Big Grayling, Bison and other creatures.

Wood bison is a subspecies of the American bison that makes it home in the northern boreal forest.

After leaving the Banff area we stopped by the village of Mentasta, home of the Athan - the "headwaters people".

We stopped into the village hall to ask permission to check out the lake.  They said sure, but don't drive across the bridge.

Also that the reds were spawning and they wouldn't be very good to eat.

We fished the outlet where the Slana river flows into the lake

Beau and I had caught grayling near Bozeman but these were much larger up to14+"

Madux landed this one and zander couldn't believe it.

Tara caught a nice fish too

The Slanta drains into the Copper rive and both serve as spawning grounds for salmon and whitefish

Beau wasn't going to loose that lucky rooster tail

So he went for a dip.

Just down the road a ways we all took the plunge and hit one of our favorite stops.  The Liard River Hot Springs.  The upper springs temperature ranges from 42*C to 52*C....107 - 125*F  Wow!

Beware of the creatures that make this warm water swamp home.

 

MAKE A RUN FOR THE BOARDER

Up early and the crew is ready to roll

Jeep one - Blake, Tae, Madox and Zander... Hey guys!

In the middle the lead dogs - BJ and Tara

Beau and I and the Bison, our home for the next month

750 miles later we found our selves just south of the Canadian boarder in Moore MT

At Eddies Corner.  

Not what I pictured for my Montana camp.

But, a place to get off the road to fix a bite to eat and sleep before crossing the US Boarder

Boarder crossing -  Time to explore 

Icefield parkway, Lake Louise, Banff National park, Alberta Canada  

          We stopped by Johnston Canyon to stretch our legs and check out the upper and lower falls.   

It feels a little touristy but, what the hell? 

When in Banff.

Victoria glacier provides a beautiful back drop for Lake Louise

Immersed in the mountains Lake Louise has a beautiful aqua blue color

BJ explored Alaska on an adventure bike the year that Beau moved into his spare room.

So his knowledge of Alaska was super valuable 

Once we hit camp Beau and I can pop the top of the Gofast Camper and close up the lower portion of the topper in just a matter of minutes.

After realizing that I left my sleeping bag in  the cabin, down in Buna Vista CO.

I got Walmart's finest...

It's going to be a little tight on headroom for the next few weeks

 

Go West

A post from the road in the middle of Wyoming 

Is that all there is ?

Yep, and Beau culled out some things

16 plus hours later we made it to Gladstone.

 Jace, Jimmy and I camp for two nights and got to hang with the crew before Jimmy drove me back down to the Springs so Beau can get organized before heading North 

 

July - Grafting

I made a cut through the bark into the phloem

I dipped my peach whips in gibberellic acid and a little rooting powder

Sealed the cuts with some tape and sit back and wait

 

And now I'm just waiting on the wine berries

So Much To Do

• It's been a great year for blue berries and I been on top of the harvesting

I picked and Susie made me a bowl for breakfast

Raspberries too

lots of snow peas

Garlic was harvested, washed 

cured and hung up to dry

all smiles before my spelunking adventure under the house 

one of the repairs 

Sealed 

The fun is done

Thursday night market 

in the mill works district

Celebrating Joanie at Steve and Pegs

with a lovely cake that Susie made and Steve's fish fry

Jim and Joyce would have been  impressed

The girls and what's left of the cake

 The start of my packing for Alaska

TOOLS

Susie and I relaxed along the river before we loaded up her tile piece into the pickup and hulled it up to the city house.

One of my most valuable tools is my old 82 Chevy

I picked up a yard and a half of garden mulch on the way back home from Dubuque.

Last time I had Beau around to unload it.

The cucumber vines are latched on to the hay fork that I need to unload the truck

and this tool works well for these weeds

 I'm keeping a eye on the little yellow dot just to the right of the little shelve

Don't let your tools get wet.

And this tool got soaked while getting the work done.