Back to the Boulder and I Spoke Too Soon On the Non-Working Slide :-(

Thursday, June 21 - Sunday, June 24, 2016
Helena - Big Timber, Montana


Thursday is warmer in Helena, and other than a grocery run and lovely lunch in the newer downtown, we hang out at home for the day.

The Fusion Grille has a nice shaded patio

Fish tacos with lots of veggies

Prime rib and bleu cheese quesadillas 

Friday morning we prepare to pull out early for the 150 mile drive back to Big Timber. All goes per usual until I push the button for the big slide. And nothing.

Sigh.....

This time there is a fault code - the same short at motor one that we had on the dining room side in the spring.  The override brings it in and we head out. Note: Bill is still my hero.

Hwy 12 is a beautiful drive through Helena National Forest. Narrow and winding, it follows Deep Creek before dropping into wide open spaces. The diversity of Montana is incredible. Hwy 191 takes us back to I-90 in Livingston. 

We return to Spring Creek Campground for the weekend. It's going to be in the 90's while we're here, and we only have 30 amp. So it's really a good thing that we're living in much smaller quarters.....less to cool? No? Well we try to find a silver lining here :-)

A much tighter kitchen

I reach the extended warranty company, and find a service center in Billings, MT, that can get us in Monday morning. Nothing to do but chill 'til then.

Bill is feeling puny Saturday morning so Tessa and I let him sleep and take off for the forest. I want to see the interior of the Boulder Main Ranger Station, and the Natural Bridge State Park, that we missed last time.

From the south side Lion's Head looks much more like its namesake (I like his "little" ear)

Food storage dug into the hillside

Wagon made by Studebaker, used for hauling wood

I could almost feel Coral sitting here with her foot on the treadle, looking at the amazing views out her windows

The Kaufman's original marriage certificate. Can't imagine they thought people would be looking at it over 100 years later.

Lamps, pottery, textiles and toys were returned to the park service by Kaufman daughter Betty before she passed about eight years ago.

Ranger Carl is my tour guide and knows wonderful tidbits about the Kaufmans and the early forest service. After working for the parks for 38 years, he assisted in the restoration of the station, and then began volunteering his summer weekends here. Delightful gentleman.

Tessa and I find a trail to the river

The water sparkles in the sun

Spots of color

on the forest floor

The parking lot at the state park is nearly full, but it's a pretty day and I'm hoping it won't be too crowded. 

Luckily most of the people are on the other side of the river or down in the falls platform. I'm more than happy to have the trail on this side all to myself :-)

The Boulder enters the canyon above the foot bridge

When the water is low it drops under the rock here

During high volume, the river roars over the top

The natural rock bridge crossed the canyon between the rocks at the top of the photo above. Although the bridge is no longer here, the area is still amazing.

Large pools swirl 

and torrents splash among the rocks

Wildflowers line the trail

High flow water fall above, low flow water fall below. Just beyond this pool, the water goes underground for several miles.

It is strange to hear the water running in a completely dry canyon

Braver souls walk the other side of the canyon

Wonderful formations line the walls

I could watch the moving water for hours

Wonderful patterns 

Back home Bill is feeling better, and we take a drive to check out more of the area.

Sunday's route takes us to Hardin, MT. Probably a mistake given that we have to backtrack nearly 50 miles for our appointment on Monday morning. 

Grandview Campground is pretty rough and I pay for one night instead of the three we planned. The office looks like a hoarder stocked it, and the cat pee smell is so bad I'm nearly gagging. I planned a couple days in the area to check out the Little Bighorn Battleground but Hardin wasn't a good choice.

Depending on what happens with the slide, we'll either stay in Billings or move further east to see the monuments and museums.