Heading Back from Glacier Park and going to Mt Ranier and Walla Walla to visit cousins/ Click on any picture to enlarge!

Had a tremendous time at Glacier National Park and now headed to Walla Walla Washington. Stopped by Mt Ranier just after a flash flood. Sounded like thunder all night with all the boulders going down the freezing river. Standing on a bridge with the boulders going underneath us, was actually a little unwise, but nevertheless interesting.

Then proceeded on down to Spokane and visited with our cousins, Gordon and Karen Elmes at their home (in the picture above). After that we went to Walla Walla and visited with George and Gayle Berg and their families. Walla Walla was where we got the most amazing shots of the evening clouds from Gavin & Laura Berg's house overlooking the wheat fields all around their place above Walla Walla in Eastern Washington, a beautiful almost surreal place this time of the year. We also found our latest canine here in Walla Walla and named him Wally. He is part border collie and blue tic hound, great ranch and hunting dog.

Trip Back from Canada dropping down into Montana and Glacier National Park.

On our way back from Canada, we headed to Bellingham Washington and stayed over night with friends, Dr. Bruce Whipple and his wife Lillian, who live at the 'Firs' on beautiful lake Whatcom. Dick and Sharon Whipple were also there, so we were able to visit with both of these wonderful couples. The Whipple's parents started this extensive Christian Camp and Conference Center known as the 'FIRS' on Lake Whatcom, near Bellingham Washington; http://www.thefirs.org/ Then we proceeded to Glacier National Park in Montana and visited our dear friends, Jim and Shirley Folston, who live in Kalispel Montana six months out of the year. Their home is high up on a mountain overlooking the Great Flathead Lake and Glacier National Park, a good location for a former Pan Am pilot. We stayed over night there and Jim took us on a special guided tour of Glacier National Park. Just amazing, saw the largest Grizzly bear we had ever seen and many Mountain Goats, lakes, glaciers, and took a couple of really good hikes. The above two pictures of Saint Mary's Falls are so picturesque, that these shots really deserve a special click to enlarge, this falls was so beautiful. Glacier Park, unlike Yellowstone is one amazing area that many people somehow seem to overlook.

Summer 09, Return from Alaska and take Motohome up to British Columbia

After the Alaska cruise we returned to Seattle and stayed with our dear friends Jim and Dee Gardner on Whidbey Island where we left our motorhome. Stopped by Captain Whidbeys and toured the island with Jim and Dee.

Proceeded up to British Columbia border and met our cousins Gordon and Karen Elms from Spokane and toured BC with them.

Went through the Okanagen Valley in BC. One of the most beautiful agriculture growing valley's in World, where just amazing farming takes place. We had no idea that there was such a rich beautiful farming valley in British Columbia, it is very much like the Central Valley in CA but with lakes and a large river flowing through it. However, due to the weather the farming is also very intensive, with some farms having different fruit trees on alternating rows. How could there be such a warm beautiful area for farming and at that latitude? But, it does exists almost like a lost world. The locals including tourists just by their produce right off the vine or tree. The picture with Bob pointing to fruit and the river/lake in the background is the Okanagen Valley, definitely a must see, if you ever tour in BC.

We also visited the town of Banff, the Banff Hotel (Very Canadian) in the above picture, Banff hotsprings, and the surrounding ski resort etc. Then we headed on up the infamous 'Highway to The Sun' and to Jasper BC. Saw many mountains and glaciers, beautiful beyond description, but pictures help.

Summer 09, Alaska cruise with friends

Took a trip up to Seattle area and left our motohome with friends on Whidbey island, took a trip over to Victoria and then a one week cruise with 8 couples up the Channel islands and on up to Sitka and Fairbanks Alaska, saw some amazing sites and glaciers etc. We thought the small iceberg above looked like a whale on the surface so we put it by the picture of the real whales. We didn't actually see the real ones in the above picture, that photo was taken by our friends the Whipple's, but the photo was taken on this trip. Barbara, caught me standing with two great friends and one a relative who are 8 and 10 inches taller than me. I was standing with our daughter-in-law, Allison's dad, John Block and Al Nordquist at the Mendenhall Glacier. Since they are quite tall and athletic, naturally they both played basketball, John in the NBA.