Sunday, June 25

The crew and I are on the road again, heading north through western Montana!

Interstate 15 toward Dillon and Butte, as seen from overpass at Clark Canyon Reservoir

After studying my Montana Benchmark Atlas many times over the past few days, I finally have a plan.

We follow I-15 to Butte.

Rest stop where the crew has a walk-about and I go online to check this blog

“Okay, Rog.  We’re taking off.  The window’s going up.  It’s snooze time!  Right, Reggie?”

At Butte we pick up Interstate 90 going west/northwest.

Instead of continuing on the interstate to Deer Lodge, we take the third exit which is Route 1 and travel due west to Anaconda.  Beyond Anaconda is Georgetown Lake surrounded by several campgrounds.

In town I gas up the Perfect Tow Vehicle and stop at a grocery store.

Anaconda is very busy.  People and cars go this way and that in the frenetic manner of people intent upon having fun.  This is the week prior to Fourth of July.

While my groceries are bagged, I ask about camping at the lake.  The bag boy says he was there last weekend and “everything’s reserved.”

Uh-oh… Coming this way may have been a mistake.  Oh, well, we need to find the least popular campground for tonight. I’ll figure out what to do from there . . .

Before reaching the lake, I turn us into Spring Hill Campground.

Hmm . . . only $6.50 a night for us!

(See important note about the Senior Pass at end of post.)  

Slowly we make our way around the campground loop.

Spring Hill looks like it’s been here for a while.  The sites are a bit close together in places but the trees and other vegetation make it pleasant enough.  I’m sure there are prettier campgrounds on the lake.  However, those places surely are filled up with people.

I back the Best Little Trailer into a site next to the camp host’s site.

(A camp host for a neighbor gives insurance against any party people who can’t wait for the Fourth.)

Of course, Reggie and Roger are very excited.  Immediately, even before letting them out of the PTV, I put down their quilt pallet and set up a tether.

“There you go.  You play while I make sure we’re level.”

I’ve discovered that Roger, once he feels secure, is a happy-go-lucky kind of guy.  He doesn’t hesitate to chew on his elk antler, oblivious to what I’m doing.

Reggie, on the other hand, always needs to know where I am and what I’m doing.  That’s why he’s not in the photo below.  He’s standing by my feet, looking up at me.  Once he’s satisfied that this is home, he joins Roger on the quilt.

Shortly after moving into the campsite, I grab my Verizon air card to check for internet signal.  Nothing.  The campground is surrounded by steep hills.

This means we will stay only one night at Spring Hill.

The crew and I walk the campground loop.

I drop a check for $6.50 into the iron ranger, and we return to our site.  We’re in a forest of Lodgepole Pines.

After lunch it’s play time.  

My “play time” is relaxation in the lounger.

The woodsy smell of pines, freshly chopped wood, and decomposing pine needles and vegetation is aromatherapy for me!

It’s also relaxing and entertaining to watch the crew.

 Roger decides to take security measures for his precious elk antler.  Reggie observes.

~ ~ ~

Is Reggie smirking because he knows the hiding place?

~ ~ ~

Is Roger suspicious that Reggie might not be trusted with this information?

~ ~  ~

Roger changes his mind and removes the elk antler. “Oops, you dropped it, sweetie!”

~ ~ ~

“You gonna’  guard your prized possession all the time, Rog?”  (Antler next to paw)

~ ~ ~

Roger carries the antler over to the quilt. He’s hilarious with the antler sticking out of his mouth like a cigar.

A few moments later Roger lets Reggie chew on the antler.

Roger’s interest has turned to torturing Reggie’s Blue Monkey, followed by picking up a stick, flinging it, picking it up, flinging it, and so on.

Are you keeping up?

In the next post . . .

We find a pretty camp among Ponderosa Pines and it has strong internet signal!  Plus more aromatherapy!

The crew and I will enjoy the peace of this place through Fourth of July weekend.

rvsue

IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you will be 62 by October 1st and you haven’t purchased a senior discount pass, go ahead and do so as soon as you’re eligible. On October 1st the once-in-your-lifetime, ten-dollar fee goes up to $80.  More info here (scroll down the page):  National Park Service

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