First lets spend a little time talking about our hotel, its under the Marriott brand but is part of their tribute portfolio group. The decor is very modern but not as urban as their Moxy group. They certainly had some interesting Artwork in the communal areas though.
We walked into the old town again and headed towards Chateau Frontenac, unfortunately the underground exhibit is closed until spring. But we were able to see the Dufferin Terrace slide, although it is only in operation during the snow and ice season. We walked around the Governors promenade and got a pretty good view of the St Lawrence although the weather is in the in between time, not covered with snow but also not into the greens of spring yet.
We had just started back to the hotel when we got a text from Rob’s daughter to say they were in the old town and so we walked back to meet them. A major part of the reason for doing this is for Rob to see the band that his ex brother-in law writes and plays lead guitar in, his ex wife manages the band record company website his daughter is over here helping with the merchandising etc. We walked around town with them for a little bit which also gave Rob a chance to catch up with Ari and Sandra other people involved with the band. We went to the Irish pub for lunch and then parted ways as we needed to get back to hotel ready to change for the gig.
We (he) decided we should walk the 3 miles to the gig with a quick pit stop at a local bar for some amazing chicken quesadilla and a rather nice margarita for me. Being connected to family meant we were able to go in through the back and sit with the band but also meant that I got to help with the merchandising sales.
To be honest I was not super excited about seeing the band as they are Prog Rock and the closest I ever got to that was listening to Asia. But……. I was completely wrong and the show was brilliant. It was also very special to see such an engaged audience. We went back stage afterwards, said our goodbyes and took an Uber back to the hotel. The band was so good, we are going back to Montreal in the morning to see them when they perform there. The band is called IQ. https://www.iq-hq.co.uk/ go on their website and listen to the latest album Dominium
We were up early and ready for the train to Quebec City, seems there is some advantages in being “more mature” we were put into a separate queue and allowed to pre board ahead of the crowds. The train was comfortable and although it was not quite as scenic as Rob had imagined it (when he was last here, it was mid winter and everything was snow covered) it was still very pleasant. My attempts to stitch were not successful as the sway of the train contradicted my trying to put needle through the linen.
A brisk walk to our hotel to drop off luggage, only to find there is an ancillary workers strike currently in the city, only impact to us was the hotel restaurant was closed and rooms would not be cleaned until we leave. Although everything was clean and tidy. Very interesting wallpaper on our level, the outside corridors look like they have Aran knitting on them. As it was now past 1pm we headed out to explore the city, with a quick stop at the local cafe for some more poutine, Rob tried the one with Bolognese on it this time.
After lunch we headed for the old city, that involved a lot of steep climbs and stairs but was well worth it. The buildings and streets are great, cobbled streets and a few impressive murals alongside some pretty old stone buildings.
While down at the waterside just below the old part of the city, we saw search and rescue carrying out a training exercise to retrieve an injured person from the river. I am glad they were practicing as it looked really hard to get the guy out of the water and onto a back board ready to be hoisted out.
After all that walking around, it was time for our afternoon snack! Can’t leave cakeboy too long without food and it would be rude not to join him!
Back to the hotel to have a brief rest before heading out to a Brasserie and Microbrewery that was nearby, 2 pints of Leonard Cohen IPA, yes I only drank half of mine, with some very nice food. The place was really busy and the chatter was infectious. It was great to see the place so popular. Rob had another pint and for those that know him, that means he was tipsy and goofy for the walk home. Early night and looking forward to tomorrows adventures.
Good job we checked the weather before packing yesterday, there was fresh snow and below freezing temperatures in both Montreal and Quebec. Plenty of warm clothes and coats added to the pile.
Very early start to the day but an easy flight to Montreal, first view from the plane did not disappoint. Our hotel is centrally located and we had great views from the 28th floor. Rob made himself comfortable on the chaise while we decided on what we were going to do today.
First stop lunch and we knew we wanted Poutine a staple of the region, chips, gravy and cheese curds washed down with a nice French wine and a IPA for Rob.
Suitably nourished we walked down to old town and the port area for a look around, Rue Saint Paul is being dug up at the moment, probably ahead of the tourist season, but it did not spoil our walk. It really reminded us of France and all the walking in the cold weather meant we earned a coffee and a pastry ( we ate them too soon to add to the photo, oops)
Back to the hotel for a warm up and then a walk to find a hotel and bar that Rob stayed at over 40 years ago. It was quite a walk to find where it was as Rob missed the street name and we walked a nearly a mile further than we needed. When we located the right street, the hotel had gone. The bar was still there but is closed on a Wednesday! We did, at least, get to see the Leonard Cohen Mural and the Basilica
As we were not sailing to the Saturday, we took a trip to the local cross-stitch store and of course i managed to find a “free pattern” well free if you bought the kit to go with it! But it was an adorable little pin cushion with crabs on it, so I am happy. That evening we just had food delivered to the room as it was far to cold to walk anywhere.
Saturday morning we were off to the cruise terminal and I have to say it was a rely smooth boarding process. No queues at all and straight up to our room to leave hand luggage then off for an explore of the ship and lunch. 2.30 we checked in at the stitching meeting room and were given our swag ( all the stitchers will know what that means) we were all scheduled for an early dinner sitting but we had a small table for 6 allocated to us and we were also able to use that table for the rest of the trip, but by special arrangement we were allowed to chose food from any of the 4 main dining rooms. These were themed, we were in Cyprus and then there was Cosmoploitan, Tuscany and Normandie.
Both Sunday and Monday are sea days as we cruise on down to Basseterre/St Kits/Nevis arriving on Tuesday morning. On Sunday we spent a great deal of the day in the stitching room, there was a presentation from Jean Farish in the morning and then smalls exchange swap was in the afternoon. For my British friends, you can imagine how excited i was to find that afternoon tea had scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam, it was lovely but they did insist in over sweetening the scones, luckily not enough to stop my enjoyment.
Here is a little information on the ship I am on, it’s Celebrity Apex, it can carry about 2500 passengers and on this trip there have been no children visible. The room is very nice, plenty of storage space and a lovely little balcony area with seats and a coffee table. The top half of the picture window can slide down so you can get plenty of fresh air. We are on Deck 6 so maybe 3 floors above the water, which makes it pretty stable. Great sunrise this morning and after breakfast we had a class with Michelle Bendy Stitcher and she showed us how to add beads and netting to this great project.
We drove down to Wellington CO, with plans to stay for 3 nights. As it was not that far from Pine Bluff, we were able to go visit Colorado Crossstitcher in Loveland that afternoon and also call into the historic area of Fort Collins for a quick look around. Dinner in the RV and making plans for a hike early tomorrow to beat the heat of the day.
We drove over to the Poudre Canyon road, it was a really great drive following the Poudre river up to the Hewlett Gulch Trailhead. This was a really fun hike over 8 miles and 1200ft elevation. the scenery changed many times during the route and we came across a few piles of bear poo, hind leg of a deer and had a close encounter with a prairie rattle snake. But we still enjoyed it. We went into town for an early dinner and looked to find another hike for the next day.
Bear poosnake!!
Another early start and this time we went to Lory State Park and did the Arthur’s Rock, Timber and Westridge trail. Just over 7 miles but over 1600ft of elevation. No critters this time but great views and a fun scramble up to the top of Arthur’s Rock. Both days the weather reached 98degrees with overnight lows not dropping much below low 70’s.
Monday we packed up the RV and drove over to just above Morrisson in the Foothills. First stop was to drop off the RV at our friends Kim and Mike and that will be the last we see of it till Saturday. We were staying with Sally and Jim for the next few days. As usual Chef Sally cooked up a great dinner Monday night. Tuesday she and I drove into Denver to pick up the food for the planned dinner party on Wednesday. It was great to relax and just enjoy their company but of course Chef Sally delivered yet another great meal. We woke up Wednesday morning to hear that a wildfire (known as the Quarry Fire) had started just over the hill from where we were staying, We were pushing ahead with the plans for the dinner party while keeping a close eye on the news. By 5.30 that evening all our friends had gathered, Sally and Jim, Kim and Mike, Rinah and Tom, Jill and new friends Jody and Pam. Dinner and conversation was amazing but at 8.30 all of our phones were buzzing warning us that we were now in the Pre Evacuation zone. So everyone went home to make plans and we helped get Sally and Jim’s alpacas into the trailers to take them to the large animal evacuation zone. This was just to err on the cautious side as if the call to evacuate came the last thing you need to worry about is scooping up 15 alpacas.
one of the great mealsQuarry FirePlane on a drop runPlane going into the smoke
Thursday we all kept a close eye on the updates, but in the afternoon Sally (who as well as being a great cook is also an outstanding Realtor) had a showing and we went with her. The place was amazing, on top of a mountain with fantastic views and over a 100 acres of land as you can imagine, way out of our price bracket. After that we went to visit Rinah and Tom, the purpose was to see the new puppy but we had a great time seeing their amazing property.
Bowie
Friday we just helped move around the fleece so that it could be stored safely (we had to move it out of the trailers to move the alpacas) and then Friday night we went to Two Forks for a great dinner with Sally and Jim. Saturday morning we had breakfast up at Conifer and then collected the RV and drove to Pueblo for the next two nights.
Sunday we drove to Royal Gorge and Hiked 6miles around Arkansas River Canyon Rim and the Overlook loop. Stunning views of the Gorge and the river running through it. After the Hike we went into Canon for a great lunch and then got ourselves ready for the long drive to Amarillo.
We drove to Picabo Idaho and camped at a really nice site, that evening we met Virginia and Bill for dinner and caught up on life in general. We arranged to meet Virginia the next morning to up to the top of a ridge above Hailey and Sun valley, Unusually for me, I had to give up after 1.5 miles up the trail as the altitude and lack of sleep the night before had really got to me. We were starting off at 6900 ft and even that short climb till we turned around was quite something. We hiked back down and then did a 5 mile walk but starting at 1000ft lower and that did not affect me. Sounds like I need to do lots of prep before we hike from lodge to lodge at Machu Picchu in Peru.
Virginia and I
We had lunch down at one of the lodges in Sun Valley and was able to walk around it, there as an ice skating competition in full flight and a writers conference in the big auditorium. It’s an impressive place and we will be back in the future.
The next day we drove to Salt Lake City, the campsite was in the city itself and although very busy, it was quiet and clean (apart from the trains that run through the city, oh and the fireworks that went off at 10PM in the State Fairground next door.) We were up early the next morning to Bells Canyon and the Lower Falls, 2.7 miles to the falls with a pretty consistent elevation gain all the way up, although the last .5 miles was clambering up boulders. The falls were very pretty and the walk back down was easy after the boulders were completed. Highest elevation was 6732 ft. No altitude issues but I was well hydrated.
Next day we drove to Rawlins and stayed overnight before traveling on to Pine Bluffs WY – just on the border with Nebraska and Colorado. On the way we stopped at the Wyoming Territorial Prison in Laramie. It was an interesting place to tour around and had Butch Cassidy housed there at one point.
Pine Bluffs was a Harvest Host location and it is a Whiskey Distillery. Its majority family owned and all the grain comes from local farms. Tonight they had a local rodeo star, Brody Cress, in attendance selling and signing bottles of his chosen barrels. We had a gin cocktail to start ( they produce gin and vodka as well) and then were lucky enough to be given a tour of the distillery and to sample some of the Bourbon straight from the barrel. Chad, the owner, was very gracious and his parents and uncle quickly spotted that we were not local in amongst the crowd that was there, and came across to talk to us. All in all it was a great night with some delightful people.
Grain being deliveredGinberry cocktailVisiting the barrel roomSample straight from the barrel
We are off to Wellington Colorado next, just outside of Fort Collins and more importantly for all my stitching friends, very near Loveland and Colorado Cross Stitcher.
Drive to Canyon Pines just outside Riggins Idaho, we had a little bit of excitement on the way. All of a sudden we had some alarm going off in the RV, after checking the towing brake system, the tire pressure system and the GPS and it turned out it was Rob’s phone warning us that there were new wildfires and and road closures. luckily after some googling we realized that we would be ok if we stuck to our current route.
Really nice caravan park and we were able to book a jet boat trip for the next day. We went into town at 8am to sign our waivers and then drove a very interesting 30 plus miles up and over a very narrow and winding mountain road and down to the lower Pittsburgh landing, ready to board our boat. Here is what the website says about this route The 31.5-mile section of the river between Hells Canyon Dam and Upper Pittsburg Landing is designated as the Wild river section. Rapids vary from Class II to Class V. At the mouth of Granite Creek rapids, approximately seven miles downstream from Hells Canyon Dam, the river elevation is 1,480 feet. The canyon depth here is 7,913 feet when measured from He Devil Mountain, towering over Idaho’s Seven Devils range at 9,393 feet.
We stopped at one of the original homesteads, now a museum. Next stop was for lunch and so far we had only been a few of the gentler rapids and we had passed quite a few of the rafts coming down the river.
Further up the river, we got to see some of the local wild life and also the rapids were getting a lot bigger. in fact there was a non group boat that got itself stuck in the Cat V rapids on the rocks. according to our captain the water gets higher in the afternoon as the reservoir lets more water out, so the boat would either rise and float free or sink. Thank goodness it was the former.
Once we got to the reservoir we stopped to see the visitor centre and then turned around to go back to the landing, All of the rapids were much higher and with the wind blowing up the canyon we were getting soaked on the way back – lots of fun
We were up early so that we could drive to the start of the Hiawatha trail, we were one of the first there to buy our pass and get the ride done before it got too hot. A lot of people cycle down and get the shuttle back up but we wanted to ride both ways. The trail is listed as one of the top 10 rail trails in the US and it is 15 miles long, with 9 tunnels and 7 sky high trestles.
The first tunnel we rode through was 1.6 miles long and once you are through the first 20 yards it was pitch black, your only light was that on your bike or a headlamp if you chose to wear one. The first tunnel is also the muddy and wet one so a great way to start the day. All was well and we made great progress on our way down to the end of the trail. The scenery was magnificent and the trees gave us plenty of shade. Quick turnaround at the bottom and then we reversed the route and started the cycle back up the mountain, the gradient was gentle, just under 2% but consistent for the 15 miles. We had a little shock in one of the tunnels, right in the middle there was a Deer trying to cool off but luckily he did not run into either of us. Our bigger challenge was the amount of people cycling down that did not keep to their side of the trail but we managed the return trip without incident, apart from going back through the 1.6 mile long tunnel, it was much muddier our side of the trail.
Back to the RV and off to Spokane Valley which added another state to our growing list of states this trip. One of the main reasons we added this destination is because we had met some great people in New Zealand while we were on the Milford Track and we promised to visit JD and Cherokee as soon as we were close enough. Day one with them was a great tour of downtown Spokane, lunch at a local brewery and later we had dinner at a different brewery (there seems to be a theme here). The next day we went down to the river and JD and Cherokee very kindly brought their tandem Kayak and we took it in turns. They are really good but as you can see from the pictures Rob stopped paddling when he thought I would not notice.
We had lunch at a winery up in the hills, there were great views and actually the reds were pretty good. The day was rounded out with pizza salad and a delightful red wine at their house. We will definitely be back to see them and more of this area in the future.
Next day we left Spokane Valley and drove to Riggins Idaho.
Once we were back in Ronan, we met with Brenda and the rest of the gang for a day out at the Quinns Hot springs, they were really good to remove any of the aches and pains from our adventures at Glacier. The evening was rounded out by dinner at the Durham bar, live music from locals that want to give it a go made it very interesting.
On the Thursday, Brenda Zaga and I went into Missoula for the day, a little bit of shopping, and a stop at a cider brewery to sample the local concoctions. We went on to the local theatre to the Edgar Allan Poe show, it was a mix of monologues of his stories, each one was delivered with a different cocktail. Rob went out for a little drive in the car which turned into a 368 mile odyssey with him landing within 10 miles of the Canada border !
Different Ciders
Friday Rob and I cycled into Polson, which was on a very nice cycle path, 35 miles round trip but we met the girls at the local coffee shop for coffee and cake so that helped. That evening we were treated to another of Dave’s amazing meals and the appetizer was a great cheese board full of local cheeses. There were also some more beautiful sunsets and Rob walked up a little higher than the house to see what he could capture.
Saturday morning I met Brenda at the coffee shop and went out to watch her train to be a volunteer at the stables for Horse therapy for disabled and mentally challenged children. Also got to see both of her horses, one of which was saddled up so she could give him a good workout.
Very happy to see Brenda
Sunday morning was a meet up at the cafe for coffee breakfast and farewell hugs, we were driving off to spend the night boondocking at Lookout Pass Ski Area on the Montana Idaho Border, ready to do the Hiawatha bike trail tomorrow
We had a nice drive up to the I90 from Cody but when we drove from there to 3 forks junction, in Robs own words “that was the most difficult ever!” combination of long hauls up and down the mountains combined with single lane road works, poor roads and very high crosswinds. No fun when you are driving a large brick shaped coach.
We arrived at Three Forks Junction and set up at the campsite. Went for dinner at the local brewery and Rob had a much needed couple of pints of the local IPA. As we were staying there for 2 nights we scouted out for something to do the next morning and found a nice bike trail, total distance was about 20 miles and it took us out to the head of the Missouri River and then back through the town of Three Forks. It was a good ride and on the way into the state park, one of the houses had over 40 bird boxes – everyone was unique. Nice lunch in Three Forks and then back to the campsite. The last 10 mins of the ride was a bit of a struggle as there was a storm front moving through and the wind was very strong but we battled through.
July 3rd we arrived at Ronan, just down the road from Polson Montana, our location for the next 10 days. Drove up in the car to see Brenda’s new home and we were treated to a wonderful dinner cooked by Dave. The house is on the top of a hill with 360 degree views of the mountain ranges and valleys all around us. My friends Zaga and Dan were also there and then if the evening could not get any better we were treated to a double rainbow! Next day we were meeting an old friend from our New York State days.
By sheer coincidence he was visiting family that week and as we follow each other on instagram we realized that we had a one day cross over in Montana. Arrangements were hastily made to meet up the next day and there was one of the largest Pow Wow’s happening at Arlee, about 12 miles from where we were staying. Double bonus, getting to see Gil and also experiencing a traditional Native American gathering. There were representatives from many different tribes. This is a video of the Snake Dance https://youtu.be/i88xciKW2Rk?si=efUWFuPIXU8QTVVX The evening was rounded off by trip back to Brenda’s and the chance to savor some amazing home made Pizza’s.
Gil and his brother
Friday we had rest day and did all the mundane things that you need to do when staying in the RV and then Friday night we had a great dinner with Dan and Zaga at the Shoe, out on the patio overlooking Flat Head lake. Saturday morning, we met Dave Brenda and Jesse and off we went to the river to try white water rafting. We knew there was going to be Cat 3 rapids but when we reached the river, they informed us that the river was running high and we were going to hit a Cat 4 as our last rapid. Wave height was going to be between 16 and 18 feet. It was a blast even getting soaked, we all arrived back safe and exhilarated.
Saturday night, back to Brenda’s for dinner and then a trip to the local dirt track for monster truck night. Lot of fun but we were all hot and tired so only stayed for the first half.
Sunday Morning we were up at 4.30am for the drive to Glacier National Park. We had to book a ticket at 7pm the day before as regardless of your entrance to the park, if you don’t have the separate road access pass you are not getting in. We got to the park just after 6am and the ride up to Logan Pass took us to just after 7.15am and the car park was already just about full (hence the reason for the road pass). We started the trail to Hidden Lake and we were treated to some great views of the Mountain Goat and Big Horn sheep. The trail was about 3.5 miles out and back and covered in snow for most of the way which made the walk very tricky. It was certainly worth the effort and we were glad to do it.
Mountain GoatBig HornHidden LakeLogan Pass
After Logan Pass we headed on to Many Glacier, our destination for the night. The drive takes you out of the park and after 40 minutes takes you back in to the park, again be careful, you need a separate road pass for that gate as well! We were fine as we were staying at the hotel on Swift Current Lake which gave us access. Arrived at the lake and had lunch at the hotel, we were about 3 hours too early to check in and so we decided to hike around Swift Current lake and also up part of the lake Josephine trail, adding another 5 miles to our total for the day. Checked in and had a lovely room with a balcony overlooking the lake. Dinner at the hotel and an early night ready for our next adventure.
Our LodgeLake JosephineLake St MaryRun off from Lake Swift Current Lake
Monday morning up at 6am and having breakfast and preparing for our horse ride at 8am, The stables are really close to the hotel so quick stroll over and chance to see the 7.45, 2 hour group head off. Our group was just the 6 riders plus the guide, family of 4 from Michigan and us. The ride was fabulous, we were the two back riders in the group, my horse was called Kesla and he liked to hang back a little but then trot a bit faster to catch up. Rob’s horse liked to jump some of the smaller water pools. The ride was was through the trees up through the side of Piegan Valley total distance was about 8 miles. We both really enjoyed it although we were pretty tired by the end of it.
Long drive back to Ronan with a brief stop for Lunch at St Mary’s most of the road through the park is 25mph speed limit and so we arrived home about 5.30pm for a well earned dinner and relaxation.
