Posts from the ‘Photos’ category

Alpenglow…again

This is what I see from the window behind my desk as the alpenglow begins its fiery show. It does not happen every evening. A combination of clear skies in the right place to allow the setting sun’s reflecting rays to light sky and mountain tops – a small miracle of the right conditions – creates the glow which ranges from a pale pink to a vivid orangeish magenta. This night (January 14, 2009), I saw the glow through the trees and as on many other nights ran out to see what I could see and capture. For me, it is like sunrise and sunset – I never tire of watching the changing color and light.

Alpenglow…again.

Road Trip

Five years ago…if you had told me that I would someday own an RV and LOVE rving, I would have said you were nuts.

I own an RV and I LOVE rving!

I even love a 200 mile round trip just to take the beast to a dealer for repair. I don’t love needing the repair, but it was operator error ( Damaging steps ) so I can’t blame the rv. I also didn’t “LOVE” the Jeep hookup yesterday as it was 6 below zero while I was doing it. Don’t let that sunshine fool you – it was cold! And things that normally swivel and extend didn’t want to do that. A hammer and a few choice words convinced them otherwise. The good news was that I wasn’t all hot and sweaty after the hookup…

I packed a lunch, my camera, my laptop – loaded Karl…no steps…I’m glad I’ve kept up with my strength training – and off we went. Destination, Missoula – 100 miles south.

The stop light in Bigfork…too bad about that view, huh?

Although cold, it was clear and sunny and a gorgeous day for the drive which skirts Flathead Lake for 35 miles before going through Polson, Montana and then a beautiful valley with the Mission Mountains to the east and the Bitteroots to the West.

Between Bigfork and Polson, I stopped at a pullout along the lake to allow 2 following cars to pass and to do a safety check.

We continued on. I had planned on a lunch stop south of Ronan, but the pullout there was not plowed. I ended up going all the way to the dealer in Missoula and having lunch in their parking lot. I unhooked the Jeep, checked in with service, transferred computer and camera to the Jeep, took a walk with Karl and then we started back towards home.

The Missions were beautiful – loaded with snow. A thin cloud layer lay about a third of the way between their jutting peaks and the valley floor. I didn’t stop – there are times when I just like to look.

**Added 7:30 a.m. 1/27 – I just visited fellow Montana blogger Montucky – he headed to the city yesterday also, albeit from a different direction. His post in the link is a gorgeous capture of the Missions – worth the click!

I did stop at a scenic lookout just before Polson. It is not somewhere I’ve ever stopped before, although it has the first view of the lake and the entrance to the Flathead Valley.

Home is 39 miles north of Polson. We arrived there in time for a walk before sunset.

A very welcome (visible) sunrise

The earth turns on its axis every 24 hours give or take a nano second here and there. In each of our own spots, the sun thus rises and sets once every 24. Here, in my spot, this event has been hidden from sight – for nearly 10 days – not counting the fact that we did indeed have some day light and a lot of dark night.

This morning…a very welcome visible sunrise.