As we hoped, we are camped in the Apgar campground in Glacier National Park.  No reservations are accepted at this campground, so to get a site we got out early this morning to get here early.  We were on the road about 7:30 Pacific time.  The plan was to make an 8:30 mass in Sand Point.  As we crossed into Idaho I thought we crossed into the Mountain time zone which would have made us an hour late for mass, so we continued on.  An hour later we stopped for coffee and found it was about 9:30.  I checked the map again and found the time change was between Idaho and Montana.  Oops!  Our intentions were good, my map reading not so good.  The trip along Rt 2 is, again, beautiful.  The road follows various rivers and lakes most of the time, sometimes through wide cultivated valleys, sometimes through narrow gorges, but most of the hills are densely covered with pines.  Many show slashes of logging roads cut across them with second growth trees apparent.  The trees are interspersed with rock outcroppings making ever changing patterns.  Every turn yielded another scene.  The rivers themselves are rocky with many rapids, but where the water is calm it is crystal clear, the deeper areas a forest green color, reflecting the treed hillsides.  The lakes are deep blue reflecting the sky.  We’ve been lucky with weather, again there were no clouds, temperatures in the high 80’s.  Yesterday in eastern Washington the temperature reached 100 for a period of time.

As we approached Kalispell, Montana the Rocky Mountains became visible with snow capped peaks.  As we approached the entrance to the park the traffic became very congested and I began to wonder if we would find a site.  Fortunately the jam was more from people leaving and day use people.  Once in the park the GPS got a bit confused so I got to practice a U turn, then turned her off because we knew from our last trip where the campground was.  We drove through all four loops to find the perfect site.  It’s site A 36.  Yup, the first loop we drove through.  There were only a few available sites that we could fit into comfortably, so it was a good thing we got an early start.  After setting up we relaxed a bit, then took a walk and ended up at a camp church service, so we didn’t miss church entirely.  While getting dinner ready ranger came by to remind us to put all food and grills, etc. away when done, especially on our site as a bear had been sighted this afternoon walking by our site.  No wonder it was vacant!  The ranger talk tonight was on bears.  Appropriate.  We finished the evening with Huckleberry ice cream.

 Keeping 'em wet for the sawyer

 Mom's off-roading again!

 Logging roads on the hillside

 The Rockies in the distance

 Entering Kalispell, MT