7/2 

Surprise!  Rain greeted us as we awakened.  Cold with temps in the low 50’s.  It rained until about 2 pm.  With the mountains shrouded in the dark clouds and rain pouring, we opted to hunker down & do some more of those chores that are always hovering.  We anxiously look out the windows to see if our neighbor, who is expecting, was still in residence.  She is at her due date & awaiting the onset of labor.  She & hubby are temporarily living in their Airstream trailer as they are between homes.  Sold a house & the home they were buying fell through.  They are taking these circumstances in stride & are quite calm about the impending birth of their first child.  The campground is full to the brim. A friendly invasion of Canadians, as well as folks arriving that want to do tourist things, have filled up all spaces.  In spite of every spot being used, there are still green areas to throw a ball or to exercise the family pet.  We can no longer look out any window & enjoy unobstructed views of the river.  But, the green areas give us the chance to walk to the river and stare at it all we’d like.  In spite of the rain, the river is at lower levels than it was.  Barring unforeseen events, it will be quite ready to fish next week.  Just as we leave.

7/3 

Well, more rain today as we make the last store run of our stay here.  Got caught in a couple of sudden downpours & laughed like loons as we were struggling to put up the umbrella & trying to see through our water-spotted glasses.  We returned to the Kalispell Farmers’ Market & got rained out of there. Our evening stroll was possible, as it only dripped on us once.  We’ve gotten to know some of our fellow campers who, like us, have been here for a while.  Always interesting to hear the travel experiences & the hometowns of folks.  Everybody’s friendly & it makes for a very slow walk.

I report.  You decide.

Decorating to celebrate Independence Day.

7/4 

Happy Birthday U.S.A.  We decorated the coach a bit & watched the heavy clouds pass over us all day.   A sprinkle this morning, but nothing more.  It was a bit warmer, 65*, so just sweatshirt weather.  Jackets not needed.  We are sitting in the coach at 11 pm (gets dark about 10:30 here) watching fireworks from 3 directions.  All in neighborhoods nearby.  Lot of money spent on these private shows.  Nice that we are near enough to see them & some of the noise, but not deafening.  Quite pretty! We say goodbye to Kalispell in the morning.  We are anxious to move on, but we will miss this part of Montana we’re beginning to think of as a second home.  In spite of the rain, cold & not being able to fish, it was a wonderful experience.  The mountain ranges, Flathead Lake, the wonders of  majestic Glacier National Park, the rivers, the magnificent clouds and just the wonders of nature all around fill your heart.  We were privileged to be on the receiving end of the kindness of the nice people of Kalispell.  It has been a special time for us.  A treat to spend July 4^th here.

7/5 

We’re off to Moyie Springs, Idaho, just a few miles from Bonners Ferry.  Twin Rivers Canyon Resort here we come!  Traveling on Hwy. 2 took us through the mountains to Libby, Montana, a spot we visited & wrote about a couple weeks ago.  Then through Troy, just a few miles away from Libby, known now for its great 4^th of July celebrations.  5,000 people invade this small town to celebrate Independence Day.  And then to our destination.  This is a very scenic route and a good road.  We also got rained on.  Surprise, surprise.  As we reached the entrance road to the campground, Gary & I got out the walkie-talkies, we disconnected the towed and I drove to the bottom of the mountain on a 1½ lane switchback, dirt road.  I got to the bottom, radioed that the way was clear (no one coming up the mountain) & it was OK to start down.  I then spoke with someone in a pickup that was headed up.  They paused when I held out my hand & I explained a motorhome was coming down & that they could certainly proceed if they wished.  The nice driver simply said, ‘No, I’ll wait for him to get down.’  And he did.  So Gary’s descent was uneventful.  It has rained a lot here, too, since spring started & it is very green here.  The roads are dirt/gravel in the facility, but they are coated with something that keeps the dust down.  Soaring evergreens reach for the sky, flowers are just coming out and the grassy areas are healthy green.  Two rivers, the Moyie River & the Kootenai River, join up in this canyon. The mountainsides around us are filled with forest.  In the distance there are train tracks & occasionally we hear a soulful whistle.  We find Gary’s brother, Ted, & his wife, Anne, at their campsite.  A heartfelt greeting was exchanged & the fellas got down to fishing business very quickly.  Ted & Anne have been staying in Anacortes, Washington in their motorhome until arriving here. It was very cold & rainy there & no fishing opportunities were available.  The weather here was cold, windy & some rain, not good for fishing. So they have waited here for a week for the weather to improve & the rivers to go down.  The two brothers have been deprived long enough & they are READY.  The rivers here are still up, but not too bad, & running a bit fast.  They can handle it.  We settled into our space for the week & set up camp.

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