June 18, 2014 (58th Day)

We were up very early, had breakfast, then cleaned up the van a bit. The day was partly cloudy, actually mostly cloudy and so so for pictures!  We wanted to head back down the road where we saw several beautiful barns the day before but the sun was not on the right side of them. Alas, no sun this morning either when we got there!  Edith went ahead and took the best pictures she could and hoped for the best.

The barn on the right side is what Erwin was after for his future woodburning project.  This barn has lots of character and the color is perfect for pyrography.  After taking numerous pictures, we headed back to Philipsburg when the stores opened up. First store we stopped at was Schnibbles to get some handmade soaps. We bought some from them last year and liked them so much that we decided to come back here again and get some more.

Schnibbles

As we were leaving the store we were approached by a couple who wanted to know about our camper van.  After we explained what it was we found out that the couple had been traveling full-time for 12 years! They do not have a house! 

We went by the coffee shop to get some coffee and inside the shop were decorations of two old ladies at one table sipping coffee and chatting/listening.

"Don't look, but Edith is going to take a picture of us"

"Oh, you fool. Edith will never take a picture of us!"

We browsed this small town and it has very interesting stuff.  There was this "Museum/Art Gallery" that had fantastic wood carvings displayed there among with lots of unusual rocks and minerals that were beautiful. We spent a couple hours there easily! 

Then we meandered about the town looking at this and that.

Downtown on Broadway Street 

Erwin found a used bookstore where he picked up a half dozen books for $2. Now he has something to read before bedtime.

Old time decor!

Yes, they drilled holes through these vintage dishes and cups.
Very weird effect but interesting

We left Philipsburg, MT around noon and headed north 10A/1, sightseeing and taking pictures along the way. We spotted a deer browsing in a field but we had already passed it, so turned around and headed back to take pictures. All this activity spooked him and he bounded off up the hill where he "vanished" but not before Edith got a few pictures of him.  

We crossed I-90 and headed north on the backroad (271) and "WOW" what a beautiful meandering road it was!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpxOFLM1KBg&list=UUc1sN0j1aIwLmqT67a9kMUQ

Lots of photograph opportunities along this route. It would have been much prettier if the sun was out. We saw a few more deer as well. Then it started to drizzle and rain, more rain, hard rain, harder rain, pouring down rain, driving slow and missing lots of pictures because of the rain. It finally stopped enough for us to pull off onto a pullout and we fixed our lunch and admired the view from our high spot. 

View from the pullout while we had lunch

Soon we spotted a hawk perched in a bare tree (too bad it was not a partridge!). The hawk did not like what Edith was doing so it took off to the far blue mountains, but Edith got some nice shots.

Not far from where the hawk was there were several Percherons. 

A magnificent stallion!

We arrived Kalispell looking for a campground. While on Highway 83 we saw this cute bear sculpture peering into the window of a furniture store.  Very cute!

 We checked into Rocky Mountain Hi RV & Campground in Kalispell, MT.  At the entrance near the office was this cute chainsawed bear welcoming campers to the premises.  

Good Night! Sleep Tight!