Glacier, part II

The next morning at Glacier the boys went off to frolic in the boat, and the girls went for a 2 hour horseback ride.

We went thru the woods, saw deer and learned about the local fauna such as "bear grass". We went along side the McDonald creek, and learned that glacier rivers get their distinctive blue-green color from microscopic glacier flowers that they pick up along the ground. (before that we all thought it was that color because it was cold. What do we know??!!)

A very cool part of the ride was getting to cross over the water on a bridge... all the tourists on the road must have thought it was either a very cool shot, or we were famous... lots of cameras flashing. They wouldn't let us take pictures at that time to make sure we could control the horses.

The girls enjoyed learning about the "goats beard" moss that grows on the trees, and how the Indians boiled it. Our guide told us it was edible, and they spent the last half hour reaching for it in the trees and convincing each other how good it tasted. At the end they all admitted it was pretty gross, and maybe they should have boiled it like the natives did. It was a nice ride!! (Bye the way, Laura.... Naomi did fine and said "I think we should tell my mom that I should go riding more often, I'm not itchy at all!) Shayna and Alexis are hoping for more riding when we get to Michigan.


Later that day we drove 14 miles up "Going to the Sun" road... though for us it was more like "Driving through the Clouds". We started out at a lookout of the creek.

We got a little higher and only the brave went to look out over the edge....

And then we moved along the one lane highway as far as we could go.... got up close and personal with a glacier and its welcoming mountain goat.

This guy was there to greet us on the way up and the way back down. Have you ever seen a mountain goat scale a cliff? totally amazing. He hopped from the road, climbed vertical on these rocks, and then just smiled for everyone driving by.

Thanks for sharing your land, Mr. Goat!!!!