![\"Linda](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Linda-motorcycle.jpeg\")
<\/a>Linda in route from Minnesota to California in 1972<\/p><\/div>\n
Depending on your perspective, this is the \u2018natural\u2019 part of our trip or the \u2018natural disaster\u2019 part of our trip; Linda shares the latter perspective. To help frame this, you need to know that Linda was raised on a dairy farm in rural southern Minnesota<\/strong>; there was no indoor bathroom facilities for the first 5-6 years of her life, so she used an outhouse, which was about fifty yards from the house; which in the winter was fifty yards too far and in the summer, fifty yards too near. Pheeeew. Linda left the farm for California<\/strong> immediately after graduating from college . . . on a motorcycle<\/strong>. No, she wasn\u2019t a passenger, she was driving. Linda plays golf and walks the course. I say all this to establish the fact that she is not a wussy, but she is also not a lover of the great outdoors. Wilderness to her is the rough along the 4th <\/sup>fairway at Yorba Linda Country Club<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018Roughing it’ is a Marriott<\/strong> without valet parking. She believes that people who had no cars invented hiking. So over the last three days of our trip, we are operating on two totally different wavelengths, sounding something like the following:<\/p>\n The ‘Unhappy Camper’<\/p><\/div>\n Lake McDonald in Glacier Nat\u2019l Park<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Four mile hike to Avalanche Lake<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Avalanche Lake<\/p><\/div>\n One perspective: \u201cThe trailhead starts at a waterfall where the Avalanche Creek<\/strong> cascades magnificently into Lake McDonald<\/strong> and weaves back through the majestic pines to Avalanche Lake, a serene, crystal clear lake set in a glacial valley surrounded by 7-8,000 foot mountains.<\/p>\n Another perspective: \u201cThe waterfall\u2019s pretty and the lake is nice, but there are too many trees between them and I can\u2019t get any phone reception here; apparently there is no Big Cell or Big Wifi in this Big Sky state.\u201d<\/p>\n We check into the Lake McDonald Lodge<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n One perspective: \u201cWhat a quaint room, rustic wood beam ceilings, step-saver bathroom and a view of the forest.\u201d<\/p>\n Another perspective: \u201cThis is the worst room I\u2019ve ever stayed in, no TV and where\u2019s the mini bar?\u201d<\/p>\n “No I don’t have bear spray, I thought you said hair spray!”<\/p><\/div>\n Flora and Fauna<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n One perspective: \u201cDid you know that in Glacier National Park<\/strong> there are nearly 1,132 species of plants including 20 varieties of trees, over 200 species of birds, nearly 60 species of mammals and 24 species of fish, including 18 native?\u201d<\/p>\n Another perspective: \u201cNo, but if these damn mosquitos don’t leave me alone, I\u2019m going to eradicate one entire species myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Going to the Sun Road<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n One Perspective: \u201cThis is one of the most spectacular roads I\u2019ve ever driven on, look at the water falls and rock formations here on the Continental Divide<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Another Perspective: \u201cKeep your eyes on the road! \u00a0Couldn\u2019t they have just blown a tunnel through the mountain instead of creating this road along these cliffs? \u00a0Who wants to go to the sun anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n View from Many Glacier Lodge<\/p><\/div>\n Many Glacier – Hike to Johns Lake<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n One Perspective: \u201cI know it\u2019s early, but do you want to take a quick 3 mile hike before breakfast to John\u2019s Lake, the walk along the river is beautiful?\u201d<\/p>\n Another Perspective: \u201cZzzzzzzzzzz\u201d<\/p>\n Five mile hike to St. Mary\u2019s Falls<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n One Perspective: \u201cThese are spectacular falls\u201d<\/p>\n St. Mary Falls<\/p><\/div>\n Another Perspective: \u201cIf they\u2019re so spectacular, why didn\u2019t they build the road closer to them? Oh crap, I broke a nail.\u201d<\/p>\n Into Canada and to The Prince of Wales hotel<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n One Perspective: Great old railroad hotel with spectacular views<\/p>\n Another Perspective: No elevator and we\u2019re on the 5th<\/sup> floor? No cell, no wifi, no Starbucks<\/strong> and I\u2019ve seen this view on the Internet. When do we check out?<\/p>\n For someone who wonders why people would want to walk through a forest without any real purpose, she did pretty well particularly in light of the emotions she was going through with her father\u2019s health. She did enjoy the scenery and the company of Moose (Pat), Rocky (Pam), Glacier (Bob P), Current (Jeanne), Digger (John) and Dug (Lisa), Slot (Linda) and Akeem (me) – it’s a unpublished rule that you have to have a mountain\/hiking name.<\/p>\n Prince of Wales Hotel<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n View from Prince of Wales Hotel<\/p><\/div>\n Now that I\u2019m home and have the luxury of wifi, I\u2019ve attached the pictures to the 3 previous posts \u2013 Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Flathead Lake that you can revisit in the archives, including the video of the buffalo walking next to our car. \u00a0(Yes, I learned how to insert a video into the blog!). \u00a0All the pictures, including the ones here, are mine, except the one of Linda on the motorcycle in 1972.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Bob Sparrow Depending on your perspective, this is the \u2018natural\u2019 part of our trip or the \u2018natural disaster\u2019 part of our trip; Linda shares the latter perspective. To help frame this, you need to know that Linda was raised … read more<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>