Raven Travels: 2017 LINCOLN, MONTANA I

After the Solar Eclipse on 21 August we caravanned with our daughter to her new home in Lincoln, Montana. We took the better part of a day to reach Lincoln.

We left Ashton before sunrise, and I photographed sunrise East of Harriman S. P. off of U.S. Rte.20. While George and Klara returned to Ashton to retrieve a rain jacket.


SUNRISE NEAR HARRIMAN S.P.


MORNING GROUND FOG

Shortly afterwards we turned on ID Rte. 87 headed for Ennis, MT. Here we stopped for breakfast and then did some window and bargain shopping. Klara was looking for some Carhartt pants, and I was just browsing, but I found a very nice plaid long-sleeved fishing shirt for myself.

We returned to the road and our next stop was in Three Forks, Montana, the home of Montana Wheat.

This is the wheat flour that I use to do my sourdough baking. I have had very good results with it since I started using in in 2013. We stocked up on some bread and croissants. Our final stop for the trip was in Helena for groceries before heading for Lincoln, a small town to the Northwest of Helena with a population of about 1100.

Montana has been plagued with many large wildfires this season. One fire actually started about 3 miles North of town. It later merged with two other fires in the area. The result is that the air quality in the area is quite poor, and the skies are full of smoke. This is true for the whole state of Montana.

While in Lincoln we enjoyed four days of hiking in spite of the air quality. The few photographs that I have show lots of smoke in the air. Our first afternoon we took a short walk North of town to stretch our legs after most of the day driving. As you can see there is smoke in the air from the Park Creek Fire, which started in mid-July, and hopefully be fully contained by the end of September.

Looking North toward the Park Creek Fire

WEDNESDAY –

A MORNING CRITTER IN TOWN

Klara took us off to hike the Lake Creek Trail and part of the Lake Mountain Trail. The beginning was pleasant enough with a gradual climb. Later when we joined the Lake Mountain Trail the grade became more noticeable.

Eventually the trail also got quite narrow as it climbed higher. Finally we called it a day, and stopped for a trail lunch of bagels, cheese, and fruit before heading back to our car.

THE TRAIL AS IT SLOPES UP THE MOUNTAIN

KLARA DURING A HIKING BREAK

The forest here is thick but also has a great deal of dead wood due to the bark beetle, and dry conditions over the past. We had a nice view down the valley, though quite smoky.

LOOKING DOWN THE VALLEY

On the way back into town we stopped at the gateway for the Dog Sled Race – Race to the Sky, which starts in Lincoln and travels North to Owl Creek North of Seeley Lake and then turns back to Lincoln. Here we picked up some huckleberry jam to share.