Business Venture

We drove up to Polebridge, MT the other day. It's about 25 miles south of the Canadian border on the North Fork of the Flat Head River. It's also about 2 miles from a northern entrance to Glacier National Park. I had heard the scenery was pretty awesome. It was! I had also heard there was a really good bar and restaurant in Polebridge, as well as a great bakery. I can't attest to the bar and restaurant yet, but the bakery was outstanding!

In addition to cookies, spinach and blue cheese croissants and bear claws, the old store had a small selection of other necessities.

I also learned that the store and bakery were for sale. So, I'm looking for investors. In addition to the store and business, there is 22.5 acres and four rental cabins. The area is also inhabitable all year long. It just gets a little cold in the winter. The well maintained gravel road is also kept open year round.

I figure I could run the place in the spring, summer and fall and then one of you all could take over in the winter.

OK, who is up for investing? Oh yeah, the asking price is $739,00.00 but I'll bet we could get it for $700,000.00.

Close Encounters of the Bear Kind

When you first go into a National Park like Glacier, Yellowstone or even the Smoky Mountains, one of the first things you are made aware of are Bears. You're cautioned to watch and enjoy them from afar. During the years we lived in Tennessee, we often watched "tourists" enter into the "space" of a Black Bear. We've even watched family members and friends rush across open meadows to get a better look or a picture. Fortunately, we never saw anyone seriously threatened by a bear.



Black Bears are one thing, Grizzlies are a whole different story. The Smoky Mountains had Black Bears. Yellowstone and Glacier have Black and Grizzly Bears. I carry two cans of bear spray in my truck. They don't do a heck of a lot of good in the truck!!

This morning, I took a really pleasant bike ride on one of the paved bike paths near Apgar Village in Glacier NP.



I had ridden almost to the end of my route where the truck was parked, a total of 5 miles. Yep, I said 5 miles. I actually felt pretty good and thought about going even farther.

When all of a sudden, I looked up from where I was focused on the route in front of me and saw on the bank to the left of the bike path, a freakin bear!!!! He saw me about the same time and as I locked up my brakes we both just froze. If I hadn't locked up the brakes or if he hadn't stopped, I would have hit him broadside. It would have been his fault because I was on the right and I believe that gives me the right of way. It was funny, because my first thought was that his face looked just like the one on the Teddy Bear I had when I was little. My second thought was "oh, crap"!!! Since I was taking a bike ride, I had left my bear spray in the truck. Never, again!!!

Well, he decided I looked either too tough or smelled to bad to mess with, so he started to amble across the path in front of me. Now, I'm not talking about way down the path, I'm talking right in FRONT of me. By now, I've regained my composure and since it appeared he was scared to death of me, I felt it was a good time to take some pictures. Of course, the camera was in my camera bag and turned off. Well, by the time I got it out and turned on, he was starting off into the woods. Obviously, he was a real wimp and knew if he messed with me, I'd kick his tail. Anyway, following are some of the pictures I did manage to get. Next time, I'll have the camera out and ready. You may have to double click the picture to see him very well. And, no, the camera wasn't shaking - just a cheap camera.

Oh yeah, fortunately, he was a cinnamon colored black bear without any cubs and he wasn't a Grizzly!!!





Well, after my nerves had calmed a little I decided to go fishing this evening. And, I ran into this little varmint that was PO'ed because I didn't have anything to feed him. I felt more threatened by him than the bear!!!!



A couple of weeks ago, we saw our first Black Bear. It was down over an embankment and the following pictures were taken with a 10X zoom lens. We must have watched it from afar for at least 30 minutes.

I have always hoped that I would see a bear up close and personal with no unpleasant results. Well, I still hope to have something like this happen again, but I want to be better prepared and hope to come up with some better pictures.

Caution!!!!

Summer Snow

Just a short one tonight. I've been talking about the prediction of snow in emails to different folks recently. Well, the prediction came about. Started snowing in Hungry Horse this afternoon and by this evening there was snow on the ground here. Yep, it's June 10!!!!



Took Donna back up to LMcDL this evening and drove as far as Avalanche Creek, where the road is still closed. Snow was pretty heavy there and they are saying that we'll get about 2 - 4 feet of snow in elevations over 4,500 feet.







I sure am glad for the new addition to the camper, an electric fireplace!! Donna has been wanting one since the first of April but I had convinced her we wouldn't need it for long, so she kept putting off buying one. Today, she finally said "enough". She bought the fireplace and it's really nice and warm. I couldn't convince her, this time, that we probably wouldn't need it too much longer.

Oregon Coast - April 2008

Things are still a little slow here because of the weather. It's still cool and rainy. It's also been snowing above the 5,000 foot elevation. But, at least it is cool. I'm still getting out but taking a lot of the same pictures I've already posted. So, once again, I've delved into the recent archives for a post. These pictures were taken along the Oregon coast in April 2008. We spent almost a month on the coast after picking up the camper. These pics were taken from about Cape Lookout State Park to the mouth of the Columbia River. I recently learned that the Flathead River that runs behind my campground here in Hungry Horse, MT is the head waters for the Columbia River.

I love the sunsets, on either coast!!

Listen closely when playing the video and you'll be able to hear the rocks "rattling" around as the surf recedes.