Photo Blogging

frosty

Having done Going to the Sun Road and Many Glaciers, we had a spare day in our schedule. Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta was only 40 miles from where we were staying on the east side, so off we went into Canada for the third time. We shared multiple confirmations that we had our passports before we took off!

The park is part of the “Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.” We drove a scenic route to a lake in the mountains, reminiscent of Lake Louise, then spent some time at the justifiably famous Prince of Wales hotel. Another beautiful historic hotel with a stunning setting.

On The Road – frosty – 2024 National Park Road Trip – Eastbound (5/6) Waterton Lakes National ParkPost + Comments (14)

We have a very special On the Road post this morning in honor of MobiusKlein and his beloved dad, who passed away yesterday.  May it bring him comfort as we share in his grief and honor his dad.

MobiusKlein

I promised to share some pictures in honor of my dad, who is going thru some very medical situations.  He’s in the ER now, 250 miles away, and in great spirits.   But still it makes me reflect on the cycle of life, and the struggle for existence.

Here I have a collection of plants and assorted other things I hope tells a story of sorts.

MobiusKlein – In Memory of His Dad – The cycle of life thru a lens of plantsPost + Comments (43)

frosty

We moved to a campground on the east side of the park on the Blackfeet Reservation. The east side gave us access to Going To The Sun Road without a timed entry ticket, to the Many Glaciers part of the park, and to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. We saw all three while we were there.

We kept an eye on the weather forecasts and it looked like the last of our three days on the east side was least likely to have any rain so that was the day we saw the other side of Going To The Sun Road. The plan was to cover the route up to Logan Pass then go a little further and see a little of the west side that we missed on the Red Bus because of the weather.

We wanted to stop at as many scenic viewpoints as we could but not surprisingly, they were jammed and there were no parking places at many of them. Oddly enough, the ones on the west side of Logan Pass were almost empty. When we headed back east later in the day the viewpoints had cleared out and we got to stop everywhere we wanted to.

On The Road – frosty – 2024 National Park Road Trip – Eastbound (4/6) Glacier National Park – Going To The Sun Road, East SidePost + Comments (11)

frosty

We stayed on the west side of the park for two full days. Like Mt Rainier, there were timed entry tickets for access to the Going To The Sun Road, which I hadn’t been able to get a reservation for. Instead, I reserved two seats on the half-day Red Bus tour up the west side to Logan Pass, then back. The main benefit of the bus is not driving so no need to watch the road and instead you can watch the scenery.

The buses are an iconic part of Glacier so we were very happy to be able to get the reservation and get on board. It was unfortunate that it was cloudy and raining intermittently the day of our reservation. No rain checks of course. The driver did a good job of describing weather patterns, forest types and succession, and how the moisture (rain) fit into it all. Basically giving us a good trip even with the cloud cover.

On The Road – frosty – 2024 National Park Road Trip – Eastbound (3/6) Glacier National Park – Going To The Sun Road, West SidePost + Comments (14)

ema

New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade (24:12) is one of those events that requires very little from you and delivers quite a lot in return.

The essentials are all in place: bagpipes played with unwavering commitment, uniforms that suggest deep tradition, and a procession that moves with impressive precision.

Then come the dogs. Irish Wolfhounds, calm and self-assured, as if they’ve done this before. The most Irish canine in the city, less certain but no less committed. And, announced without hesitation, “Cindy Mindy in the City,” possibly the most confident participant in the parade.

Somewhere along the route, the distinctions blur. Music, regalia, crowd, dogs. It becomes less about any one moment and more about the accumulation.

I am definitely upgrading this parade from “recommended” to “must see.”

(Éire I Mo Chroí = Ireland in my heart)

On The Road – ema – Éire I Mo ChroíPost + Comments (14)

Duck, duck, goose.

Followed by the St. Patrick’s Day parade and then 3 national parks!

Albatrossity

There may be sighs of relief among the jackals, since I have finally run out of ducks. But no worries; there will be a goose (or ten) in your future!

On The Road – Albatrossity – Duck finalePost + Comments (11)