FosseOdyssey

One of the more somber national monuments you will ever visit.    It's hard to describe the sadness and quiet of this remote area of grasslands in Montana.  The entrance to the monument leads to the graves of the fallen soldiers.....rows and rows of white crosses.     While driving the 4 1/2 mile road through the battlefield, you see where soldiers died (white grave makers) and also Indian warriors (red markers).  Although most of the warriors were moved and buried elsewhere after the Battle.  Everyone visiting talks in whispered voices adding to the sadness, there is no laughter or joy.                                                    We the children of the 1950's know this as Custer's Last Stand - while the Plains Indians refer to it as the Battle of the Greasy Grass.   The Battle of Little Big Horn occurred on June 25, 1876.   The Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes led by Sitting Bull gathered warriors to fight against the United States Army led by General George

Harvest Host RV stop - OLD WORKS GOLF COURSE - Annaconda, Montana: We stayed one night at the Old Works Golf Course.  This was a great Harvest Host site.  The parking lot was huge and had a separate area in the back for RV's to park overnight.  A clean safe fun option to an RV park - plus golf, not much more we need for a night. Anaconda is an interested town (really).   It was founded by Marcus Daly (one of the copper kings).  He built 2 smelters in Annaconda for processing copper.  The Old Works smelter and the New Works smelter.  ARCO purchased the smelters in 1977 only to close the operation in 1980.   Unfortunately the closing left behind smokeless smokestacks, and a landscape of hazardous waste - and YES in 1983 it was placed on the Super Fund site.    Maybe we should visit Super Fund sites in every state, since we have found several in our travels this summer....hmmmm🤔. Old Work Smelter Site : ARCO didn't want to just clean up the site and leave behind a barren l

We were married at the Mission in Santa Clara, CA.   Being lifelong Californians we are familiar with our missions, thanks to 4th grade California history.   But we didn't realize that Idaho had any missions. The history of this mission is very different.  The Coeur d Alene (CDA) Indians actually recruited the priests.  The CDA were experiencing issues with the other local tribes.   They heard that the "Black Robes" had special powers.   In an effort to seek this white man's powerful religion, the tribe sent leaders to St. Louis, Missouri.  Fr DeSmet ( A Jesuit priest) convinced his order to allow him to start the mission in Idaho.  From the 1840's, the mission was moved several times due to flooding and fire.  Finally the Mission of Sacred Heart was constructed between 1850 - 1853 in Cataldo.  The Jesuits and the CDA tribe worked jointly to build this mission.  Look closely at the ceiling it was dyed with huckleberry juice - giving it this purple blue cast.   T

A first for us on our travels.  We decided to dry camp at a Harvest Host location in Mt. Home at The Desert Canyon Golf Course.  Probably not the best weather as temperatures was 100 when we arrived.  We were concerned about lack of air conditioning for Max (OK and truth be told - us too).   While we were talking to Mary Beth, our host about the heat, she asked if by chance we were Elks.   YES we said.( or maybe we shouted it).  " Well you are in luck " says Mary Beth, "our Elks Lodge has hookups.  And if you aren't busy tomorrow night, you can come to my husbands 65th birthday party at the Lodge."   Well, full hookups and a party hard to turn that down. After "chilling" in the RV at the Elks that night, we played golf at Desert Canyon Golf Course.  This is a beautiful municipal course...but the greens were FAST ----speed of light fast.  But a beautiful day.                                                             Since we had time we decided

CRYSTAL GOLD MINE - KELLOG There's Gold in them there Hills.  California was not the only state to experience a gold rush. Idaho also experienced a Gold Rush in the 1860's.  Although many miners were lured to this area by the promise of gold the primary metals mined in the valley were silver, zinc and lead.  While in Kellog, we toured The Crystal Gold Mine (CGM).  It is one of the hard rock mines in the Silver Valley.  It was worked in the 1880's.  After working the mine for some years, the miners blasted the hillside, closing and hiding access to the mine.   It is thought they did this to hide the mine until they could return, as they left heavy tracks, mine cards and tools inside.  But no one returned.  During the building of Interstate 90 in the 1960's, a mine portal was exposed.  The current owners didn't investigate the portal, they just boarded it up.  In 1996, the new owner, a retired miner tore down the boards and discovered the rest of the mine.  Eventuall

We were really lucky to have family visit us while we work camped in Idaho.   Our daughter in law, Shantal drove her first solo (without Adam) long car trip.  The grandkids (Ava, Sean and Shane) kept her company.   The week prior our cousins, the Gafverts (Rick & Peg) and their granddaughters (Sidney and Kaylin) joined us for a week also.   Needless to say, we were busy with outings in the area.   And we had time for a round of golf. Island Park:   Island Park is 20 minutes from the west end of Yellowstone.  It is the longest main street in the United states - 36 miles long.   How did this happen?  Alcohol...yes spirits, beer and wine are responsible.  There are  multiple restaurants and lodges spread along this 36 mile stretch.  Each wanted to sell alcohol.  But Idaho liquor law prohibited the sale of alcohol outside the city limits.  So these enterprising creative business owners got together and incorporated into one town - ie one city limit and obtained a liquor license.  Thu

FLATHEAD LAKE & BIGFORK: On the way to Glacier, drove mourned the eastern side of Flathead Lake.  It is the largest natural fresh water lake west of the Mississippi in the lower 48.  It has 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline.  We were hoping to kayak in Flathead Lake, by the weather turned cold and the water choppy. We were able to walk around the village of Bigfork, a cute town on the east side of Flathead Lake.   Really nice art galleries and of course, no one starves.  A myriad of restaurants to choose from.  We had to take the iconic photo with the Big Fork. We were lucky to find some fresh fruits and vegetables here in Big Fork.   Flathead Lake Cherries are sold all along the road side.  This growing area has perfect weather for growing cherries.  We of course stopped and bought the sweetest Ranier Cherries we have ever eaten.  The growing season is July and early August so we lucked out. Further up the road we found a Hutterite vegetable stan