It was a busy, fun week. No time for prose I’m afraid. This week will mostly be narration via captions. Suits me fine though. I can’t seem to decode what Petty’s The Dark of the Sun, the fifth track on Into the Great Wide Open, is all about (feel free to comment with ideas!) So here are this week’s Chronicles:
Elated We Made It! (Took a few wrong turns that added about an hour to the trip.)
For those of you interested in checking out Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge, here’s how you get here: Drive on Highway 2 towards Idaho. The stop is at Mile Marker 21. It’s that simple. I should have just called the Park Service for directions to start. Instead I used Google Maps and Apple Maps directions. It took us three hours to drive there from Whitefish but only two hours home. It didn’t matter, we all decided IT WAS WORTH IT!
I’m pretty sure this was in Indiana JonesIt didn’t occur to us to be scared on the bridge. It was just so gorgeous!Somewhere (Inside) of the Rainbow Way Up High
We made some local friends. They were fishing for trout but I thought they said they were “trap fishing.” I also thought they saw a bear chasing us from the other side of the bridge when they yelled for us to run towards them across and off the bridge. I mean why else would people I didn’t know just all of the sudden scream for us to run across a swinging bridge unless we were being attacked from behind by an angry grizzly? Well turns out one of them just urgently needed a better look at the fish from above while his buddy positioned himself below in the right spot. They didn’t catch anything while we were there. Maybe we should have run faster?Found a nice, Covid-free looking person to take a photo of the three of us on the swinging bridge!I think he’s found a new happy place. Kootenai FallsCam is Serious about Good Waterfalls
Proof our minds were blown: silence.
Thursday, we did our second climb with Rock Climb Montana. This time in Kila.
So far, rock climbing is their favorite activity in Montana. Cameron really progressed in his climbing on this second go-around. That’s Aubrey way up at the top around 70 feet up. “She’s cruising,” our guide Cole said while I belayed her and sweated anxiety bullets. She did a fantastic job and I managed to come out of it with only a few blisters on my hands from my death grip on her rope. Cole told me to loosen my grip and I told him that wasn’t possible. That’s my baby up there!
What’s better than rappelling, Cameron discovered this week? Pendulum Swinging! It’s a real thing in rock climbing. His super nice belayer Cole let him do it for 30+ minutes. “I’m like Spiderman!”- CameronWatching Aubrey climb 70+ feet up in Kila, MT. The leaves are turning! And we’re also back at our fav laid back spot, Bonsai Brewing, for lunch after the morning climb in Kila. Cameron and I sat on this front porch and talked about the many varieties of house cats for 30 minutes. Tree hugging on Monday’s hike of Swift Creek LoopWhile I remembered the Bear Spray, I forgot their backpacks with bells so we improvised by making crunchy noises with wipes while I jiggled my keys and we talked and sang! Bear Safety Tips free with subscription. Young Growing Humans in an Old Growth ForestIs it moss or is it lichen?Roots!Playground time (when Mommy gets her workout in) -> Swimming in your skivvies in the river (where Mommy finished her workout today)Another silent moment. These are not as common as this post would lead you to believe. Whitefish Lake. Monday night was chilly!Monday Night S’MoresFueling up for Kootenai Falls + the Swinging Bridge at our fav little bakery, Fleur. Whitefish City Beach swim on a hot afternoon. On a clear sunny day like this, the lake looks like the Caribbean and the mountains look like volcanic islands. 50 degree water is too cold for Robert, but a 50 degree drink is notExploring the north shore of Ashley Lake, near KilaA 10 mile gravel road brought us here Saturday, to a lake 3,900 ft above sea level. Hazy today from the Western wildfires.The little naturalist (with the massive mitts) released this crayfish right after the picture was takenCrayfish crawlThe children wandering upstream from Ashley Lake
*Not pictured* Cameron melting down in his weekly literacy tutoring call. Keeping it real at The Gray School.
Also, this week Robert and I were mistaken for locals at Abruzzo, an Italian restaurant in Whitefish. Assimilation complete. Time to move on to Glacier National Park, where we’ll be reporting from next week.
Until next time! Sending love, Into The Gray Wide Open
So fun. Would love to hear your children’s version of this adventure. They are at such a great age to do this.
Clary Gray
Me too! Please stay posted! Thank you so much for your comment and for following. With love, Clary
Ruth Ellen Gill
Clary, Have LOVED following along with your adventures. Way to go for making lemonade out of lemons! We traveled a TON with our children when they were young. It’s expensive, but in the end, the trips are what my kids remember. It also made them super close as they were forced to get along when there were no other friends to turn to. I can tell yours are super bonded already, just from the pictures. Thanks for sharing it all…the highs, the lows….it’s so refreshing and makes me happy to watch your family adventure during this trying time!
Clary Gray
Ruth Ellen, it is so wonderful to hear from you and thank you for your kind words of encouragement! Not every moment is easy around here but the days are great! Please let me know how you and your family are. I am sending you love. Love, Clary
Anonymous
Just saw your reply as I read the most recent installment! My family is all well! My oldest daughter got engaged this summer which is such happy news for us all. My middle daughter is actually following your lead and working for a month from Big Sky! Youngest is back in DC after some work time staying with my hubby and me at Kiawah. Life feels fast and slow at the same time. Trying to stay grateful and keep learning and growing! Thanks for checking in on us. Many thanks for sharing your journey!
So fun. Would love to hear your children’s version of this adventure. They are at such a great age to do this.
Me too! Please stay posted! Thank you so much for your comment and for following. With love, Clary
Clary, Have LOVED following along with your adventures. Way to go for making lemonade out of lemons! We traveled a TON with our children when they were young. It’s expensive, but in the end, the trips are what my kids remember. It also made them super close as they were forced to get along when there were no other friends to turn to. I can tell yours are super bonded already, just from the pictures. Thanks for sharing it all…the highs, the lows….it’s so refreshing and makes me happy to watch your family adventure during this trying time!
Ruth Ellen, it is so wonderful to hear from you and thank you for your kind words of encouragement! Not every moment is easy around here but the days are great! Please let me know how you and your family are. I am sending you love. Love, Clary
Just saw your reply as I read the most recent installment! My family is all well! My oldest daughter got engaged this summer which is such happy news for us all. My middle daughter is actually following your lead and working for a month from Big Sky! Youngest is back in DC after some work time staying with my hubby and me at Kiawah. Life feels fast and slow at the same time. Trying to stay grateful and keep learning and growing! Thanks for checking in on us. Many thanks for sharing your journey!