Crystal Park Montana

Check out my web page for the outting if you want the technical/directional details. http://www.isu.edu/~semejenn/adventures/crystalpark.html

Usually we go in the off season of September after Labor Day weekend. We've never gone in July before. Now I clearly understand the reason and won't do it again. Ever. First it is hotter in July. It may only be 75 degrees at the top of the mountain (approx 8,000 feet up) but that is too hot when digging and the sun is relentless. Second, mosquitoes. We've never had the serious, severe, and irritating swarms in September. Third, hot pools are just too hot after a hot day in the sun. They are so much more enjoyable when it is cold outside. I overheated, then got in a hot pool and really overheated. I should not have done that. It took me a couple days to recover. Fourth, people, there were more people though most seem to have realized that digging in the midday sun wasn't a good idea. My guess is that they are camping or staying in the cabins and only come out in the morning and or evening.

Still, we got some really nice crystals and had a fun time hanging out with friends. It was great to be outside and in the mountains.

The radios worked very well! I love being able to talk between the cars. Coordinating stops is much easier. Also Heather was able to tell us about the flowers on the side of the road and I was able to point out a few of the birds. Most were on the wing and I knew that wouldn't work, but a Golden Eagle posed for us just outside of Dell. And the Red-tailed hawks were very obliging. Antelope and elk were both spotted, though not everyone saw both.

Other birds I saw were: House sparrows, Rock doves, American crows, Swainson's hawks, Brewer's blackbirds, Kestrels, Magpies, Eastern kingbirds, Barn swallows, Double-crested cormorants, Western meadowlarks, Red-winged blackbirds, White-faced ibis flying in a flock, Lots of common ravens, Canada geese, American white pelicans, Black capped chickadees, Dark eyed juncos and a gorgeous Gray jay at our dig site. One of the most fun sightings for me was the Rough-legged hawk who misjudged his soar in our cars direction and made a sudden turn right over the windshield.

Day One - Pocatello to Missoula

Saturday May 24th 2008
Pocatello to Missoula MT
363 miles - estimated 7 hour drive

Nick and I packed up the car and headed for Missoula. We left late enough that stopping in Dell for lunch made sense. The Calf-A serves homemade and local food, including maple bars, I could only eat part of one, which Nick thought was a pretty good deal. 363 miles and not quite 7 hours later we had arrived in Missoula. This was one of only a couple of days that Nick was able to do homework (read). The road wasn’t too curvy, or bumpy. I took Nick to dinner at the fabulous Chinese restaurant (China Garden) I had found the last time I was there.

Super 8 Motel - Missoula/Brooks Street
3901 S Brooks St: I-90 Exit 101 So. 5 M.
Missoula, MT 59804-7395 US

Receipts:
Maverick gas – Pocatello ID
Yesterday Calf A – Dell Mt
Bonner Town Pump - Milltown MT
Albertsons (groceries) – Missoula MT
China Garden – Missoula MT

We ate breakfast out of our own coolers most of the time, protein drink for me and orange juice, coffee and yoghurt for Nick. It was an excellent way to reduce our costs.



Wildlife & Birds:

Gold eagle
Bald eagle
Magpies
Crows
Ravens
Red tailed hawks
Brewers blackbirds
Red winged blackbirds
Barn swallows
Cliff swallows
Bank swallows
Northern harrier
American kestrel
House sparrows
House finches
Lazuli bunting
Starlings
Mourning doves
Rock doves
Western meadowlarks
Robins

Bozeman Montana to Home: fourth stop on northern sabbatical circuit

DSC02618
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

I didn't stop much on the road to Bozeman either. If it really was the electrical system in my car then I had better drive and drive and hope that nothing else failed. I arrived in the afternoon and hung out in my hotel. I had to write up the visit to Missoula so it worked out fine. As I said earlier, most of my fun was watching scenery as I drove. I definitely missed my stereo though.

The interview went well and I had a great time with the librarians there. I spotted a ring necked pheasant walking by the side of the freeway exit (perhaps he was hitchhiking?). Originally I had planned to drive through Yellowstone on the way home, but between the incoming storm and the wacky car I decided to stick to I15 and just get out.

The ride home was uneventful, though cloudy and beautiful. I made an appointment for my car to see my stereo people when I got home. The stereo people had installed the cruise control also. I cannot say enough good things about them. They called me a couple hours after receipt of my vehicle to tell me that there was a bit of metal floating about in the cigarette lighter which kept shorting out the stereo fuse. Nothing else was wrong... They didn't even charge me.

Photos
To Bozeman: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604600201409/
Montana State University: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604682822509/

Missoula Montana: third stop on northern sabbatical circuit

greenhough park5
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

I left Moscow and discovered that not only was the stereo and clock out of commission, but now my cruise control was out too. ARRRRGH. This was a tad scary, so I drove without much stopping to Missoula. My luck held out and this time my hotel was next door to the Toyota dealer. This dealer seemed much more above-board, and I made an appointment for them to check out my car the next day. I had scheduled two days in Missoula just to have a break.

Dropped my car off in the morning and went back to the hotel to read and watch tv. It was kinda nice to NOT be able to go do anything. They got my car done in record time. Apparently the people who "fixed" the fuse in Moscow had actually put a fuse in the wrong spot. Everything was functioning fine. Whooo hooo! I drove off and went birding at McCauley Flats and then Greenough Park. McCauley Flats was near/in the forest and I became brave and actually did the 1 mile loop walk even though there were few people. There were signs that people used the trail a lot and I'd be fine. I was. There were pygmy nuthatches and osprey. At Greenough Park there were more osprey.

The next day I stopped at both the public library and the University of Montana library. Both were excellent visits. I began to crave Chinese food so I braved the Internet till I found enough positive reviews for a little place called China Gardens. It has AMAZING food. I highly recommend the potstickers. Before calling it an evening I went back to Greenough Park. There is a big sign talking about the Pileated Woodpeckers that live there and I was hoping to see one. No such luck. :( Still, I got to see more osprey.

I did try to get the car back in to the dealer, but they didn't have time for me. They too tried to pin the blame for the electrical failure on the aftermarket cruise control or stereo.

Photos
To Missoula: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604595179026/
Birding Missoula: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604599394393/
Missoula Public Library: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604599551319/
University of Montana: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604595964060/