a perfect run for him!  Then he turned his equipment in while I did more high altitude runs.  Hated for the day to end.  But yet another great day in Montana!
 

March 7, 2016 Day 3 - Stephanie

On our way to Cody to see the Buffalo Bill Museum.  Kevin was the first one to start the "How many" game.  I hadn't thought about it because it was not the best day, I thought, for birds.  Strike against me, home run for Kevin.  We saw Red Tailed Hawks, Rough Legged Hawk (1 or 2, not sure since they were all hanging out together with some Ravens over a poor little dead bunny).  Anyway, we were side tracked from an Historical Site marker for a School of some sort by the bird activity.  Got some photos of them, totally forgot about the school, so don't have a clue what it was. 

Next stop was for a Golden Hawk up on a utility pole.  Mr. Adventurous climbed through the fencing to get a closer look.  I however, and probably for the first time, was the "good" one and stayed outside the fence to get my photos.  I was surprised how close Kevin was able to get to the Eagle before it finally took flight.  Massive and beautiful bird!

Almost to the museum when we passed by Heart Mountain, what I call the Japanese Concentration Camp.  Sad place.  But a little rabbit made it better and I was able to get within about 5' of it and snap some photos.  Kevin said it was my boots he was relating to (Sorel faux fur boots, or at least I hope they are faux).  Right after leaving the "Camp" we passed some little "structures" that were falling down.  Neither if us knows what they are, and people at the museum had no idea either.  Possible "shrines" on top of graves?  They were on private property adjacent to Heart Mountain so we weren't able to investigate further, just a few photos.  So if anyone knows what they are, do tell!

Finally made it to the museum.  I tagged along (I'm not really a museum type of person) and it was depressing to see all the stuffed animals and see the videos of poor little baby animals being hunted and killed by bears and wolves (yeah, I know, they all have to do what they must to survive, but I'd rather not have to see it)  THEN!!, what I'd come for - the Great Horned Owl and the little American Kestrel were brought out for "Relaxing with the Raptors",  I was in heaven!  Both birds had injuries that would not allow them to survive in the wild, Owl had a right wing injury and could not fly, Kestrel had a right eye injury that would have prevented him from being able to catch food, but he could fly, which he attempted a few times during the presentation. 

After that we did the scenic St. Joseph Chief Highway, up to the top, and then down for several miles before we turned back.  I believe you can take that Highway all the way to Clark, but due to winter, the road was closed at some point.  Would love to go back and do that one on the motorcycle!  Actually, there are a lot of roads in Montana I want to go back and do on the motorcycle.

Off to see the Smith Mansion.  Unfinished log cabin and now current owners are asking for donations so they can complete it.  But they don't want you near with.  I'd be more willing to give a donation if I could have at least gotten within 1/4 mile of it.

Back to Red Lodge after that.  Deer, Mule Deer, and some Elk Everywhere!!   It was a long day, but a wonderful day. 

Rough Legged Hawk

Rough Legged Hawk

Golden Eagle

Dried Thistle

Have no idea!

Heart Mountain - Hospital and Incinerator

Old electric at Heart Mountain

My Buddy the Bunny at Heart Mountain

  

Great Horned Owl with Right Wing Injury

Mule Deer Everywhere

Day 6 Stephanie's BiRtHdAy!!!!!

Got up early for some sunrise pictures. Returned to town had breakfast then headed off to Livingston. Off to meet a cowboy named Reid that is a best friend of one of Stephanie's friends. We took the back roads seeking photo ops along the way and found several. Made into Livingston in the late afternoon and stopped in to see Reid at Word of Mouth Leather his shop. Reid makes beautiful leather saddles, chaps, tack and holsters. I asked him about making motorcycles chaps and got the stink eye and a NO. Got to respect someone whose quality of work has him a back log of work to whereas he can say no to do projects he doesn't like. He is making Stephanie a nice holster for her .38. He told us of a nice restaurant The Mint which turned out to be an awesome old time western bar. His favorite meal there was the pork belly sandwich of which I never heard. It was amazingly bad for my health I'm sure but oh was it good. Reid joined us there after closing shop and we chatted until the evening. He was quite a wealth of knowledge of local history and very entertaining, I hope we meet again someday. Got home late a very long and memorable day.

Day 5 Meanderings

Nothing special about today we just woke up early and set out looking for owls that we saw coming home from Cody the other night. Rode a bunch of dirt roads and saw a lot of nothing.Don't rent a redneck an AWD car not expect him to go off road LOL.Went back to town and did a little shopping. A gentleman told us about this neat little church out in the middle of nowhere. So off we went perfect. Got lost after sunset. Google maps are not quite perfect when you are on dirt roads in the middle of nowhere. At one point we where sitting at a three way intersection and Google said all three roads had the same name. It's an adventure. Got some nice pics and had fun.