Montana-Idaho September 2003
| This was a fly-rent-drive trip through western Montana and central Idaho back in the days of two-week, take no prisoners vacations before retirement. |
Martha's favorite
position after a long
flight into Bozeman.
position after a long
flight into Bozeman.
Annette, the cook at
Days Inn. She has
prepared many hot
breakfasts for us over
the years as we visited
Bozeman.
Days Inn. She has
prepared many hot
breakfasts for us over
the years as we visited
Bozeman.
We always love to drive
around the area and
explore. This huge
irrigation system is in
the Paradise Valley
south of Livingston.
around the area and
explore. This huge
irrigation system is in
the Paradise Valley
south of Livingston.
This rainbow greeted us
as we began our journey
just west of Bozeman.
as we began our journey
just west of Bozeman.
Before leaving Bozeman, we had supper with
Martha's friends, Keith and Karen Bakos, and
their daughter Madison. Keith assisted Martha
in looking at some real estate on a previous trip.
Martha's friends, Keith and Karen Bakos, and
their daughter Madison. Keith assisted Martha
in looking at some real estate on a previous trip.
Terry mailed some
postcards back to his
co-workers from
Norris, MT.
postcards back to his
co-workers from
Norris, MT.
Highway 278 west of
Dillon, MT. This is real
cowboy country.
Dillon, MT. This is real
cowboy country.
| Scenery like this is just one of the many reasons we love Montana. |
| For farmers these are hay fields to die for. Eastern cattle ranchers would go crazy in a hayfield like this. Look at those mountains in the background! |
Main Street in Salmon,
ID. Gasoline was an
outrageous $1.86/gal.
ID. Gasoline was an
outrageous $1.86/gal.
View from our room at
the Stagecoach Inn.
The famous Salmon
River ran behind our
motel.
the Stagecoach Inn.
The famous Salmon
River ran behind our
motel.
Martha makes
notes in our trip
journal.
notes in our trip
journal.
Our accommodations
were much better than
Dick's Ice Cave Dugouts.
These really were
"rooms" dug out into the
mountainside south of
Salmon.
were much better than
Dick's Ice Cave Dugouts.
These really were
"rooms" dug out into the
mountainside south of
Salmon.
Scenery along Highway 93
and the Salmon River
between Salmon and Ellis, ID.
and the Salmon River
between Salmon and Ellis, ID.
Martha taking pictures
of the scenery.
of the scenery.
Any questions about
why these are called
the Rocky Mountains?
why these are called
the Rocky Mountains?
Ruins from a gold mining ghost
town near Sunbeam, ID. There are
numerous ghost towns throughout
the west.
town near Sunbeam, ID. There are
numerous ghost towns throughout
the west.
| We loved Stanley, ID with its unpaved streets and country atmosphere. Stanley is the coldest place in ID with an average winter temperature of 17 degrees and 93 inches of snow. |
Unfortunately, the gift
shop was shut the day
we were there.
shop was shut the day
we were there.
Another gorgeous
view from our room
at the Mountain
Village Lodge.
view from our room
at the Mountain
Village Lodge.
| We visited Redfish and Stanley Lakes while in the area. These pictures were made at Stanley Lake. That is the Sawtooth Range mountains in the background. |
Idaho City, one of Idaho's
oldest towns embraces its
newly paved main street.
oldest towns embraces its
newly paved main street.
| Idaho's stately and very impressive capitol in Boise. Of course, this wasn't nearly as impressive as the milk and cookies for guests at our motel. |
The Payette River north
of Boise is another of
Idaho's majestic and
scenic rivers.
of Boise is another of
Idaho's majestic and
scenic rivers.
Our next stop was in
Riggins, ID. We
found another great
motel on the banks
of the Salmon River.
Riggins, ID. We
found another great
motel on the banks
of the Salmon River.
Yet another great
view from our room.
This is the Salmon
River Canyon.
view from our room.
This is the Salmon
River Canyon.
The next morning we drove up the
canyon road into the Nezperce
National Forest. We were so
remote that we couldn't pick up
any radio stations on either band.
canyon road into the Nezperce
National Forest. We were so
remote that we couldn't pick up
any radio stations on either band.
Terry was fascinated
with this bridge
construction, and he
just had to get a
picture.
with this bridge
construction, and he
just had to get a
picture.
Our next stop was at
the legendary Hell's
Canyon.
the legendary Hell's
Canyon.
The Snake River at
Pittsburg Landing.
The river is the
boundary between
Idaho and Oregon.
Pittsburg Landing.
The river is the
boundary between
Idaho and Oregon.
We had lunch at the
Pittsburg Landing picnic
area. Those wind breaks
were certainly needed at
the picnic tables.
Pittsburg Landing picnic
area. Those wind breaks
were certainly needed at
the picnic tables.
The scenery was
awesome to say the
least.
awesome to say the
least.
This was a great
time of year to visit.
We had the place to
ourselves.
time of year to visit.
We had the place to
ourselves.
We were certainly
at the peak of the
fall flower season.
at the peak of the
fall flower season.
More mountain scenery between
Hell's Canyon and Grangeville, ID.
Hell's Canyon and Grangeville, ID.
Our next stop was
back in Montana at
the National Bison
Range near Moiese.
back in Montana at
the National Bison
Range near Moiese.
This is one of our
favorite spots along
the loop road through
the preserve.
favorite spots along
the loop road through
the preserve.
Over the years we have
seen lots of wildlife in
addition to the bison.
seen lots of wildlife in
addition to the bison.
Unfortunately, on this
trip the buffalo were
too far away to get any
good pictures. We did
get a great close-up of
this barbed wire
buffalo nearby. This
was made entirely of
used barbed wire
fence.
trip the buffalo were
too far away to get any
good pictures. We did
get a great close-up of
this barbed wire
buffalo nearby. This
was made entirely of
used barbed wire
fence.
We found another great place to
stay in Missoula at the C'mon Inn.
stay in Missoula at the C'mon Inn.
We took a day trip down to the
Hamilton area. Now we see what
all the fuss is about!
Hamilton area. Now we see what
all the fuss is about!
We celebrated our
second anniversary by
having supper at the
Land of Magic in
Logan, MT. This is
one of the restaurants
in Montana that
legend has that Ted
Turner and Jane
Fonda were refused
service by the
Vietnam Veteran
owner.
second anniversary by
having supper at the
Land of Magic in
Logan, MT. This is
one of the restaurants
in Montana that
legend has that Ted
Turner and Jane
Fonda were refused
service by the
Vietnam Veteran
owner.
We can't visit
Bozeman without
stopping by Ted
Turner's ranch on
Spanish Creek.
Bozeman without
stopping by Ted
Turner's ranch on
Spanish Creek.
Yes, there is a
Madison County in
Montana.
Madison County in
Montana.
Terry prepares to
hike to the "M"
maintained on a
mountainside by
Montana State
University.
hike to the "M"
maintained on a
mountainside by
Montana State
University.
Martha decides to
test her luck on the
Turner Ranch.
Fortunately, no one
shot at her.
test her luck on the
Turner Ranch.
Fortunately, no one
shot at her.
Thanks to our special friends
Joe and Becky Poole for
encouraging us to visit Idaho,
and telling us about all these
special places that we visited
on this trip.
Joe and Becky Poole for
encouraging us to visit Idaho,
and telling us about all these
special places that we visited
on this trip.