Western Montana BMW meeting 2nd attempt

Okay. Down to some serious work. I have a lot of catching up to do and some marvellous new adventures. In March I again took Phyl and myself to Montana. This time we went to Fairmont Hot Springs. We travelled to Missoula and stayed over night. Visiting again with Art and Betty. Then we went to Anaconda. On the way we encountered these fascinating sculptures by a man by the name of Oates. These are outside in the yard and he is so talented he has pictures and bronzes and other art forms in the building behind the owls and the giant mammoth is standing on the tail of a mouse. What an incredible talent.

 

I loved this little donkey. He has a daisy in his mouth.

This is a very majestic eagle

We continued on our journey and got a room in Anaconda. That evening we started up the road to Wisdom but encountered snow and blowing snow so decided to turn around and had dinner in Anaconda. One neat thing we saw while we turned around was a kite snowboarder. He zipped effortlessly up and down this empty field.

 

 

The next day we got up and had breakfast and headed back to Philipsburg to the candy story. I introduced Phyl to the joys of this great place. The Sweet Palace with fudge and chocolate and every kind of candy imaginable. Then off to the meeting. Many rode their motorcycles because the day was tolerable and they did not have far to come. About 18 in all. I enjoyed a lovely swim in the pool before it started so we could head home right after the meeting. My intent was to stay in Great Falls but managed to miss both exits so we stayed in Conrad overnight. They were renovating the Super 8 but it was a good place to stay despite the snow overnight. Great trip. When I got home I worked and picked up my new bike and worked and worked but now that spring has finally arrived I am off on a new adventure and can hardly wait to tell you about my Cache Creek trip and the 49er rally in California and Awesome Yosemite Park.

 

 

Trip to Western Montana BMW meeting

Thought I would catch up on some of my blog but it is beautiful out there and I am currently in Mariposa California so I think I will go for a ride instead . Having trouble loading pictures so will try again.

Montana

Last month I headed to Missoula Montana with my friend Phyliss, We spent Friday in the Brooks Street Motor Inn and Saturday also. We shopped at Walmart and went to a slide show presented by a fellow from Helena who had toured South Africa with Helge Pedersen. The next morning we headed for Lincoln and the Western Montana BMW meeting. That evening we stayed  at The Riverstone Lodge just outside Eureka. This is the only picture I took and we had a great time. Now we are back in Montana again. More in the next episode.

Idylwilde and home

Well now that the Living Desert is done and still there I will try to do the next phase of my journey up to Idylwilde, California. If you remember I tried to go here last year but at 3000 ft elevation encountered ice and snow on the road and really did not think it was worth it. However it is a great ride. Nothing really special but a great little town. Would like to go there and stay for awhile. I just rode up and walked around a little and went to JoAnns café for lunch. Excellent lunch by the way. Here are some pictures I took while I was there.

This is the monument in the middle of town and interspersed throughout are these deer.

These are some of the old buildings

 

 

This huge tree was just outside the window of the café and the view of the mountain I took out the same window.

 

 

When I got back to Ken and Karen's in Palm Springs I parked the bike in the carport and took these pictures just outside their mobile home 22deg C and tomorrow I would be home.

 

The next day JAN 10 I take a cab to the airport and get to check in only to find that I was not supposed to be there til Jan 14. Decisions Decisions. Anyway I paid the extra $75.00 and came home early. It did give me time to get together what I needed for the following week . And I did get to go to The Calgary Motorcycle Show and see all my friends and get hugs etc. I was able to sit on my F700GS well at least a facsimile of the one I have on order. This one does not have the lowered seat and suspension and it is Red where mine is Osra grey. But here it is.

I got to the Honda exhibit just in time to see Glen Turple awarded his million mile award.

Glen is an old friend of mine who owns Turple Bros in Red Deer , Alberta.

I do not know about this motley crew. Hard workers!!! Vintage Motorcycle club

When I saw Dan and Stephanie from Medicine Hat they told me that my picture was at The Ride for Dad booth so I went down to check it out at lo and behold there I am front and centre on the bike and sidecar.

I wish at this present moment I was back in Palm Springs. It has been very cold here. But eventually spring will find its way here and once again I will be able to ride.

 

 

 

 

 

The Living Desert Palm Desert 2014

Last night I decided to try my laptop and see if I could get by the problem of putting in pictures that I am encountering on my desktop and low and behold it worked. So I spent an hour and completed the Living Desert and then I promptly deleted the whole thing. So here goes AGAIN! On my travels this year someone suggested I go to the Living Desert so I took their advice and so glad I did. This is just the most lovely intimate little zoo I have ever been to. When one enters the grounds the first thing to draw your interest is this wonderful garden train set up. My friends in Vegas would love it.

 

 

From here I wandered over to the African exhibit and the children's petting zoo, with goats and sheep and these wonderful Anjouti cattle from Mexico much like a Long horn from Texas. I don't know how they hold up their heads.

They had a couple of giraffes and zebras and elands

 

 

You could even take a camel ride or go on a Merry-Go-Round

 

 

Kind of reminds me of the story about if you find yourself doing about 50 miles an hour and you are riding a zebra and a lion is chasing you but does not appear to be gaining and there is an elephant keeping pace beside you what should you do? Get your drunken ass off the Merry-Go-Round and go home. This little zoo also puts on a bit of a show to introduce you to some of its diverse wildlife. First a beautiful golden eagle swoops out of the air and alights and devours a mouse. Then they bring out some of the other animals including a porcupine.

 

 

There was a lot of Flora and Fauna from many various regions. You all know how much I like trees and flowers so here goes.

Firecracker plant

 

 

 

 

 

I really liked this picture of the wolves. I thought it looked like a Robert Bateman painting.

I also went in the bird enclosure and saw this egret and a Kookaburra.

 

I almost forgot my favorite picture of the 2 buzzards that reminded me of the 2 sitting on a branch watching a guy painfully crawl across the desert and one turns to the other and says Patience my ass, let's kill something. Or that other old adage God grant me patience but Hurry.

And last but not least I paid $2.00 for a popsicle stick with bird seed glued to the end. I entered a cage with birds of the Australian Outback. Once you held the stick out you were deluged with parakeets, cockatiels and parrots. It was so fun.

 

I highly recommend this quaint little zoo. It is west on Highway 74 out of Palm Desert. And with that I will end this episode and give you Idylwilde soon and hopefully not delete it again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riverside BMW

Tuesday Jan 7 I had an appointment for service on the bike. So bright and early I rode to Riverside. When I arrived they took me right in and while they were working I went to get a bite to eat and visited a few other shops.

I bought a couple of souvenir shirts for friends and it did not take long and all the work was done. Lights in the dash and now my accessory plug works as well. Oil change and chain adjustment and lube. All for $351.00. A bargain as far as I am concerned. Then back to Palm Springs. Tomorrow
The Living Desert in Palm Desert.