Week 5

May 6

Today is travel day from Idaho Falls, ID to Anaconda, MT. We're moving at a faster pace because we've been in this area before in 2006. If we find something interesting, we will stop for awhile. Some of the things we saw along the road today are: farming just north of Idaho Falls, of course snow-capped mountains on all three sides all along the way, snow breaks (barriers put up along the highway to prevent drifting snow), snow poles (to determine the depth of snow) along I-15 near the Montana/Idaho border, and we crossed the Continental Divide at 6840 ft.

These first two pictures were actually taken May 5.

At the RV park we spotted the Black-Billed Magpie

Mountains along I-15

Clark Canyon Reservoir

RV Views

May 7

We decided to stay here in Anaconda another day because we like the park and the area. And are we glad we did! We had a field day with birds today. A short day trip north up Hwy. 1 and we came upon some firsts for us. First, this frozen (thawing) Silver Lake. Wow!

Georgetown Lake - this lake had much thicker ice on the lake. The snow piled up here by prevailing north winds.

Back in our car and driving around the lake we spotted these guys just hanging out. Both Bald Eagles - the one on the right is a juvenile.

The town of Philipsburg was like stepping back in time.

River meandering along the highway.

Look how clear this creek is!

The water gushing out of the mountain...

down this canyon.

This is a Red-Necked Grebe which, according to my bird book, is rare in this area.

Then more firsts -- spawning rainbow trout working their way up the creek from Georgetown Lake.

And if that wasn't enough this older gentleman and his wife pointed out two more Bald Eagles in the trees high above this stream. Obviously they were eying dinner!!! Lucky these eagles weren't scared away by me. I was close but they were high up in the trees. Look at the talons on this guy!

Osprey

The Lesser (Northern) Sandhill Crane

What a great day we had!!!!

May 8

Today is a long travel day from Anaconda, MT to Deer Park, WA. The drive was again beautiful and the landscape is greening up very nicely.

This river was really moving and a little over its banks. Must have had a good snow melt.

There's gold and silver in them there hills!!! In this area, there are many mines, some operating today but many have closed down. Between Wallace and Kellogg, along Big Creek, the Sunshine Mine was the site of a disastrous fire in 1972 which killed 91 miners.

Coeur d Alene Lake

We have stayed at this RV park back in 2006 and really liked it. Our RV spot looks out over the golf course.

May 9

Today we played golf at the Deer Park Golf Club, the course right here in the RV park. High temps today 84. I think its warmer here than it is back home!! These birds were spotted on the golf course.

Yellow-Headed Blackbird

Pied-Billed Grebe

May 10

Today we are heading to Moscow, ID where friends Greg and Linda Gollberg live. We will visit with them for about a week.

The landscape in this part of the country is beautiful with rolling hills of crops. This picture does NOT do it justice.

It's great to see Greg and Linda again. It's been 6 years since we last saw them. Here we are at the Washington State University Club House overlooking the golf course and mountains. The steak dinner was good but the company was better!! The two guys singing in the background were really good!

May 11 - Happy Birthday Sandra B.

Larry and I are staying in a city RV Park in Palouse, WA about 12 miles from Moscow, ID where Greg and Linda live. We met them this morning and went to the Farmers Market in downtown Moscow. We picked up some of Larry's favorite "Huckleberry Jam."