Swollen Eye, Buffalo, Hot springs,

My eye, well take a look. I was hoping it would be a bit better today. You know my mind is going in ten thousand directions like I hope it wasn’t one of those spiders that the bite will eat the flesh, make the tissue necrotic, and I loose half of my face. Then I will have to employ that doctor who in the movie with Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, Face Off (I think) swapped their faces. Did a good job too. So now in my travels instead of just looking for bear and eagles, I will have to look for faces.

Now meanwhile back on the trip: Hooptie is covered with ash,  the skies are hazy with smoke, and the smell, well, it’s not good like a camp fire.

We are going to Laird Hot Spring today and look what was wondering up the road alone. A buffalo. I was surprised to see him all alone. But not for long. About two miles up the road we came upon a whole heard. Lots of babies too! Look how close they are. I opened the RV door and a baby came to visit.    I quickly closed the door, don’t want to stir up a Mama Buffalo. The size of these guys are incredible. If that Buffalo decided to have a seat, the little car didn’t stand a chance. They are very docile creators, just moseying along eating grass and flowers.  That was exciting to see.

On to Laird Hot Springs for the afternoon. We followed a boardwalk path through a forest and then wetlands that support so many boreal forest plants. Some of these plants only survive here because of the hot springs. Berry bushes are loaded with unripe fruit and wild flowers brightened up the walkway that led to the lower hot spring pool. The upper pool was closed off due to recent bear activity. The hot spring temperature ranges from 108 to 126 degrees. The waterfall was a wonderful masseuse especially when your muscles were warmed up from the steaming water.   So relaxing. Now, if I could just get carried back to the RV for a nap.

The roadside was camp again for us and I don’t think we could have found a better spot. The mountains, the Northern Rockies, in front of us looked like pyramids and the creek, named 115 mile creek, was so peaceful.    The beavers were busy building.   With it getting dark at about 11pm, sunsets are a nightly event now.